A U.S. makeup brand is being slammed online by Black beauty influencers for offering an extremely dark black foundation shade that many have likened to black face paint. Critics say the shade is not made for real, human skin tones and is reminiscent of racist “minstrel shows,” a form of 19th-century theatre that involved mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup.
The backlash against Youthforia, a company started in 2021 by founder Fiona Co Chan, isn’t new.
The company came under fire in August 2023 when it first unveiled its foundation, the “Date Night Skin Tint Serum.” The product was launched with only 15 shade options, which prompted customers and beauty enthusiasts to complain about the lack of inclusivity. At the time, the darkest shade in the range was a medium-brown tone — unsuitable for Black customers with darker skin.
In response to the criticism, Chan explained in a now deleted Tik Tok video that Youthforia launched limited shades of the foundation to gauge customer interest.
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