Let me preface this with a disclaimer: I am the world's biggest makeup fan. Whenever Urban Decay or Benefit releases a new, shiny highlighter or bright eyeshadow, I freak out. I don't feel like myself until I paint on my eyeliner and sweep some color on my cheeks. Don't even talk to me about my problem with brow products.The positive effect makeup has on self confidence and the ability to express oneself is massive.
However, makeup marketing is THE WORST.
Even on the most basic level, makeup marketing is the worst. Birthmark on your face? You need this concealer to hide it! Freckles? Nah, those aren't attractive, go ahead and use this foundation. Chubby face? You need to contour those offensive cheeks! Even the notion that we need to hide pimples is an issue. It's perfectly okay to want to cover up certain aspects of your face, but when the industry itself tells you it's necessary, that's hugely problematic.
More than that, though, the makeup industry is racist.
So many concealers come in only five colors, four of which are varying shades of white. Lipstick colors are always modeled on either fair skinned or perfectly tanned women. I can't remember a time I saw a "nude" lipstick geared toward anyone darker then peach. The names of products themselves are rather problematic. While some brands name their products creatively, most brands refer to the lighter shades as "ivory" or "porcelain", as if white people are more doll-like and beautiful. The non-white colors? "Dark". Not that dark is a bad adjective, but compared to porcelain, it seems just a tad unfair.
Not only this, but the makeup industry SUCKS at representing anyone other than a white, able-bodied girls.
What about our disabled friends who want to wear lipstick? Where's their representation?
What if a man of color wants to highlight his cheekbones? His representation?
Why are the people in the makeup ads always white women with bright blue eyes and perfect skin?
This doesn't even begin to cover all the aspects wrong with the makeup industry, but rather the highlights, if you will. And some brands are doing really great things in terms of representation and getting a color spectrum that caters to people that aren't white girls. But the majority of both drugstore and high-end brands are still struggling with this.
Makeup does some wonderful things, but the makeup industry is incredibly broken.
