Making space for Black voices in the beauty industry
Making space for Black voices in the beauty industry
Black-owned beauty brands Aaron Wallace and Maréna Beauté talk about why representation is needed in the skin and hair care industry and what steps are needed to get there
Black-owned beauty brands Aaron Wallace and Maréna Beauté talk about why representation is needed in the skin and hair care industry and what steps are needed to get there
The needs of Black customers haven’t always been adequately met by the beauty industry. For instance, it is still not standard practice for beauty schools to fully equip stylists with knowledge of how to do Black hair and makeup. While many larger brands have invested in expanding their product ranges to offer darker shades of makeup, as well as haircare products designed for tighter curl patterns, there is still a long way to go when it comes to providing choice and access. One of the ways we are working to change this at Zalando is by creating partnerships with Black-owned brands who have the knowledge and expertise to cater to our Black customers, instead of waiting for established brands to change their product ranges. We spoke to Maréna Beauté, a Swedish cosmetics brand pioneering high-quality makeup for darker skin tones in Scandinavia, and Aaron Wallace, a Black grooming brand for men founded by an expert South London barber, to expand on what gaps still exist in the market and what can be done to close them.
Maréna Beauté
How does your brand cater to a range of skin types?
We created a color palette to expertly match the complexions of consumers with darker skin tones. Furthermore, we’ve placed emphasis on developing a specific type of formula and pigment in our products to enhance and complement darker skin tones and to create a perfect match for our customers.
How are these types of products underrepresented in the European market?
The makeup offering in Europe for darker skin certainly has improved since our launch. However, we believe that proper knowledge of suitable makeup for darker skin among brands in the European market is far from established. It will take more time and effort until we as an industry can say with certainty that we have products for everybody.
What can the industry do to make more room for this type of representation?
We see that many companies have made a conscious effort to increase representation in their assortment. This is a development we’d like to see more of. Zalando is one of the companies at the forefront of this discussion, with their work to become an inclusive brand.
What can the industry do to make space for more Black-owned brands?
We care about quality, knowledge of our target group, and representation — these are aspects that need to be taken into consideration in the industry. If they aren’t, the result may be that we are only filling a quota — which we don’t see as productive. This requires a collective effort to create Black-owned brands and for the industry to include them. No one has come up with a perfect way to create inclusion, but at Maréna Beauté, we do what we can to contribute to a more inclusive market.
Aaron Wallace
How does your brand cater to Black hair types?
We’re focused on identifying and creating solutions specifically tailored to the unique needs of Black men when it comes to their hair, beard, and skin care. Our overall mission is centered around championing Black men and inspiring them to be the best they can be. The men’s grooming sector has been growing rapidly for a number of years and yet has continuously neglected men who have afro hair types and darker skin tones. As a result, men of Color have often had to resort to homemade remedies or pinching products from the women in their lives.
How are these types of products underrepresented in the European market?
There definitely underrepresented! It’s the very reason we set out on this journey. We noticed a huge gap in the market and wanted to do something about it. There is still lots of room for improvement in this space today. The great thing is that consumers have become more vocal too, and instead of accepting things as they were, they’re also demanding change and more diversity and inclusivity in the beauty industry.
I think Black consumers haven’t always been seen as a large and lucrative enough market for big companies, and as a result, they’ve been largely ignored altogether. This is a mistake. On average, Black consumers spend far more on their hair care products than their white European counterparts and contribute a huge amount to the industry’s annual revenue.
What can the industry do to make more room for this type of representation?
Invest in brands that are doing the work. Brands like ours are on the ground floor doing the research, doing the product development, and really immersing themselves in the customers we aim to serve. There are plenty of incredible brands doing work that focuses on underrepresented communities and that are never given the opportunity to grow, due to lack of investment opportunities. From a retail perspective, this means shelf space and opportunities for brands to be stocked.
What can the industry do to make space for more Black-owned brands?
Engage better with consumers from underrepresented backgrounds to gain an in-depth understanding of their unique needs. This is also how the industry will discover more small indie brands that are creating fantastic products for those very consumers. That’s one part. The other part is engaging those brands, working with them to identify opportunities to support and grow them.
