While there’s still a long way to go, the beauty industry is moving the needle toward inclusivity, thanks to a few special beauty brands that have added new shades to their foundation lines, used photography of all genders in their advertising and content, and collaborated with makeup artists of all ethnicities and creeds.
MAC Cosmetics
MAC cosmetics is no stranger to diversity. In the 90s, MAC entered the makeup market and had to compete with major established brands, like Chanel and Dior. While these so-called luxury brands were busy creating ten slightly different shades of pale foundation, MAC offered a wider range of colors and began hiring makeup artists and models from the LGBTQ+ community.
To this day, MAC continues to break stereotypes for makeup users and has grown into a global and extremely profitable brand.
Fenty Beauty
Anyone in the beauty industry, and probably even those who don’t wear makeup at all, know of Fenty Beauty. Rihanna’s incredible beauty brand opened with 40 shades of foundation that have an extremely varied range.
Not only does Fenty offer foundation for every skin tone, but they also offer lip, eye, and face products that compliment a wide variety of skin tones, like deep brown lip gloss and purple blush.
Fenty also does a fantastic job keeping their prices low, to ensure customers of many socio-economic backgrounds and statuses can feel comfortable spending their money on quality products that won’t break the bank.
HAUS Labs
Lady Gaga’s beauty brand also boasts a wide variety of foundation shades, LGBTQ+ involvement, and it’s cruelty-free.
As an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, Gaga uses her makeup line to inspire inclusivity and kindness through the art of makeup.
In addition to the inclusivity used in promotional materials, HAUS Labs donates $1 for every purchase of their Born This Way Foundation to support the mental health of young people.
Morphe
Founded in 2008, Morphe has been a staple for makeup tools and bright-colored palettes within the industry for years. Morphe has plenty of shades for different skin tones and is well-liked by the queer community for its quality and affordability.
Morphe’s commitment to diversity also includes multiple partnerships with organizations like Make it Black and the Trevor Project.
The beauty industry has shown customers which brands value diversity and inclusion. By partnering with impactful organizations and creators, creating wider ranges of foundation shades, and keeping product costs accessible, beauty brands of the future will continue to grow this multi-billion dollar industry.
