Segregation at the Beauty Counter: A Case Against Black Beauty Companies

An example? Taylor told The Atlanta Post that, “[a]nti-aging products do not meet the needs of… the woman of color,” because most age-defying serums tout the ability to erase fine lines and wrinkles. These are not the main concerns of deeply-pigmented women according to Taylor. “Clients with skin of color do not develop those fine and deep wrinkles or sunspots. Rather, they are more likely to develop uneven skin tone as they mature… What is needed are products that address hyperpigmentation,” she says.

Dark skin, ironically, is irritated by the chemicals contained in mainstream skin care products, which cause hyperpigmenation (dark marks or uneven skin tone). By contrast, white skin tends to get red when irritated, which heals faster than dark marks. Taylor helps clients and consumers prevent hyperpigmentation by refraining from using irritating ingredients in the Rx for Brown Skin line. Her products use natural elements like soy and pomegranate, which reduce hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and irritation.

As great at Taylor’s new products are, they are for brown skin in general, not black women in particular. New products for non-white audiences seek to be more inclusive than the Fashion Fairs of the past — and likely have a much brighter future as a result. This logic makes the Carol’s Daughter strategy seem intelligent rather than abandoning. Plus, black women do have more options to enjoy in this new era of beauty integration. Yet there is still more work to be done to ensure that our full spectrum of beauty is being served.

Baze Mpinja, a beauty expert and editor whose credits include Glamour and Vibe Vixen, agrees. “There are a lot of gaps and voids in the marketplace,” she laments. When it comes to makeup, finding shades that match dark skin tones is still a concern as “not all lines offer a wide enough range of deeper colors.” Also, the color ranges might have expanded in recent years, but the undertones of these colors show that many companies still don’t get brown skin.