BEAUTY
YSL CRASH: A Conversation Surrounding Inclusivity Within the Beauty Industry
By: Ava Savino
: Fash10nBeautySU!
“Take it back to the lab.” This was Tik-Tok content creator Golloria George’s response to the YSL Blurring Liquid Blush. A pioneer for inclusiveness in the beauty industry, Golloria has called out multiple brands for non-inclusive products that have no place in 2024. The beauty industry is a living entity – always changing and always responding to consumers. Makeup has become increasingly oversaturated in the last few years, which has caused both negatives and positives. One major positive shift is consumers holding brands accountable for inclusivity within all aspects of beauty.
There is increasingly no excuse for a brand to ignore inclusive practices. The beauty industry was worth 670.8 billion globally in 2023, and it is expected to rise within the coming years. The United States alone contributes about 128.9 billion to the cosmetics industry, making it the leading contributor in the beauty industry. These numbers show the scale and importance of inclusive practices within makeup – it is one of the most prominent global industries.
The most recent brand to be seated on the hotbed is YSL. They released six shades of their new liquid-to-powder blush, a small number to begin with; however, the real outrage was caused by the blush shade “Lavender Lust.” Marketed and portrayed as an inclusive blush for all skin tones, this shade marketed as universal was clearly not formulated with inclusivity in mind. There is certainly room in the beauty space for different products to cater to different skin tones; however, it is not okay to ride a wave of inclusivity to strengthen your company's public perception when the product is not inclusive. This issue also speaks to the problem of false marketing. The YSL blush retails for $39, so buying a product that is marketed for your skin tone and looks completely different when swatched in real life is incredibly deceiving. As of right now, YSL has not responded to or commented on the controversy surrounding its brand, which has left many consumers questioning the company's lack of accountability.
Golloria helped bring a large audience to this issue when she posted a viral video with 30.5 million views demonstrating the blushes on a deeper skin tone – the blushes clearly did not work for her due to the base being a white pigment, and many others expressed the same sentiment. A formulation of this type is essentially guaranteed to not work properly for deeper complexions, and many have argued that YSL had to have been aware of this problem; however, there is no way to certainly know as of now. Golloria also received a slew of criticism that prompted her to take a break from social media. The unwarranted hate speaks to how difficult it is to create change and raise criticism in the beauty industry – this is something that must be changed. However, it further demonstrates the changed dynamic within the industry – consumers are using their voices and taking their power back from brands.
TikTok has become a platform for calling out brands and their antiquated practices surrounding inclusivity. Because of its short-form content that can easily be accessed by millions, it has become the center for most conversations in the beauty industry. Videos discussing product launches help to open up a broader conversation not only about inclusivity within the beauty industry but also about the power of online creators to foster and create a positive change. Thousands of videos have been made in recent years calling out brands and sharing experiences within the beauty industry; some other brands include Youthforia, Nudestix, and Tarte, just to name a few. Creating positive change has led to an increased sense of community for creators and an increase in brand accountability. Influencers drive sales and are incredibly important in modern beauty marketing – more and more influencers are focusing on inclusivity within products; there is simply no excuse in 2024 for a “universal” product launch to exclude groups of people.
Speaking out makes a difference, as seen with Rhode’s recent reformulation of their viral blushes. This was a result of Golloria’s video calling the brand out for its non-inclusive formulation. Rhode’s Pocket Blushes – the company's first cosmetic release was wildly successful through influencer and TikTok marketing, and while many consumers expressed their love for the product, a large group of people felt excluded. Hailey Bieber, Rhode founder and Creative Director, personally contacted Golloria to create a reformulation and to begin incorporating more inclusive practices within her brand. There is no excuse not to do better in the year 2024 when brands are more than capable enough to understand inclusive practices, products, and marketing. Golloria’s video testing out the Rhode Pocket Blush showcases the importance of using platforms to inspire change. Beauty should be a positive, uplifting space. We must hold brands accountable in order to make change – and we will do it one product at a time.
.jpg)