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Issa Rae

Beauty, Makeup

CoverGirl Launches Its Largest Shade Range of Foundations Ever

Photo courtesy of CoverGirl.

The drugstore beauty aisle is going to need to make more room on its shelves for CoverGirl this summer, as the brand is the latest to launch an inclusive shade range of foundations.

After last year’s Fenty Foundation Frenzy sent a shockwave in the industry, CoverGirl sought to create a complexion cosmetic that would meet the needs of makeup mavens of all shades by connecting with them directly through interviews as well as on every social media platform. The result is the upcoming TruBlend Matte Made Foundation, which is slated to hit shelves in June for $8.49. It boasts medium to full coverage, a long-wearing matte finish, and 40 shades made to match 99% of skin tones. And the brand has made discovering your perfect shade a breeze by labeling the bottle with four numbered ranges, Light (L), Medium (M), Tan (T) and Deep (D), as well as warm, cool, and neutral undertone call-outs.

The fresh formula also checks off every box that beauty buffs have for their dream foundation. That includes flexi-hold technology that responds to your facial movements but doesn’t budge an inch, so there’s no transfer or awkward patches of melted makeup. There’s also an oil-absorbing powder that holds 2x its weight as well as light scattering technology whose powers combine to ensure your skin stays picture perfect and shine-free throughout the day — all without weighing it down.

While we still have a month to wait to actually get our hands on it to the dismay of many fans who were excited to test-drive the fresh formula as soon as possible. But we’ve already seen the formula in action. It had a star-studded debut earlier this week as both Issa Rae and Katy Perry rocked the coverup on the red carpet of the 2018 Met Gala where both looked utterly ethereal.

CoverGirl’s latest launch is another ripple in the recent wave of change to the industry, which has been in the midst of a major makeover after ignoring the needs of consumers of color for years. But it has been making strides to offer inclusive options for every budget. While listening to the concerns of consumers of all backgrounds should be the priority of any brand, it seems the industry is trying to turn the corner towards a future where everyone can have fun with cosmetics.

May 9, 2018 by Val

Beauty, Makeup

Amy Deanna Becomes The First CoverGirl Model With Vitiligo

A post shared by COVERGIRL (@covergirl) on Feb 20, 2018 at 9:27am PST

You might not know Amy Deanna yet, but she’s bound to become a household name after this! The Texas native was just named the new face of CoverGirl‘s #IAmWhatIMakeUp campaign for its TruBlend foundations, making her the brand’s first spokesperson with vitiligo.

Though you might have seen her featured in spreads for Atlas Magazine, it’s a huge opportunity for the up-and-coming model to help make the beauty industry more inclusive, starting with the first video ad which was unveiled Tuesday morning. In the clip, Deanna is featured not covering up her spots but instead using two of the brand’s foundations to make both of her skin’s hues look absolutely flawless.

“Inclusivity is important—not just for people of different backgrounds and ethnicities, but also people of all sizes,” she told People. “That’s why I was so excited to partner with CoverGirl on this project. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Let’s face it, together we are a mosaic—that in itself is beautiful. We should celebrate that.”

Though the mega model in the making is helping to further break down beauty barriers, she notes that the industry still has a ways to go when it comes to diversity. “I believe that inclusiveness will challenge unrealistic beauty standards within the beauty industry and in humanity,” she told the glossy. “I remember seeing Queen Latifah on TV as a CoverGirl when I was young. That was so inspiring.”

In fact, many of CoverGirl’s famous faces, including Queen Latifah, Rihanna, Issa Rae, and Zendaya, are stars she looked up to as she began her modeling career and is now following in their footsteps. Not to mention joining the likes of fellow model Winnie Harlow and the legendary Michel Jackson who have shared their struggles with vitiligo, a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches that can occur all over the body as well as the hair and the inside of the mouth, according to The Mayo Clinic.

“At the end of the day I am just like everyone else, I just happen to have spots. It’s a part of my identity, but it doesn’t define who I am … For there to be so many of us and so little representation, it’s truly disheartening,” Deanna said. “I work with CoverGirl; I’m a black woman; I have vitiligo. That is empowering.” And that is a badass way to put it — congrats Amy!

February 20, 2018 by Val

Beauty, Hair, Makeup

GTL: The Boldest Beauty Looks of the 2018 Golden Globes

GTL – Get the Look, not Gym, Tan, Laundry, duh!

Embed from Getty Images

When I first heard that the women of Hollywood were choosing to wear black gowns to this year’s Golden Globes in protest of sexual harassment in all industries, I was actually pretty excited! I believed the all-black dress code would also foster more fun and creative hair and makeup looks as well. While most stuck to more natural looks, I was psyched to see many stars stepping out of their red carpet comfort zones when it came to their beauty looks.

But the evening was about way more than just gowns and glamour. These women created a visual protest against a system that for too long has valued women less, in many senses of the word and in all industries, (which could be even worse for a person of color, those who are LGBT+, and/or have a disability) and were and still are punished for speaking out. And when the Time’s Up Legal Defense fund was announced, I was even more thrilled as it would not only help without the same visibility or financial status as these actresses but also provide tangible help to fight alongside them as well as push for legislation to help level the playing field for all.

While the fashion made the biggest statement of the evening, many actresses served up style with substance. A few brought activists like senior director of the nonprofit Girls for Gender Equity and founder of the #MeToo movement Tarana Burke (who went with Michelle Williams) as their guests. And most skipped the constant “Who are you wearing?” question in order to make direct calls to action for their peers and viewers to learn more and get involved. In fact, Debra Messing and Eva Longoria set the tone for the evening by calling out E! (while on E!) about its equal pay dispute with Catt Sadler, siding with the former on-air correspondent who recently left the network after discovering her male co-anchor was paid more than her.

But even with such a big night filled inspiration, insight, and Oprah, I still wanted to share some of the details on how to recreate the looks from the hairstylists and makeup artists so you in case you want to recreate these glamorous looks for your next special occasion.

January 8, 2018 by Val