The development of cosmetics for women of color has long been under-funded and under-researched. But makeup giant L’Oréal is now heading the charge to introduce new and better shades to match diverse complexions based on the work of cosmetic chemist Balanda Atis. That’s according to a recent article from online business news outlet Fast Company.
Atis, an American of Haitian descent, tells Fast Company that when she first joined L’Oréal, the makeup they developed for African-American and Latina skin tones was still “too pale for many women.” Atis found a new line of foundations created in 2006 disappointing, prompting her to approach makeup division management with her concerns. She started a company-approved side project to research improvement of the shades. The breakthrough came when her team discovered “a rarely used pigment, ultramarine blue, that created deep, pure colors without sacrificing texture and vibrancy.”
Nine years later, Atis works on creating makeup for women of color full time at L’Oréal. The brand has “leveraged her work to create more than 30 new shades across L’Oréal’s brands, from the mass-market Maybelline to the upscale Lancôme,” says Fast Company.
Read the entire Fast Company story…
Ultramarine blue was a breakthrough ingredient for Balanda Atis and her team.
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More news on multicultural cosmetics…
- Global Cosmetics News: Cosmetic brands cater to minority skin coloring
- Bloomberg: The World’s Biggest Cosmetics Brands Are Finally Courting Minorities
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Nine years to find ultramarine blue? Foundations for all skin tones are typically way too saturated eg. orange.