May 1st 2024.
The popular makeup brand, Youthforia, recently faced some serious backlash after claims were made that their darkest foundation shade resembled black face paint. People were quick to call out the brand for its lack of inclusivity and demand that they expand their shade range. It was influencers who ultimately uncovered the shocking similarities between the foundation and jet-black face paint.
Last year, when Youthforia released their Date Night Skin Tint Serum, it was met with criticism from beauty gurus. The product, priced at $48 and available at Ulta Beauty, only came in 15 shades. Golloria George, a well-known Black beauty influencer, was among those who spoke out against the brand's lack of diversity. In a post, she pointed out that none of the shades matched her darker skin tone, essentially excluding other women with darker skin from using the foundation.
While many believed that Youthforia had taken note of the criticism and expanded their shade range with their latest release, a second review by George exposed a shocking discovery. She compared the brand's darkest shade with jet-black face paint and the resemblance was uncanny. In her own words, "When we say that we want you guys to make shades for us, we don't mean to go to the lab and ask for minstrel show black. What we mean is to take the browns that you have made, create undertones, and do what you need to do in the lab so that it's a darker shade of brown."
The issue of diversity in the beauty industry has been a hot topic for several years now. Many credit Fenty Beauty for setting the bar high with their groundbreaking 40 shades of foundation launched in 2017. However, it seems that some companies still have a long way to go to match Fenty's commitment to inclusivity. George believes that the industry is taking a step backward, and even went as far as calling the Youthforia shade 600 a "slap in the face."
In an interview, George expressed her disappointment with the industry's lack of progress, stating, "We've seen so many complexion launches that would never work for a skin tone like mine." Last year, Youthforia's CEO, Fiona CO Chan, issued an apology for the limited shade range, as reported by NBC News. She admitted, "When I first started Youthforia two years ago, all I wanted to do was create a safe space where individual beauty could be celebrated. And unfortunately, with our latest launch, we just fell short of that mission."
One beauty influencer who goes by the name Javon Ford, also a cosmetic chemist, took a closer look at the ingredients in Youthforia's controversial foundation shade. According to Ford, while the other shades contained at least three pigments, shade 600 only had "black iron oxide" as a pigment. He goes on to allege that Youthforia simply asked their manufacturers to make the darkest shade possible, without considering the importance of undertones, which vary from person to person.
Despite all the controversy, neither Youthforia nor Ulta have released an official statement addressing the issue. It remains to be seen how the brand will respond and if they will take steps to improve their shade range and ensure inclusivity for all customers.
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