Traditionally, the beauty industry is pretty conservative when it comes to who should wear makeup and who should indulge in skincare. The ‘ideal consumer’ is often a cis woman who is fair and mostly young and has deep roots in gender roles and stereotypes. The sad truth is people who don’t belong to this very limited category barely have any options to choose from. This isn’t just true for makeup, it is also true for skincare.
If we look at traditional brands that make skincare for men it’s usually restricted to just the basic products- black and navy packaging and overtly woody scents. And when we talk about the transgender community, then the beauty industry has ignored them completely.
However, now finally brands are opening up their spectrum and welcoming all genders into their folds, paving the way for more inclusivity in the industry.
Now consumers are demanding non-gender specific product names, non-gendered packaging, and widely cast models. We are seeing brands like Fenty Beauty who have marketed themselves on being gender-neutral making billions of dollars because millennials who are unconcerned with traditional gender stereotypes are moving into their prime spending years.
Here Are Some Brands Who Are Doing Gender Neutral Products Right:
Fenty Beauty
Rihanna’s beauty brand is one of the forerunners when it comes to diversifying beauty- their models range from women of colour and men to almost everyone on the spectrum. Their products also have a wide array of shades that are going to suit people with different skin types and different colours.
M.A.C
M.A.C was started by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo in 1984 and has become one of the most popular beauty brands worldwide. They use people from all genders, races, and colours in their campaigns as models teaching us one thing- beauty is whatever you want it to be. Well, couple that and the fact that people will actually find products catering to their specific needs and you’ve got yourself a winner!
Jecca Blac
MUA Jessica Blacker founded her brand Jecca Makeup after receiving Instagram messages from followers that were transitioning from male to female and felt at a loss as to where to buy make-up. People wanted someone that was accepting of the trans community but if the brand was to only focus on one community it would not be inclusive right? So, they pride themselves in being a makeup brand for all genders, sexualities, expressions, abilities, pronouns, shapes and sizes.
Too Faced
Too Faced is another beauty brand that celebrates diversity in terms of gender and colour. Their products are loved and used by all and for good reason- they’re amazing! They pride themselves on being cruelty-free and their Born This Way foundation comes in just about any colour you can think of.
Fluide Beauty
Fluide Beauty is a vegan and cruelty-free brand and goes by the tagline ‘Makeup for everyone’. Their mission is to acknowledge every customer possible and especially bring the queer community and perspective to the front. 5% of their sales also go to LGBTQ health and advocacy organisations so they really put their money where their mouth is.
Morphe
Morphe, known for their iconic eyeshadow palettes and brushes understand the needs of a diverse audience like no one else. They celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ movement wholeheartedly and have even collaborated on products with people from the community like James Charles.
ASOS Face + Body
ASOS Face + Body particularly decided not to use the term ‘beauty’ when they were launching because it was too reminiscent of the cis marketing and wanted to deliberately go for gender-neutral and non-judgemental, with imagery to match.
Allies of Skin
Allies of Skin are true to their name and really aim to help out all kinds of skin. All genders and age groups can use their products to feel happier and better in their own skin. They boast of having concentrated formulas that you can pair together for the best results.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Anastasia Soare the founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills is more lovingly known as the ‘eyebrow queen’ after having created cult products like the ABH Brow Whiz and ABH brow pomade has never shied away from making her products gender inclusive. Men, women, trans and all genders are welcome and even appreciated and this goes to show in the shade range when it comes to her products.
Asarai
The first thing that jumps out about the Australian brand Asarai is the bright yellow packaging and we totally dig it. Most products don’t use water which can dilute the consistency instead use ingredients like Kakadu Plum which are extremely rich in Vitamin C. They also have a burst of antioxidants and tons of oils that hydrate your skin and protect it from free radicals.
We love this ‘you do you, boo’ approach that brands are adopting. Because really, gender rules are made to be broken!
Featured Image: Instagram
