In a multicultural country like Singapore, you’d expect beauty brands to stock a wide range of foundation shades catering to people of all skin tones. However, it turns out that only a handful of beauty brands offer shades for customers of darker skin tones, and these come with a higher price tag.
To prove this point, TikTok user @yashoras filmed a video of herself testing out the darkest foundation shade available in Watsons, and suggested several ways the beauty industry in Singapore can improve.
As a disclaimer, @yashoras explained that she didn’t visit beauty stores such as Sephora because the products available there tend to be on the pricey end ‒ a foundation can easily cost over $50.
“Not everyone has $50 lying around to spend on foundations,” she emphasised.
Moreover, she considers herself someone with a medium to tan complexion, highlighting that it is a struggle for people like her and those with darker complexions to find affordable foundation options.
At the beginning of the video, she visited Watsons in Takashimaya since it is one of the biggest outlets in Singapore, housing various makeup brands. This outlet is also easily accessible.
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@yashoras first made her way to the Maybelline section and tested out their darkest foundation shade, which was slightly darker than her skin. Although she was impressed by the number of foundation shades available, she pointed out that only five are suitable for darker skin tones.
“My shade is 322, and after mine, there are only three darker shades,” she said.
Testing another foundation series by Maybelline, she was shocked to find out that the darkest shade was a match for her skin tone. In other words, anyone with darker skin than @yashoras won’t be able to find a suitable foundation match on this range.
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Throughout the video, @yashoras tested foundations from various brands, and many turned out to be disappointments. Several of their “darkest” shades were much lighter than @yashoras’ skin tone.
After swatching all the foundations she could find at the drugstore, @yashoras filmed a close-up shot, revealing that only a few of them were darker than her skin tone ━ the rest were all significantly fairer.
After conducting the swatch test @yashoras at Watsons, she shared her thoughts on the inclusivity of Singapore’s beauty industry with her followers, highlighting her experiences as a person of colour living in a predominantly Chinese-populated country.
“I know that Singapore comprises 70% Chinese people. As a brown person living here, however, I still don’t think that is an excuse,” she commented.
She mentioned that 8 years ago, Maybelline invited her to an event as they were planning to expand their shade range in Singapore. While she was pleased to learn that they had planned to do so, she felt that the brand hadn’t taken any further steps since that encounter in 2017.
“Brands like Maybelline and L’Oréal have extensive shade ranges, and we can see that through the lines they have launched in the U.S.,” she said. “But the problem is, Singapore is not bringing in those shades.”
While she understands that retailers of these brands bring in more foundation shades catering to those in the Singapore market with lighter skin tones, she doesn’t get why they don’t do the same for those with darker complexions.
“I just don’t understand why [the retailers] can’t expand the shade range, but maybe bring in lesser quantities,” she mentioned.
That being said, she firmly believes that there is a market for foundations in darker shades because of the diverse community of people living in Singapore these days.
“Not everyone wants to spend $50 on a foundation,” she commented. “People just want a quick drugstore fix.”
After her video was uploaded, @yashoras received support from her followers, with many thanking her for speaking up, and the struggles that people with darker skin face.
Some also elaborated on their struggle, commenting that it felt like a luxury to even find a shade match. To that, @yashoras replied, “It shouldn’t be a luxury, we shouldn’t be an afterthought in society.”
In conclusion, @yashoras clarified that she didn’t make the video to call out any brands but rather, hoped to raise awareness in the beauty industry regarding the lack of inclusivity. She also wished that more beauty brands in Singapore would consider offering a broader range of shades, especially for those with darker complexions.
The TikTok video by @yashoras highlights areas for improvement in the Singaporean beauty industry, particularly in terms of inclusivity. After all, we all want to look good and find the perfect foundation shade without breaking the bank.
Cover: Images courtesy of @yashoras
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