Saturday 13 October 2012

Building A Good Foundation-A black Girl Rant!

Hello good people! So this post isn't really your typical blog post but more of a rant about my struggle for the perfect foundation! I have been wearing make up since I was 15 yrs old. I remember stumbling across a compact powder (which had been forgotten about) in my mums things, she was never a big wearer of make up, probably one of the reasons why she never noticed it was gone! To be honest looking back I didn't need it but once trying it and seeing how satin like my face looked I was hooked!
I remember my first purchase was from the brand Sleek. This brand has come a long way since the days I used to use it! I don't use their foundation now and haven't for many years so when I talk of my experience with them bare in mind its from 10yrs ago. At the time they were within my non existent budget (very cheap) I remember it never staying on my skin, you always knew I had been around because of the brown smudge marks everywhere! (embarrassing) plus they didn't cater for people with oily skin like myself.  Anyway at the time I was less fussy and it did the job! I will say this I still use the brand for their lovely vibrant eye shadow palettes!

When I got my first proper job, I decided to up my game and try and find something a little better. I remember walking in to Selfridges and going to the Bobby Brown stand only to be advised that it wasn't the best for people like myself (yes that's what she said) and told me I would be better suited to Iman. So instead of challenging her, me and my naive self found the Iman stand and spent a whole lot of money. I still didn't  find it suitable for me, it was very similar to Fashion Fair (thick and heavy)
Then I read in a magazine about Missy Elliot listing Mac as one of her favourite brands so of course I had to try it and nearly 10 years later I am still wearing it!

OK the reason for this post is simple, its to vent! I guess I always just accepted that I would always be limited when it came to having a large range of cosmetics suited to my dark skin! If I am honest I never really gave it much thought, I was happy with Mac, I never ever wanted to stray from them, I was a loyal customer (still am)
When I visited my family in New Jersey I nearly screamed when I saw (in Macys) Clinique did darker shades in foundation and I knew for a fact that they did not stock any of it in the UK. I saw Queen Latifa doing her thing for Cover Girl (another thing not stocked in the UK) I saw so many brands that I knew catering for us dark sisters but no hook up for us in the UK. But WHY?
When I got back home I did ask these questions to representatives of the company's and nobody had a good enough answer for me!

In the last couple of months I have been noticing brands such as Chanel, Lancome, and now YSL catering for my complexion (about bloody time) So I am interested in trying these brands out but on further investigation I am told I can only purchase the foundation, there is no powder, there is no concealer basically there is none of the other products that I use to compliment my foundation available to me!! Well what the F*!k is the point of bothering!? how can you sell one without the other!? I am then told they are seeing how it sells before they expand! Seriously!? Really!? It's like selling a matching bra set without the bra, having a toothbrush with no toothpaste, having cool aid with no sugar! (OK I think you get the point I am trying to make)

WOW dark skin black girls are like an after thought! If your as dark as Beyonce then lucky you because you are acceptable and the world is your oyster! I just feel like its a big slap in the face personally! I am saddened that in 2012 almost 2013 things haven't progressed as much as they should! How do these brands expect to make any sales if they do things half hearted! As I usually say to the T.F.B, go hard or go home!
Does anyone else feel the same way? Is my argument justified or are you thinking wtf? get a grip! LOL All I can say is  until these brands get their shit together Mac will forever hold the title of Queen and Long Live The Queen!!! Thanks for reading! XOXO

6 comments:

  1. I agree you should have a choice in foundations and all the other bits ! Cover girl is amazing I got some lippy from Florida and love it. I can't say if its easy to find foundation for my really pale skin as I haven't worn any for 10 years (I'd rather have 5 more mins in bed) lol xx

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    1. lol i am too addicted now i sacrifice that extra 5 mins in bed for my face! you have georgous skin! xoxo

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  2. I don't see why it would be difficult to stock. If they don't think they will sell much they can jsut stock a small amout of these products and if the demand is there they can increase stock levels. I don't understand why they can't make procucts in more shades. I have the problem that I'm very pale and everything looks orange on me or the lightest shade always sells out. Surely their profits would just increase if they had more variety?!

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  3. We really are an after thought. I live in an area that is mostly populated by people of color so most of the drug stores carry my complexion. but when I go into the city, or into another state I noticed that my skin color is never available. I can only imagine how you feel being in a whole country where you are very limited. I don't know why because we are such a large consumer and it is very unsettling to know that in 2012, like you said, we are still being thought of that after the fact.

    ~Sherine
    Confessions Of A City Girl

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    1. we can only hope things improve, if they were smart they would see how much money they were missing out on! xoxo

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