Makeup has always played a huge role in many peoples lives. It has the ability to reinforce confidence, make one feel good or just appreciate the artistry that comes with it. Now imagine going to Superdrug to pick up a new foundation that everyone is talking about. Only to get there to see the makeup brand has not created a shade range deep enough or pale enough to cater to your skin tone.

How would that make you feel?

Well, I can answer that. I am a proud black woman who is often forgotten by many different makeup brands. Many companies have exercised the belief that foundation shades should go from Light Neutral to Medium Tan, by completely disregarding women and men of deeper and darker shades.

Last year Rihanna entered and conquered the game with her Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, with a shade range that caters to 40 different skin tones. She covered every undertone, skin tone and did so while being a new independent makeup brand. She saw an issue in the beauty community and decided to do something about it and her launch was nothing short of successful. If Rihanna, a relatively new and independent brand can come and do something that the makeup community has been missing for years, why can’t brands that are already established do the same?

I must admit after the release of Fenty Beauty’s foundation there were influxes of deeper shades from many brands, helplessly trying to jump on the bandwagon because appreciating all skin tones was the new hype. It finally felt like the long-awaited progression was finally coming to pass.

This was until Tarte decided to release the shades for their new Shape Tape Foundation. Tarte’s Shape Tape Concealer is undeniably one of the best concealers I’ve used and I was originally so excited when I found out there would be a foundation, only to discover 12 shades from Fair Sand to Tan Honey and only three ‘deep’ shades, supposedly created to cater to every deep skin tone out there. This sparked a global outrage and many influencers and Youtubers were using their platform and this foundation as a way to raise awareness that in the beauty community exclusion is not welcome.

Over the years I’ve been conditioned to believe that if I walk into Superdrug looking for a foundation of my shade, I won’t find one and it would result in buying a high-end foundation that caters to my skin tone. And while that is changing with brands like L’Oreal and Maybelline transforming the drugstore game, Tarte shocked not only myself but also many other makeup wearers who are constantly excluded because brands didn’t think to create inclusive shades.

It’s 2018. It’s about time we include not exclude.

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