The Youthforia Foundation Shade Controversy
Cosmetics company Youthforia is at the center of mounting criticism over their recent release of a foundation shade. The Korean brands skincare-infused “Date Night Skin Tint” serum foundation has prompted intense discourse from Black creators in the beauty community and other creators on TikTok for its shade range, or lack thereof. Ongoing discourse has left many to ponder where the beauty industry truly stands by way of inclusive product lines for such a diverse general public and whether they’re truly committed to making necessary changes.
Golloria George, a Texas-based beauty influencer boasting 1.5 million followers on TikTok, has become known for her series on the platform titled “The Darkest Shade.” The series features George testing out the darkest shade of a beauty brand’s foundation on her skin to see if it matches her complexion and crafted with respect to melanated skin. George tested Youthforia’s darkest shade offered at the time in a September 2023 TikTok video, following the initial launch of the brands “Date Night Skin Tint” serum foundation line in just 15 shades. “This is the darkest shade. Is the alleged shade here in the room with us?,” George quipped in the video. George showed pictures of how the darkest shade was advertised online compared to the actual product she held, in which a stark difference is evident. Upon applying just a small amount of the viral foundation’s then-darkest shade, it clearly didn’t match her complexion. “This keeps happening because tone and inclusivity is not something these beauty brands are worried about. They do not care.”
Youthforia excitedly announced the launch 10 new shades for its “Date Night” collection of skin tints via their social media accounts, many of which said to be suitable for darker complexions. “Which side of my face is the black face paint, or the Youthforia foundation?,” George asked in a TikTok video posted April 30th testing out the brand’s now darkest shade, 600 deep neutral. “You can’t tell. You know why? Tar in a bottle.” The video has now grossed over 28 million views in which George emphasizes the importance of beauty brands taking the time to craft product suitable for the complexities of melanated skin. George conclcuded the video calling for the shade to be pulled off the shelves.
Consumers and beauty creators alike have criticized beauty brands for their lack of inclusive products for years, in an industry which has historically heralded Eurocentric beauty standards. Tarte Cosmetics faced a similar controversy late last year and earlier this year for their limited shade range, but also how they’ve treated influencers of color. A brand launch of Fenty Beauty felt like an exhale, as they offered 50+ shades of their foundation and prompted many brands to expand their product lines to be more diverse. But a controversy such as this seems like a major setback and undermines the progress representation has made over the years.
Youthforia has since turned off the comment section on their TikTok account and has yet to release an official statement amid intensifying discourse, but the silence is deafening. Many creators have offered their two cents since George posted her video on Youthforia’s release of the new shades, but the commonality stems from the brand’s lack of consideration. A cosmetics company must have the proper people sitting at the table when their products are in development, because optimal representation starts at the top. Establishing trust with consumers should be considered here as well, being that it’s a major motivator in a consumer continuing to purchase from a brand. The beauty industry must cease perpetuating such harmful tropes and consider the spending power of consumers upon developing product lines.
Featured Image Courtesy of @golloria on TikTok