Why Do We Still Have a Shade Inclusivity Problem in 2025?

While wandering my local Sephora recently in search of a new foundation, I was faced with my usual dilemma: As I traveled down the skintone rainbow, there became fewer and fewer options toward the end. My skin skews more chestnut or toasted brown—and for years, I've had to mix and match different shades to make one work.
I cannot begin to depict how many complexion products I have had to pass up on simply because I'm unable to find a shade that fits my skin tone, and I am aware that the issue is exacerbated for those with deeper skin than mine. It's a problem many people of color experience—as evidenced by testimonials from friends and peers, or more prominently, on social media, where TikTok has evolved into the most involved social listening platform—an open line of communications between brands and the consumers they serve. Though these days, it feels like that service ends around a certain complexion.
'I started creating beauty content because I couldn't find myself in the beauty space,' Golloria George, a beloved content creator with 3.2 million followers on TikTok, tells me. Her experience as a dark-skinned South Sudanese woman inspired her influencing journey in the first place. George was tired of trying the 'deepest' shade of a brand's complexion launch only to find it still wasn't deep enough or worse, not included at all. 'Shade inclusivity wasn't a pre-planned mission, it was a lived experience. Speaking up about it was a natural response to being consistently overlooked.'
'Shade inclusivity wasn't a pre-planned mission, it was a lived experience. Speaking up about it was a natural response to being consistently overlooked.' — Golloria George
Makeup artist Danessa Myricks says that consumers really started voicing feedback in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. In a year where demonstrations in remembrance of George Floyd swept the nation alongside the rise of Black Lives Matter, many brands felt pressured to showcase their inclusivity efforts—via campaigns and social media posts, to the actual products they were launching. Many brands looked to Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, which launched in 2017 with a then-unheard-of 40 shades Pro Filt'r foundation and set a new standard with beauty consumers. 'I don't want women to [say], 'That's cute, but it only looks good on her,' ' Rihanna reportedly said at her cosmetics brand's global launch party that year. 'I wanted things I love that girls of all skin tones could [also] fall in love with.'
At first, brands chose to react—but now they seem to have lost steam. 'I think there was a point where, you know, brands may have felt pressured, but it wasn't really authentic to the conversation that they were having as a brand,' Myricks tells me over Zoom, as the racial reckoning we had a few years ago simmered down, some brands went back to business as usual. 'What becomes clear is the true intention of a brand, and that's what I feel like we're seeing, and that's what I see people reacting to.'
I often find it quite easy to suss out brands that are set on making products for anybody and everybody—and no, I don't mean the dreaded 'universal.' And as a Black woman whose job is to essentially review and consult on the product industry, I've had to employ a keen eye to discern what will and will not work for me—and the people I service through my writing and editing.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

26 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert Mock Trump for Complaining on Juneteenth About ‘Too Many Non-Working Holidays': ‘Juneteenth Is a Day of Joy — So Donald Trump Doesn't Like It'

President Trump did not issue any direct public comments about or host any events commemorating Juneteenth, the federal holiday that marks the official end of the United States' enslavement of people. But the president alluded to Juneteenth in a post on social media, claiming that there are 'Too many non-working holidays in America' and that 'It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Late-night TV hosts skewered Trump's non-observance of the holiday. More from Variety Trump Is 'Flouting the Law' in Delaying Enforcement of TikTok Ban, a Top Senate Democrat Says Trump Says David Ellison Is 'Great, He'll Do a Great Job' Running Merged Skydance-Paramount, as FCC Deal Approval Is Still Pending Mark Ruffalo Slams 'Grifter' Trump and Says 'Billionaires Are the Problem, Not Immigrants': They're 'Stealing You Blind' While 'Immigrants Add to the Economy' 'You might find this hard to believe, from a president who's done more for Blacks than Abraham Lincoln, but Trump is not a fan' of Juneteenth, Jimmy Kimmel said on his ABC show — referring to a comment Trump actually once made. Said Kimmel, 'If Trump were to acknowledge Juneteenth, he would risk upsetting his not-at-all-racist-and-how-dare-you-say-we-are base. They're like, 'We're the ones who stopped enslaving — they should have a holiday for us!'' About his comment about the U.S. having 'too many non-working holidays,' Kimmel commented: 'Says the guy who just had a birthday parade for himself. Says the guy who has been in office for 150 days and has golfed 37 times that we know of.' 'I don't know, to me, it seems like a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery is one we should all be for,' Kimmel remarked. Stephen Colbert opened 'The Late Show' on CBS by wishing his audience a happy Juneteenth. 'It's a great day, a day to celebrate freedom,' he said. Colbert continued, 'Juneteenth is a day of joy — so Donald Trump doesn't like it.' Colbert pointed out that on Trump's first day back in the White House, Jan. 20, the president signed an executive order requiring the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. In response, the Defense Intelligence Agency ordered a pause of all activities and events related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other 'special observances' to comply with the anti-DEI direction, NBC News reported. 'So [Trump] wants celebrating Juneteenth to be controversial now,' Colbert said. But, he said, 'You cannot stop people from celebrating freedom. You can't make them turn down their joy,' before playing a clip of DJ Snake and Lil John's 'Turn Down for What.' On Thursday, Trump posted a complaint on Truth Social about there being 'Too many non-working holidays in America.' 'Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don't want it either!' Trump wrote. 'Soon we'll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year. It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' At a White House press briefing Thursday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if Trump was commemorating Juneteenth in any way. 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,' Leavitt said. 'I know this is a federal holiday. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24-7 right now.' President Biden in 2021 signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, establishing a federal holiday on the date. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom from slavery in the state of Texas, nearly two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar

Cosmopolitan

34 minutes ago

• Cosmopolitan

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Where is Dayton now?

