There are plenty of beauty brands that I am obsessed with. On the other hand there are a few that I probably will never buy from again for one reason or another. Here’s a list of beauty brands I’ll (probably) never buy from:
Kylie Cosmetics
A lot of people have their thoughts about Kylie, her lifestyle, and her ability to claim “self made” status. One thing I won’t take away from her is the fact that she is an accomplished businesswoman. However, Kylie Cosmetics just isn’t it for me. For one, I never felt like I was her target audience. I actually don’t think I found out the brand existed until months after the buzz had died down. Was I living under a rock? Perhaps. But tell me what you notice when you take a look at a snapshot of the brands Instagram page below:
If I ever thought that this company wasn’t trying to cater to me, I was right.
Do you see what I see? Absolutely no dark skinned women of color at all. A few scrolls down I did notice a few images of a darker skinned woman, but she was the same model used over and over again. If I ever thought that this company wasn’t trying to cater to me, I was right. On top of that, both Kylie Cosmetics and CoulourPop are owned by the same company: Seed Beauty. While the formulas for their products may not be exactly the same, I believe ColourPop is an affordable, quality alternative to Kylie Cosemtics. I’ve been bypassing the Kylie Cosmetics section of my local Ulta and I will continue to do so. The same applies for KKW beauty. I figure it’s not necessary to devote an entire subheading for a brand similar to Kylie’s.
Jefree Star Cosmetics
Another brand/beauty vlogger that I have never really been checking for. I also didn’t even know he had a makeup company until very recently. (Sidenote: the world of non-Black/dark skinned beauty vloggers is really new to me.) I’ve only ever heard him mentioned for negative reasons. I first became aware of who he was when back in 2018 Aunty Jackie Aina spelled out why she would never be able to support him or his brand anymore. He apparently has referred to her as a gorilla which is problematic for so many reasons. That already raised a huge red flag because of course Jackia Aina is EVERYTHING.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when the feud between notable beauty vloggers James Charles and Tati Westbrook spilled over to YouTube, Jeffree Star inserted himself into the mess to make some very mean and quite frankly unnecessary comments. He later apologized, but at some point, words mean nothing and you’re actions speak for you. I will never be buying his products nor will I be spending my precious time watching any of his videos.
Huda Beauty
Ok before you look at me all confused and what not, hear me out. First off, I can acknowledge that Huda Beauty has some amazing products. The fact that an Iraqi-American woman owns the brand does a lot to boost representation in the beauty industry. However, just because the brand represents a lot of positivity, doesn’t mean I’m going to find it worthwhile to spend my money on their products. I do own an eyeshadow palette from Huda and it is amazing however eyeshadow is just about all I will buy from Huda, if at that. Their complexion products have too strong of a scent for me to use. I also purchased the foundation which made its way to my list of products I regret buying. I’ve heard the same critique about their setting powder and setting spray. This makes me believe that the brand has no intention of removing or toning down its signature scent. Maybe I should clarify that if I do buy from this brand again, it’ll only be for eyeshadow. But to be honest, there are plenty of other brands with great eyeshadow palettes and I’m not pressed to have one from Huda.
On top of that though, Huda beauty came under fire in the past for copying Beauty Bakerie’s signature baked goods theme. I love Beauty Bakerie and I’m not a fan of someone trying to steal a Black woman’s work. We go through that enough in pop culture as it is.
Givenchy
When I think of beauty and makeup, Givenchy isn’t the first (or second, third, or fourth for that matter) brand that comes to mind. That’s fine because in 2019 there is really no excuse for a brand to have only these shades of foundation. I don’t care when you launched, I’m over the minimal shade releases. It’s one thing to attempt to be inclusive when you launch and get it wrong, and another to make a weak attempt from the start altogether. Why? Because when you tell dark skin consumers to wait a little extra to get their share of a product, you make them feel like an afterthought.
WHAT’S A BEAUTY BRAND YOU’LL PROBABLY NEVER BUY FROM?
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:8
