There's a reason makeup comes in so many different shades: Your unique skin shade and tone requires equally particular makeup application. What works for one person looks unnatural on another.
Yet even backstage at fashion shows, it seems many makeup artists are still unfamiliar how to adapt makeup for different skin colors, especially for darker-skinned individuals.
Sudanese model Nykhor Paul communicated her frustration as a dark-skinned woman in a largely light-skinned fashion industry, via Instagram post. Paul, 25, who has modeled on runways from Balenciaga to Vivienne Westwood, calls out makeup artists for their ignorance and unwillingness to accommodate diversity.
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“Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the other white girls don’t have to do anything but show up ... Don’t try and make me feel bad because I am blue black, it’s 2015 [sic],” Paul writes.
She lists companies from MAC to Make Up For Ever that offer products for diverse skin tones.
“A good makeup artist would come prepare and do there [sic] research before coming to work because often time you know what to expect especially at a show,” Paul explains, though it's unclear if she's targeting a specific individual.
Marie Claire South Africa #RefugeeGirl #SouthSudan #WeAreNilotic #NiloticQueen #NiloticGirl #Modellife #BeautyandPeace #WalkingArt #Akobogirl #BlackBird #BlackModelsRock #onetribe #onepeople #OneAfrica #ILOVEAFRICA A photo posted by nykhor (@nykhor) on Jun 19, 2015 at 9:01am PDT
Instead of an apology, Paul expects a real effort on the makeup artists’ side. “Just because you book a few of us doesn’t mean you have the right to make us look rachet,” she writes.
She ends the letter addressing the lack of diverse models on the runway.
“I’m tired of complaining about not getting book as a black model and I’m definitely super tired of apologizing for my blackness! Fashion is art, art is never racist it should be inclusive of all not only white people,” Paul says.
Today couldn't be anymore amazing, Issey Miyake show and Balenciaga FW 2015 From a barefoot refugee girl to world class top model, God is good A photo posted by nykhor (@nykhor) on Mar 6, 2015 at 9:57am PST
Paul is not the first to point out issues with diversity in the modeling industry. British fashion model Jourdan Dunn has spoken about designers not casting models of color. More recently, supermodel Naomi Campbell stated that she refuses to quit modeling until the industry starts using models of different skin tones.
Y-3 men collection SS16 Paris #Modellife #RefugeeGirl #SouthSudan #WeAreNilotic #WalkingArt #Paris #Y-3 #menshow #Akobogirl #BeautyandPeace #BlackModelsRock #Africanstakingover #onepeople #onetribe #OneAfrica A photo posted by nykhor (@nykhor) on Jun 29, 2015 at 3:10am PDT