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Beyond Light, Medium, And Dark: Diversity And Inclusivity In The Makeup And Beauty Industries, Adrienne Werle

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The goal of this project is to promote diversity within beauty and continue the push for representation and inclusivity. I conducted research on the history of makeup in America during the 1900s and studied how the makeup industry has evolved into what it is today. Rihanna’s launch of Fenty Beauty in 2017 was seen as the start of a new era, challenging beauty brands to be more inclusive. As Fenty created a new industry standard of 40 shades, many other brands followed suit. I then compared my findings with the experiences of real women in my community. I interviewed 10 …