We all know how important representation is, especially in beauty, and while makeup companies have made strides in recent years to be inclusive of people of all colors, that doesn’t necessarily translate to how makeup artists are trained.
Case and point; A Houston woman recently went to an Ulta in New Jersey, where her in-laws were hosting her baby shower, in the hopes of getting glammed up for her special day. While Ebony looked forward to a great makeover, her experience was much different than her expectations.
“I wanted to look and feel my best at 8 months pregnant at my baby shower,” Ebony told The Shade Room. After being told her skin was “too dark” to achieve her desired look, Ebony was passed off to another makeup artist who failed to give her what she wanted. When she called to complain about the experience the next day, she was offered compensation in the form of a bag of sample lotions.
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Ebony shared her story because she wants things to change and thinks that Ulta and other cosmetics stores need to train their artists on how to do makeup for everyone, not just people with lighter complexions. “I want them to learn customer service etiquette,” Ebony said. “I want them to understand that being a part of the makeup industry is all about inclusion and diversity.”
She continues, “Perhaps Ulta needs to give their staff diversity training or even teach their (makeup artists) how to work with skin of all hues and textures. The amount of money women of all colors spend weekly on their stores is outrageous. If they are going to offer a service line they should make sure no one leaves their store feeling less than.”
Ebony adds that she hopes Ulta sees her story and responds by making those important changes so that everyone can have the opportunity to feel beautiful.
What are your thoughts on this one, Roommates? Let us know!
