Women of Color Find Spectrum : Makeup Companies Develop Shades to Appeal to the Growing Asian, Black, Hispanic Market
America’s rainbow of color has become a pot of gold for the world’s top cosmetics lines. Black, brown, red and yellow skins are not only major elements of the palette, but they have also become the focus of some companies.
With one in four Americans in the 1990 Census claiming African, Asian, Hispanic or Indian ancestry--and the ratio is expected to increase by the year 2000--cosmetics companies have gone back to the lab, to remix, rematch and reformulate potions with more depth, more intensity and more punch for these women.
Through research and technology, companies such as Shiseido and Prescriptives were among the first to develop tints and tones for the eyes, cheeks and lips of women of color.
Now joining the fold are Revlon, Avon and Aveda.
“We have 16 foundations in our existing lines that have been reformulated to reflect the black and Hispanic market,” said Barbara McGovern, a spokeswoman for Avon. “We have used less talc and binders (which can look ashen on darker skins) and added more pigment for true color.
“Our colors will work for almost anybody.”
Avon’s Tones of Beauty is a collection of 25 eye shadows and six blushes. The shadows are sold in singles ($1.99), duos ($2.99) and quads ($4.49); the blushers in singles only ($4.99).
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In keeping with its environment-friendly philosophy, Aveda’s Natural Colours have no mineral oils or petroleum products; instead, they contain the essences of plants and flowers.
Natural Colours’ selections include six foundation shades ($17.50), nine blushes ($10), loose and pressed powders in three shades ($15.50), eye shadows in 33 colors ($9), lipsticks in 21 colors ($11) and seven pencils for lips ($8) and nine for eyes ($9).
“We chose shades (ethnic women) traditionally ask for . . . more brown-based products,” said Nan Upin, Aveda spokeswoman. “Our look is more styled, like the ‘40s . . . brown eyes, red berry lips. Our colors heather, walnut, hickory and mulberry work like neutrals.”
Natural Colours, which will also sport Aveda’s new packaging, will be on the market later this month at professional beauty salons throughout Orange County and at the Aveda Esthetique in Beverly Hills.
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The 1990 Census statistics were the impetus for Prescriptives’ All Skins collection. “The census statistics echoed what took us two years to develop. This line has been mulling about research and development for three to four years,” said Eva Lesko, company spokeswoman.
All Skins, which has been available since October, is based on the premise that skin tone is the determining factor in choosing makeup colors.
Using Prescriptives’ color printing and color wheel systems, a woman’s perfect match can be found among more than 115 foundation shades and lip, cheek and eye hues.
For the summer, Prescriptives has added Summer Neutrals. The neutrals are grouped by depth of color, from the lightest (Level 1) to the darkest (Level 6). Eye shadows ($30), Suncolor ($18.50) and lipsticks ($12.50) are sold in better department and specialty stores throughout the county.
Revlon’s ColorStyle is not just an extension of existing formulas, but rather a new configuration, designed to accommodate the 35 different skin-tone variations among African-Americans.
And with more pigment and smaller amounts of titanium dioxide, this makeup, which will be available in county drugstores in September, will not turn ashen on black skin.
ColorStyle has 16 colors of foundation ($8.25), six concealers ($5.75), six powders ($8.25), 12 blushes ($7.50), six palettes of four shades of eye shadow ($4.95), 20 lipsticks ($5.75) and 16 nail enamels ($3.75).
“The full spectrum of our colors will be introduced in the fall, then seasonal colors will be added,” said Jadzia Zielinski, Revlon spokeswoman.
In trying to come up with ingredients that produce an even, smooth and long-lasting finish, Shiseido, based in Tokyo, devised Shiseido Makeup, which maintains the skin’s proper moisture content.
Among the items available are foundation in nine shades of fluid ($26), 10 sticks ( $24) and 10 compacts ($29); translucent powder ($10.50); corrector pencil ($10.50); 15 lipsticks ($13); nine eye shadows ($18.50); and 18 nail enamels ($10).
Even though Shiseido Makeup provides colors especially for yellow and ivory tones, Robin Nagata, a sales consultant for the company at Nordstrom in South Coast Plaza, said the makeup can work for anyone with yellow or ivory undertones in her skin.
“Because of all the variations we offer, Shiseido is a good (choice) for all skins,” Nagata said.
