After a decade working as a beauty executive for brands such as Revlon and Benefit Cosmetics, Sharon Chuter knew intimately how Black women were still underrepresented in the beauty community. Because of that, in 2019, she launched UOMA Beauty. The brand features a 51-shade foundation range which also comes in six different formulations. What makes UOMA unique is that there's something for everyone: undertones, skin chemistry, and many other factors were taken into consideration during the formulation process.
Chuter's influence in the beauty industry became evident in June 2020 with the launch of "Pull Up For Change."
The movement was created when she noticed many beauty brands posting black squares on Instagram as a sign of support for #BlackoutTuesday. As a result of this, Chuter challenged companies to share the number of Black people they employ on a corporate level. Within the space of a few weeks, industry giants were disclosing their numbers. Some brands openly acknowledged that there was a lack of representation in their HQ's and that they needed to do better.
When we talk about diversity, a lot of people may think about makeup or advertising, but that's just the beginning. We need to continue to have conversations about inclusivity as a whole without feeling afraid or uncomfortable, and Chuter has played a big part in making this possible.