Beautyblender, the brand known for their famous pink foundation sponge, just announced the release of their own line of foundation, but the new product is already receiving backlash. While fans of their original applicator sponge were initially excited, many people expressed their disappointment that the new "Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation" included very few shades for people of color.

The new Beautyblender foundation formula comes in 32 shades. The formula is designed to last 24 hours and provide lightweight coverage that erases blemishes and uneven skin tone without getting cakey. It also comes in cute, trendy packaging: the front of the bottle has a concave space where users can mix foundation, highlighters, and liquid blushes and bronzers to apply with a Beautyblender.

At first glance, this may seem like an inclusive line. However, only seven of the 32 shades were specifically pigmented for people with darker skin tones. The Beautyblender brand has an international customer base, and many felt slighted when they saw the range of pigments—especially because the founder of the company, Rea Ann Silva, is a Latina woman of color.

Frustrated customers and makeup artists alike took to social media to speak out. Beautyblender has responded to the backlash, stating that Silva created the range of shades with “multicultural women” in mind, but customers did have some fair criticisms that the brand did not address.

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Some noted that specifically formulating 25 shades for lighter skin tones and releasing only seven clearly marketed towards people of color was simply unfair and that the line should have either been expanded or planned with the entire customer base in mind.

Others pointed out that several darker shades were actually very unnatural, with strong orange and red undertones that were unlikely to truly match anyone’s skin.

This year, several cosmetic companies have taken major steps to create a wider range of products for all beauty buffs. Most notably, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna launched a line of foundation with 40 shades, made for people of all skin tones, kicking off a trend that should have been the industry standard all along. NYX has also announced that they will be releasing a foundation that comes in 45 shades, and Cover FX was recently praised for announcing the release a new concealer in 30 shades.

The Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation will be available at Sephora on July 24th. Perhaps people will change their minds when they get a chance to swatch the shades for themselves, but this Beautyblender backlash demonstrates how important it is for the cosmetics industry to embrace diversity in 2018.

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Remembering Pop Culture Icon & Philanthropist, Olivia Newton-John
Remembering Pop Culture Icon & Philanthropist, Olivia Newton-John
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