Why Maybelline, Morphe, and Other Big Beauty Brands Are Getting a Black Packageing Makeover

Sharon Chuter is continuing to make her mark on the beauty industry. The Uoma Beauty founder launched a movement with the #PullUporShutUp hashtag [1] last summer, encourageing dozens of brands to publicly disclose the number of Black employees (or lack thereof) in leadership roles at their companies in the wake of George Floyd's killing. That hashtag quickly gave birth to an entire organisation, Pull Up For Change, that holds these same brands accountable [2] and makes sure that their hiring practices reflect their claims of allyship. Now, in honour of Black History Month, Chuter unveiled another project she's been working on: Make It Black [3].

Launching on Feb. 5, Make It Black is a campaign in which items from fan-favourite beauty brands are reimagined in black packageing as a way to redefine people's perception of the colour. In visuals, the colour black is often perceived negatively as if it's attached to something more sinister, and even dictionary definitions of the word include descriptors like "evil," "wicked," and "morbid." The goal behind the initiative is to show consumers that black can also be beautiful and luxurious, and Chuter has even created a petition on Change.org encourageing the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam Webster Dictionary to update their definitions of the word.

"Language plays a critical role in how we perceive the world," Chuter said. "The function of language goes beyond expressing ideas and concepts, it shapes thought and defines our collective consciousness. Language should be neutral, unbiased and reflective of our current realities. It is, in this regard, that the dictionary has work to do."

Throughout the month of February, products from Briogeo, Maybelline, Morphe, NYX Professional Makeup, Pür, Uoma Beauty, and more will available to purchase in limited-edition black packageing. Shoppers can purchase these special products online on the official Make It Black website, the participating brands' websites, or over at Ulta. Take a look at the reimagined items ahead.