Makeup brand YouthForia is under fire from beauty influencers for releasing a foundation shade that they believe is too dark and unwearable. The brand extended its Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation line in March to include seven more medium deep to deep shades, but the darkest shade, 600 Deep, has faced backlash for being too dark and lacking undertones. Cosmetic chemist and influencer Javon Ford noted in a TikTok video that the shade only contains a pigment called black iron oxide, which he describes as “pure black pigment.”
TikToker Golloria swatched the 600 Deep shade on her face, comparing it to black paint and stating that they look nearly identical. She described the foundation as “tar in a bottle” and criticized the lack of shades between 600 Deep and the next lightest shade. While some users have recommended mixing 600 Deep with a lighter shade, others like SeanSVV have tried this and ended up with a gray color that lacks undertones. This has raised concerns about the lack of dimensionality in the shade range.
Fiona Chan, the CEO and founder of YouthForia, has addressed the criticism in several TikTok videos, stating that she struggled to find a model for the 600 Deep shade and had to travel to “the other side of the world” to find two men who agreed to model the shade for her. The brand has not yet responded to requests for comment from Forbes. YouthForia first released its Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation in September, initially offering a 15-shade line that faced criticism for not being inclusive enough. Chan described the launch as a “proof of concept” and a test to gauge the product’s success.
The beauty industry has a history of excluding darker skin tones, but brands like Fenty Beauty, launched by Rihanna in 2017, have led to more inclusivity. Fenty Beauty’s 40-shade foundation line set a new standard for diversity in the industry, prompting other brands to offer more shades. The Institute for Gender and the Economy refers to this trend as the “Fenty Effect.” Other brands with notable shade ranges include Pür with 89 foundation shades, MAC Cosmetics with 60 shades, Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty with 60 shades, and Clinique with 56 shades. Fiona Chan pitched YouthForia on Shark Tank in 2023, securing a $400,000 investment from Mark Cuban for 5% of the company, highlighting the brand’s viral blush and focus on skin-friendly ingredients.
