thebeautyholder

Hey Loves,

Depending on what you look for when you visit my blog (i.e. fashion, makeup, reviews or sheer tomfoolery) then this post may or may not have much impact! I hope, however, that it will appeal to those who are interested in makeup, beauty and more than that INCLUSIVENESS!

So if makeup is your thing then you will no doubt know that Rihanna launched ‘FENTY BEAUTY‘ a couple of weeks ago! If makeup is not your bag but Robyn Fenty is, (baffles me that mad ‘fans’ did not know this was her real name) then you will surely have been all over this.

This is not going to be a review like my traditional, Straight… no chaser ones at this stage but more like an introduction and initial thoughts! Why am I doing it like this you may ask? Well, I want to fully test out the products over some time and not just put it on my face, snap a couple of flicks or wear it once and have people out here spending their coins. To be honest, the hype about this beauty line will have people doing that with or without my humble review- which I will try and keep as short as possible!

So let me start by saying why I was shooketh to the core for the launch of Fenty Beauty!

As a sunkissed black woman with melanin overflowing, the battle to find the right foundation shade is like the war(s) for the iron throne (yes, you GoT fans feel me). I’m being facetious as honestly, it runs so much deeper than that. Black women have long been overlooked by many of the major beauty brands from drugstores to high end when it comes to foundation shades and other products. It normally ranges from ‘one shade fits all’ to ‘ashy’, ‘gray’ or ‘red sunset’. Brands are blatant with the disregard for black beauty and whilst over the years windows have been cracked, they are far from fully open! I say that from experience as a beauty blogger who cannot always find products in my shade (read: gorgeousness) to try or review but also as a woman who simply wants to enhance my looks and that of my clients regardless of undertones, overtones and all that lies in between.

Image source: Google

Fenty Beauty launched with a groundbreaking 40 foundation shades (and more) from the palest of skin to the darkest and my beautiful black Queens have the choice of more than 10 foundation colours that celebrate our uniqueness rather than ignore it! You know you have really kicked in the front door with your product when everyone else starts running around highlighting how inclusive their beauty line is…NOT! We are in 2017, where the makeup world should be more revolutionary than ever before, but the lack of foundations for darker skin tones shows just how far we still have to go. Thank you, Fenty Beauty for making it global news and doing something about it!

Image source: Google

I feel a sting of tears as I write this, as I know when I first discovered makeup and beauty the images presented were not a representation of the black girl magic I saw when I looked in the mirror. For a long time, this made me question whether I was even beautiful at all. I can to this day still count the times I am told that I am beautiful… ‘for a black girl.’

I have written to companies and questioned managers and staff at counters as to why they do not cater for all beauty, namely women of colour- we cover a vast ethnic demographic. I was/ am mostly met with silence, embarrassed smiles or ignored. Fenty Beauty came to answer those questions and encourage conversations. If people weren’t shook before, they are now!

The first release of foundations, highlight and contour sticks, highlight duo powders, primer, blotting tissues and some tools is a huge step in the right direction. In part 2, I will show you what I purchased and tell you more why my fellow Bajan beauty did not come to play! I’m waving the Barbados flag with pride as I palance all over the place (soca crew that’s for you)!

Hope you enjoyed this post. The conversation is far from over! Stay tuned for part 2- which I know a lot of you are waiting for 😊

Besos 💋

TBH! xoxo