Are Black Make Up Lines Extinct?

There was a time in the 1990's when I had a bevy of make-up lines targeting the African American to choose from. Let me name them in case anyone wants to research them, Iman, Black Opal, Posners, Barbera Walden, and Flori Roberts were my brands of choice. Some brands were sold in department stores, while others were available at the local drugs store. At this hey day of the African American targeting I was able to get the look I wanted. Flori Roberts offered me an orange undertone, Barbera Waldern was movie quality make up, and Fashion Fair offered workday innovation.


It is my belief that every black woman owned a tube of fashion fairs chocolate raspberry lipstick in the 90's. My favorite line was Posners, because of the apparent history in the line. It came out as a result of the 60's black power movement with 'get down brown', and 'high kicking wine'. I always had a tube of Black cherry close at hand. Pour some Hai karate for the day they discontinued 'groovy grape'. Pam Grier should have memorialized it, but I think she wore 'get down brown'.

One day I was approached by one of my friends to go to get my skin color matched by this brand new make-up line, 'Prescriptives'. To which I remarked, this is for white people, how are they going to get my color? We went, and they matched the color perfectly. My friend paid $30 dollars for a foundation, and I just bought my Fashion Fair for $12. Take a look at Patti LaBelle to understand the flawless beat face look of the 90's African American. As time pasted we realized that her make up didn't cover the variation in pigmentation as well as my fashion fair. The color was great, but she could get the flawless 90's look with that lighter make up.  

Mac cosmetics came on the scene in the 90's with a paraprofessional quality line, and the demise of the black targeted cosmetic line begin. They got famous black icons to popularize their brand with flashy campiagns. I really enjoyed their campaigns because they alway used my favorite pop stars. But something was misplaced in the translation. I can no longer get the look I want, no one is  targeting my sub culture, and what is going on in my community, these white centered lines are expensive, and lastly, they don't have the pigment to get me the look I want. The black lines use to do find popular make up looks, then design cosmetics that would replicate those looks on black skin.

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