Shade Ranges for Clean/Organic Beauty! There's a lot of Work to be Done
Updated: Oct 29, 2020
Especially at this time in America, we are rightfully expecting more from companies when it comes to inclusivity. Whether it be in the fashion or beauty industries, no consumer wants to feel isolated by a product. Because the beauty industry is faced with an inclusivity dilemma directly linked to skin tone, it makes everything a whole lot messier.
Careful business decisions have to be made in order to create a line that is inclusive, yet also fits into the budget and financial plan of the company. When it comes to the smaller world of ethical, clean, and organic beauty, the shade ranges are not always dripping with full selection on either side of the color spectrum. This is most likely due to the lack of funds for expansion from a small company.
Support Those Who Are Growing
Sadly, as we have all seen, there are brands that are racially discriminating and have made terrible mistakes with their shade range releases, but I think it is time to honor the clean beauty brands that are making strides to be inclusive and promote equality in the beauty community! Below is the process of creating darker shades in the clean beauty world and some very inclusive shade ranges in the industry!
The Process of Creating Deeper Foundation Shades
Some ethical and clean brands have disclosed in their blog posts the process of creating the darker shades in their range along with their hopes for wider expansion in the future. The physical process of creating the deeper toned foundations in the non-toxic and organic beauty world is something that isn’t widely talked about and important to discuss.
Hynt Beauty is a brand that has been very transparent about their process to create the perfect shades for deeper skin tones, which has helped shed some light on the struggle that smaller companies may have when formulating their selection. They are an amazing and effective brand that stands by their morals of being vegan, non-toxic, cruelty free, naturally preserved, and organics based! (Wow what a mouth full).
A word from their blog…
“Although the dearth of high quality dark foundation shades is often blamed on laziness, developing deeper foundation shades is in truth somewhat of a complex art form. Not only is the range of skin tones incredibly vast, darker skin tones have varying undertones on different parts of the face.”
The complexity of creating the darker tones may lead to options that are unsatisfying and just not “it” for the deeper skin toned ladies. The importance of more complex and effective formulation technology has grown drastically. One of the beautiful characteristics of darker skin tones is in the mixed undertones located across all areas of the face. Dimension and glow is created due to the combination of blue to brown undertones in certain areas as well as light copper and gold in others to name a few.
The process of achieving a perfect and effective match in the clean beauty world may be slightly more expensive and challenging, but there is no excuse for not trying! The techniques for blending and formulating are quite different from that of lighter pigments, so it is important for brands to understand and work towards that adjustment in formulation.
Brands That Are on the Right Path!
Pacifica
This brand has a very large shade range of 30 shades! They also include a wide gradient of colors that do not jump from being all light to only having a few deeper shades. The brand is very active in showing their support for inclusivity, and is also an affordable option at only $16! Definitely check them out and show your support for companies heading in the right direction.
Range Beauty
This brand has an amazing mission of creating “Clean Beauty for the Forgotten Shades.” The site helps you find your perfect match by comparing it to other brands on the market and seeing where your shade may have fallen through the cracks. This is a great way for people who have less selection in the clean beauty world to finally have a specifically made option for them!
At only $21 the foundation is very attainable being under the price of luxury brands.
Ilia
This brand is slightly higher in price than the previous, but still attainable for those looking for a more luxury product. Ilia has been an amazing staple for the clean beauty community and comes in 18 shades! With this brand you can expect some of the best clean beauty formulas on the market along with great ethical practices. If you are looking for a brand with sustainable packaging, I highly recommend you check them out!
Vapour Organic Beauty
This brand is certified organic and is a major player in the organic beauty industry. They are cruelty free and have no preservatives in their makeup selection. Their shade range contains 19 shades and is perfect for those natural beauty lovers! With a 5-star rating and inclusive range, this isn’t one to miss.
The Winner:
Cover FX
Cover FX takes the win with a total of 40 shades! They have amazing quality standards, are a clean brand, and cruelty free! The brand tries to hit on every undertone in the book to help make the selection process as simple as can be! On the website you can choose different filters to narrow down your choices and make for a seamless decision process!
The clean beauty world is lacking in their shade inclusivity, but there is a lot to say for the brands that are paving the way towards equality in makeup. The road may be difficult for smaller brands, but with transparency and support, they too can become inclusive if they strive to be. The big non-ethical brands of today do not have excuses for their faulty ranges, so it is important to support those that have the morals, but not the resources to create large and fully inclusive lines. Support those who support what you believe in and work with them on their journey to creating something beautiful for all!
With Love,
April Ann
Sources: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/224265256429033413/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/484559241143595692/
https://hyntbeauty.com/hynt-beauty-joins-ulta-beautys-growing-clean-cosmetics-selection/
https://www.coverfx.com/products/power-play-foundation