Why Beauty Bakerie Labeling Its Foundation From Darkest to Lightest Matters
At this point, swarming beauty companies’ Instagram comment section and asking them to release more inclusive makeup collections catering to people of color feels like beating a dead horse. Why do we have to ask and plead with brands to feel seen in the beauty world? While there has been slow progress, it’s no secret the beauty industry still has work to do. In the midst of the outrage, however, one brand has been getting it right all along-and no, we're not talking Fenty Beauty. We're talking Beauty Bakerie.
Beauty Bakerie has built a cult following thanks to its popular Lip Whips (liquid lipstick that stays PUT, no matter what you eat or drink) and cute, food-inspired packaging like the Flour Setting Powder, Wake & Bake Hydrating Face Oil, Eyelash Icing Mascara, among other yummy products. However, the launch of their Cake Mix Foundation in April is what really caught the public’s attention, not only because the foundation arrived in 30 shades that run the gamut from light to multiple shades of deep dark, but the fact that the brand labeled their darkest shade number one and lightest number 59.
This week, Beauty Bakerie went viral again after uploading a video of model Agnes Beda swatching one of the deep foundation shades on her arm and I was mesmerized.
There are just no words:
"For black women in particular, we are reminded everywhere we go, on a daily basis, multiple times throughout the day, that we are second," Beauty Bakerie founder Cashmere Nicole told Teen Vogue. "You go into a store, and you are bending down to nearly the ground to get your shade, or you go to a beauty store's website, and when you're looking for your shade you're scrolling to the bottom of a list. And it could be any brand, but it's going to be like, here are the light shades, and here are the dark all the way down here."
It didn’t take long for the Beauty Bakerie praise to flood Twitter timelines, as one user wrote, "guys @beautybakerie is cruelty free/vegan, 𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘐𝘙 𝘚𝘏𝘈𝘋𝘌 𝘙𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘌 𝘎𝘖𝘌𝘚 𝘍𝘙𝘖𝘔 𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙆𝙀𝙎𝙏 𝘛𝘖 𝘓𝘐𝘎𝘏𝘛𝘌𝘚𝘛!!! that’s HUGE for a brand! and their products are named after sweets! we stan! can we hype this brand more BECAUSE UUMMMMM?!?!?! that’s AMAZING.”
Another user praised the brand "for giving POC a chance to be accurately and beautifully represented in the makeup community. I know how much the brand means to so many people, including myself. I can't wait to see what y'all release next!"
At press time, the video amassed over 5.2 million views since it was first posted on August 11 but the message left a resounding impact on women of color. Ahead, three black women open up about what Beauty Bakerie's choice to number foundations darkest to light means to them.
Agnes Beda
"There aren't enough words to describe what it means to me personally and what it means to people in my shade range to see our shades be exalted in this way. If you ask me, this is a more anthropologically accurate representation than the convention. And sure, on one hand it's just makeup and on the other its an extension of self, expression and identity. Growing up it was so hard for me to find shades of not just foundation but of lipsticks and blush and just anything cosmetic that really can fit with me; when I do find a shade it’s not executed as well as the more fair skin products.
The fact that [Beauty Bakerie] is finding real-life people and not conventional models to wear their products is one of the many reasons I appreciate them as a beauty brand. Its pretty hard to deny that this is THE PERFECT match for me. Most people are surprised to find that I'm not the darkest shade, I'm Cake Mix #3! There's maybe one or two other beauty companies with shades darker than me."
Ronke Raji
"I feel like the reason why Beauty Bakerie's packaging resonated so well with eveyone was because of their ability to see what was needed. You have to believe in being the change that we want the world to see, they did just that. As women of color, we are used to being the bottom of the shade range or even not getting our shades included at all! Being forgotten by brands is what everyone is fighting for however, it seems like it's such a big ask at times. Women of color spend and are willing to spend so much on makeup, so to be forgotten especially when we can afford or want to try products can be frustrating.
It means a lot that we're not only being included but we're being prioritized in some way. It feels good to be seen in the light that we weren't created as an afterthought but exactly for us."
Khloe Dosh
"I’ve worked with Beauty Bakerie in the past and I’ve always said the packaging and the overall presentation of their products are some of the best out! Women of color have been asking for companies to acknowledge our wide shade range as much as they acknowledge the range of fair skin, so to be put first feels amazing. Beauty Bakerie is a one-of-a-kind brand and they’ve made a stamp in the beauty community that can not be taken from them.
I have to breathe a sigh of relief! In the beauty world, it’s a lot harder for the darker women and men to find makeup that matches our skin tones and undertones. So when a company gets it right, it shows they cared and they took their time."
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