Whoever thought the white man’s burden (apologies Rudyard Kipling) is buried, guess where it’s thriving, alive as the day? Seeping right into skin tones, of the dark complexion, it makes us question the sanity of today’s beauty industry. Guys, grow up! It is high time we change our myopic glasses. As cliched as it may sound, beauty comes in various types – not in an ice cube tray. We’ve heard of crimes of insane types- but “hate-crime” must be the one that’s absolutely bonkers. Hate towards the dark-skinned via crime through misrepresentation. Take a moment to look around you, do you see anything “pitch black”? Probably just your earphone case or your laptop charger. But the trees? The sky? Anything non-artificial? As a painter on YouTube points out, natural shades always exist with undertones that could be cool or warm.
Can you imagine eating a cake that’s baked with merely the icing? Well, that’s pretty much how Youthforia has treated the dark shade with their latest product. A dark-skinned sister on a YouTube comment laments that the brand has the pure audacity to come up with such an insensitive product; “either have an inclusive shade range or just have the guts to come up with the truth: you don’t want certain people wearing your products”.
Today, when the fashion and the entertainment industry have made strides to accommodate the needs of cross-dressers, trans people, the differently abled and jet-black models; isn’t it a pity to still see dark-skinned people cannot even find a shade matching their skin tone? Fashion is like a need in the emotional pyramid; looking good every moment, every day is also a fundamental right that cannot be thrown out of the window. We have heard of body-shaming, well Youthforia has now most certainly contributed to skin shade shaming with their latest shade. Youthforia’s CEO Fiona Co-Chan responded to famous Ttik-Ttok star Golloria George’s woes about the product, saying it was released as a “ proof of concept”.
It looks more like a proof for the white by the white; which brand releases a shade that is at least 10 good tones away from accurate representation? In the words of Jackie AA, a social media activist, the brand has successfully treated anyone with a skin shade lesser than a tan as a test piece; if the fair folks like it, the rest just get the leftovers and crumbs from it (chauvinism in the 21st century? For real??).
#stitch with @Youthforia so patronizing to be like “wait your turn guy... | youthforia | TikTok
The question must be asked- is Youthforia running a serious business? Which make-up company doesn’t understand that reality doesn’t fit into your model; you model after reality? The creators of this product need a reality check. Do they really believe they're being inclusive with a single, pure black shade, especially when, as noted by medicinal chemist Javon Ford, their fair shades include a blend of three hues?
They are far from being open-minded and seem to have completely lost their way. Can they really produce high-quality makeup by slashing production time from 24 months to just 4? Do they treat this like a fifth-grade math assignment? They're not just dealing with physical appearance but with complex psychological perceptions. It's concerning that today's children learn from such passive-aggressive blunders.
Makeup product comparisons are everywhere online today, and they usually help consumers make informed decisions. But seeing black paint on one cheek and foundation claimed to be for "dark-skinned" people on the other, as in Golloria George's video, is simply unacceptable.
