Black women in the fashion industry have resorted to doing their own makeup due to the lack of knowledge and understanding many artists have regarding Black skin tones. One New York Fashion Week model recounted her experience doing her makeup herself.
According to In the Know, travel and fashion model Megan Milan shared a now-viral video to her TikTok account, showing a NYFW makeup artist using the wrong products that didn’t match her skin tone.
“Yeah, I look like a ghost,” said Milan in the 21-second clip.
The artist was applying a foundation multiple shades lighter than her actual hue. Milan was unhappy with the results and handled the situation herself. The model said she typically carries her own foundation “just in case” she experiences a similar mishap.
@megan.milan I normally bring my own foundation just incase but i let my guard down. Plus i didnt want to carry a makeup bag all day, this was my first job of the day 😭. I had to go ti Sephora, do my own makeup then come back 😀. #nyfw #modelproblems #blackmodels #blackmodelsmatter
“I normally bring my own foundation just incase but I let my guard down. Plus I didnt want to carry a makeup bag all day, this was my first job of the day 😭. I had to go [to] Sephora, do my own makeup then come back 😀,” she wrote in the video’s caption.
In a subsequent post, Milan shared how she went to a nearby Sephora to purchase the products she needed for the show. She also expressed her frustrations with the makeup artists in these industries who do not know how to apply makeup on Black women.
@megan.milan Replying to @Stace Funny how life works 💗 #nyfw #blackmodel #donnidavy #euphoria
“I’m just so irritated,” Milan said in the video. “It’s just frustrating that we have to deal with this all the f**king time. Like if you didn’t know how to do Black girls’ makeup, then why would you even? You guys know what I looked like before I came. So rude. Why am I at Sephora doing my makeup?”
Milan’s posts garnered responses from other users who seemingly agreed with her remarks about industry makeup artists.
“It’s totally unacceptable that fashion week can’t hire makeup artists who know all skin tones. So happy the second one nailed it for you! Stunning!” one user wrote.
“Learning color theory is so important. Smh… I’m sorry you experienced this but also glad you found someone to get it right. It’s beautiful,” another wrote.
“So ridiculous that first one. your makeup application was gorgeous and the second mua really said babe I gotchu 💕” a third user wrote.
“Stunning 💖🙌🏽 those people are in the wrong business for not making you feel comfortable. That’s is so wrong what they did to you 😢” another commenter wrote.
