Department Store Cosmetic Companies Ignore Women of Color
Posted By iacpv on March 30, 2010
Do you use department store cosmetics? You might want to rethink this after reading this article.
Low self-esteem, unrealistic expectations and self-loathing are all products of the ideal beauty image projected in America. These images have damaged women to the point where they willingly subject themselves to painful treatments, plastic surgery and expensive skincare products and cosmetics.
The skincare and cosmetic product aspect of the beauty industry is a multi-billion dollar a year business providing to women “hope in a jar” or tube. Out of the many large upscale cosmetic companies like Lancome, Este Lauder and Clinique only four cater to African-American women and even less addresses the needs of other women of color. I wonder, in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society like ours, how this is possible. I find the biggest offenders to be department stores.
Even though most carry products, foundation particularly, in colors that are appropriate for women of color they only use European models in their commercials and print ads. As a beauty advisor for a major cosmetic company I find many women of color patronizing lines that don’t even find it necessary to include women of color in their counter displays promoting a new product or new colors for the season. These companies gladly take our money but refuse to use women of color in their ad campaigns to let us know that their products are for women of color too and that our patronage is appreciated.
Is it ignorance or blatant bigotry? I think it’s a little of both. According to Business Trends Analysts statistics show white baby boomers, the main purchasing demographic for most cosmetic companies are approaching the end of their cosmetic buying years. While African- American women, who are younger than average are still in their cosmetic purchasing prime.
Some of the largest cosmetic lines will indeed feel the pressure as the ethnic makeup of the United States changes. By the year 2020 32% of the US population will be people of color. The fastest growing ethnic groups according to Business Trends Analysts are Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans and American Indians with Caucasians growing the least. By the year 2050 the US population will have a “minority majority”. States like California, Florida and New York have already experienced the switch.
In the not so distant future mainstream cosmetic companies will have to change their paradigm and create and market products that will meet the varied needs of women of color or else they won’t survive.
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