Tarte recently teased that they were going to release a new product.
Immediately, everyone’s excitement grew: What was it going to be? After all, ever since Tarte released their shape tape concealers back in 2016, everyone has raved about them. So when Tarte posted that they were going to be coming out with a new product, everyone automatically thought it would be a shape tape foundation. (And it is!) Tarte confirmed the rumors stating the foundation will be released on Jan 15. They are releasing 15 shades in total, available in either a matte or hydrating formula.
So @POPSUGARBeauty swatched the Tarte Shape Tape Foundation shades and… pic.twitter.com/qmKsMLI55E
— Tiara Willis (@thetiarawillis) January 13, 2018
However, the long-awaited foundation has brought disappointment.
PopSugar released swatches of the new foundation… and the shade range is upsetting. The color range is in no way inclusive of all people of color, especially those with darker skin. There are only 4 out of the 15 shades that can suit some black people (myself definitely not included). None of the shades swatched even match the person’s arm who was modeling!
People have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment:
The tarte shape tape foundation shade range is LAUGHABLE pic.twitter.com/l2LSUFdoSG
— MAKEUP (@glowkit) January 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/Lady_Luxury_93/status/952127405765804032
https://twitter.com/wordsofaleah/status/952275829433815040
https://twitter.com/skylurpaige/status/952289272937304065
Usually, black women are the afterthought in the makeup industry, despite “spending an estimated $7.5 billion annually on beauty products” and “shelling out 80% more on cosmetics and twice as much on skin care as their non-Black counterparts.”
People are appalled at the lack of consideration for people with darker skin. Most of the people who were anticipating the release of the foundation won’t be able to buy the product because there is no shade for them. There is no excuse as to why the shade range should be so limited.
Situations like this are why people praised Rihanna when she revealed that she was going to be releasing 40 shades of foundation. She was inclusive of every shade and there were shades for people as light as John Maclean to people as dark as Nyma Tang.
Photos Courtesy of John Maclean and Nyma Tang
Making shades for black people and POC as a whole shouldn’t be an afterthought. Brands need to be held accountable for not making shades for everyone. Makeup companies shouldn’t be able to tease new products only for an overwhelming amount of customers to be disappointed when the product isn’t suited for their skin tone. Tarte isn’t the only company lacking; Kylie Jenner and YSL (among many other brands) have made POC an afterthought.
It’s time for brands to step up and make makeup that is inclusive of all and not just some.
But while companies continue to flop on inclusivity, diverse makeup artists continue to thrive. Check out our collection of Makeup Artists of Color To Be On the Lookout For In 2018!