Prepare to have "Thunderstruck" stuck in your head for the foreseeable future, because Netflix just dropped season two of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and it was even more dramatic than last season. Truly didn't think it was possible, but here we are. Season two introduced us to a new fleet of rookies vying for a coveted position on the team—and watching them get cut was extremely rough. But Dayton Bramhall's journey was especially heartbreaking due to 1) the fact that she's auditioned multiple times before, and 2) the unique pressure she was facing to make the team due to her family connections. Much like Victoria Kalina from season one, Dayton has DCC in her DNA. Her mum, Shelly, was a cheerleader and works on the team as an assistant dance coach. So the pressure on Dayton has to say the least. Unfortunately, Dayton was let go pretty far into training camp during season two (which, reminder, was filmed last summer). she up to now—and did she re-audition for another DCC season? Let's get into it. Dayton posted a roundup of photos from June just a few days ago—including one of her wearing what is clearly a DCC training uniform. Here's her Instagram, as well as a still of her performing in America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, for comparison. Love that she came back to try again—but it sadly doesn't look like she made the team based on a group picture the DCC's official Instagram posted on 15 June. Fans who have been rooting for Dayton are understandably upset, with comments like "Justice for Dayton," "so so sad to not see her," and "Dayton you will always be the true definition of perseverance! The best is yet to come." Meanwhile, Dayton is taking the cut in stride, and posted footage of her dancing on TikTok: She also commented on a fan's post about her not making the team for the 2025 season, saying "Thank you for being so sweet, Charlotte! It wasn't in the cards for me, but I'm proud of how much i've grown. I feel it's important to note I did EVERYTHING they asked of me and tried my absolute best to fit their mould. I'm not wanted there and I'm hoping this takes me to where I truly belong!" By the way, Dayton's mom Shelly also chimed in, writing in the comments "Dayton's mom here…I don't usually comment on any posts regarding her journey, but your words are kind. Her light is bright and will shine elsewhere! She's beautiful, talented but more importantly, she has a soft, humble spirit. She took the advice to train and do all the things asked of her. She's stronger for doing so, even if the results weren't in her favor. God has something better for her, we will wait to see where He leads. 🤍" Dayton might not be in DCC, but based on her recent posts, she's still perusing her passion for dance. Can't wait to see what she does next! America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is available on Netflix now

New York Post

38 minutes ago

• New York Post

Supermarket chain slammed for ‘unacceptable' Juneteenth cakes that angered shoppers: ‘This is a mockery'

Kroger is being called out by shoppers for its 'disrespectful' Juneteenth cake designs. A Kroger location in Atlanta, Georgia, is going viral after a video posted to TikTok showed the cakes that 'lack creativity' for the holiday in the bakery section of the supermarket. 'This is some bulls—,' TikTok user @ said in the video, which has garnered 10.3 million views and 1.2 million likes as of Friday morning. 'Who the hell made this ugly-ass s—?' Advertisement 'This is unacceptable,' she goes on to say. 3 A Juneteenth cake at Kroger's read 'Free @ Last.' TikTok / @ The video shows beautifully decorated birthday cakes and treats before panning back to the table with Juneteenth-themed cookie cakes that are haphazardly decorated. Advertisement A few cakes are shown, one with a printed design and others with phrases sloppily put onto the cakes such as 'FREE,' 'June 19 Free,' 'Congratulations' and 'Free @ Last.' 'Y'all decorate everything else around here cute, everything else around here cute,' the TikToker said. 'But for Juneteenth, you wanna just throw something on a freaking cookie cake and expect someone to buy it.' Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. 'Kroger count your days,' they added in the caption. 'Why even bother if you're going to lack creativity … This is a mockery!' Advertisement WARNING: VIDEO INCLUDES GRAPHIC LANGUAGE @ Kroger count your days. Why even bother if you're going to lack creativity. This is Kroger on Howell mill rd, Atlanta Ga. This is a mockery! Am I tripping, someone let me know! ♬ original sound – blaq monalisa People in the comments agreed, shocked by the cake offerings. ''Free @ last' is diabolical,' one said. Advertisement 'Gurl! Not the last one saying Congratulations. Like, 'Congratulations, you're free!',' a user commented with the face palm emoji. 'Take the 'free' cookie home. Walk out with it. It says free,' someone jokingly suggested. 3 Kroger's Juneteenth cake with an underwhelming design. TikTok / @ 'This is funny but NOT funny,' one said. 'I'm highly disappointed in Kroger.' 'You should've just flipped the table over,' another added. 'I thought this was a joke until you showed the store,' someone else said. Kroger told Newsweek in a statement that 'the cakes and cookies that were featured in the video were inconsistent with our provided guidance and not of the quality we would expect to see from our stores.' 'The products have been removed, and we've addressed this directly with the store teams and the customer who took the initial video,' the spokesperson continued. Advertisement 3 A Kroger location is going viral for the Juneteenth cakes in the bakery section of the supermarket. Bloomberg via Getty Images Meanwhile, TikTok user @ went back to the Kroger store in a follow-up video and confirmed the removal of the cakes. 'I still feel some type of way that they didn't replace them with better Juneteenth cakes,' she shared.