As we transition into fall, we’re naturally reflecting on the makeup and beauty trends that defined summer 2024. While some dubbed it the “Brat Summer,” in the beauty world, it was unmistakably a “Blush Summer.”
The “sunset blush” trend, popularized by Alissa Holmes, set the tone at the start of the season, quickly followed by the “boyfriend blush” and “blush smoothie” looks that dominated throughout. Bold and radiant cheeks were at the forefront of beauty trends, with every shade of pink, coral, and berry popping up on shelves and across social feeds.
However, as this blush frenzy swept through the beauty landscape, a glaring issue remained: the lack of true inclusivity for deeper skin tones. Beauty brands eagerly embraced the blush boom, launching new products all summer long. Yet, it became impossible to ignore that most of these blushes shared one unfortunate characteristic—they simply didn’t work on deeper complexions.
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In June, we saw Rhode Skin’s pocket blushes, soon followed by Fenty Beauty’s Suede Powder Blush, both highly anticipated. But many consumers noticed a troubling trend: despite the variety of blush shades hitting the market, the options for deeper skin tones remained limited and often ineffective.
Celebrity makeup artist & groomer Lola Okanlawon shares this sentiment saying, “The struggle of recent blush launches to cater to deeper skin tones highlight a broader issue of inclusivity in beauty.”
Amidst the excitement and disappointment, one influencer’s voice stood out among the rest—Golloria’s. A Sudanese-American beauty and lifestyle content creator with deep skin, Golloria has built a reputation for holding brands accountable. She uses her platform to celebrate those with inclusive shade ranges while calling out brands that fail to meet the mark.
“Golloria’s approach is particularly impactful because she is forthright and unapologetic in addressing the blatant disrespect an entire community faces,” says beauty educator, influencer and global pro artist Chloe Baltimore.
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As the summer progressed, Golloria’s candid reviews and advocacy for inclusivity resonated with many, shining a spotlight on the need for genuine diversity in beauty offerings. However, her outspokenness also attracted backlash, with some arguing that not every product needs to cater to deeper skin tones. The launch of YSL’s Make Me Blush 12HR Blurring Liquid Blush, in particular, ignited a storm in the beauty community, pushing Golloria to take a break from social media.
Reflecting on the situation, Baltimore notes, “What happened with Golloria is both disheartening and emblematic of a broader issue in the beauty industry. Brands often project an image of inclusivity and social responsibility, but their actions frequently fall short.” Baltimore emphasizes that Golloria’s experience highlights a troubling reality: Black women remain among the most disrespected individuals and consumers in the beauty space. “This discrepancy reveals a prioritization of comfort and fragility over genuine, transformative change.”
The blushes launched this summerall had one thing in common: they were formulated with white bases that did not complement deeper skin tones. Baltimore explains, “I wish I could say I was surprised that brands are still missing the mark on inclusivity, but honestly, I’m not.” She continues, “There’s a huge difference between brands that are performative—checking off a diversity box—and those genuinely making products for consumers with deeper complexions.”
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Celebrity makeup artist and noted beauty expert Nydia Figueroa echoes a similar sentiment saying, “I feel very disappointed with what’s happening with brands constantly missing the mark when it comes to inclusivity.” Out of the six liquid blushes YSL launched, one shade, “Lavender Lust,” sparked particularly polarizing opinions. This pastel, cool-toned soft lilac blush has been criticized for its lack of inclusivity and impracticality for deeper skin tones. In fact, the shade didn’t even fare well on lighter skin tones.
Makeup artist and influencer Manny MUA took to TikTok and tested the blush on his fairer, self-proclaimed alabaster skin and noted that it faded away almost entirely as he blended it. So this begs the question of, who was this blush made for? A few days later, beauty creator Oceanne Comtois, who has albinism, applied the blush and it showed up beautifully on her skin—demonstrating that Lavender Lust only works on extremely fair complexions.
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This situation highlights that inclusivity doesn’t start and stop with deeper tones—it also means catering to the very fair-skinned. But transparency is key. Influencers Darcei and Anay Kashe, along with Golloria, made it clear that while they don’t expect every product to work for them, they do expect brands to be transparent and honest in their marketing. That is where quite a bit of frustration comes in.
On YSL Beauty’s website, Lavender Lust is shown on a deeper-toned model, implying that it will work for darker skin tones. But real-life experiences have proven otherwise—this shade, for example, only works on ultra-pale complexions like that of Oceanne Comtois. Additionally, YSL marketed this shade and the entire blush line as “universal.” Baltimore comments, “The word ‘universal’ is the real issue here. I’m not a fan of that term because, more often than not, it means the product was primarily made for non-POC consumers, with the hope it might work on deeper skin tones.”
She continues, “I don’t understand or support this idea that every product needs to work for everyone. We all have different undertones, features, and preferences. And those differences should be celebrated—not muted by a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.” Figueroa adds to this by saying, “I see brands labeling products as ‘universal’ all the time but that term is used so loosely because there is no one color product that can work on all skin tones.”
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Even more critical than transparency is ensuring that products are truly tested on a wide range of complexions before they hit the market.
Okanlawon emphasizes, “Brands’ approaches to inclusivity should involve collaborating with a diverse testing pool that includes makeup artists, influencers, and consumers with a range of skin tones.” She adds, “It’s crucial for beauty brands to work with makeup artists—especially makeup artists of color—during both product development and marketing. This collaboration is key to avoiding the controversies we’ve seen, particularly around issues of inclusivity and representation.”
In today’s world, where everyone has a voice through social media, brands can no longer launch products without expecting to be held accountable by their consumers. “This generation of beauty consumers is well-educated and knows exactly what they want. Before social media, we had to accept whatever was given to us without a platform to voice our concerns. Now, we have that voice, and people are tired of being ignored—so we’re using those platforms to speak out,” says Figueroa.
From product development to marketing, brands must understand: we’re paying attention, we have voices, and we will no longer tolerate performative inclusivity. The days of simply checking a diversity box are over. It’s time for beauty brands to truly listen—or risk being called out by the very consumers they claim to serve.
