Impactful Women in the Makeup Industry

The beauty industry has changed over the years. Brands are more inclusive than ever. These women below have successfully impacted the beauty industry by shifting beauty standards and promoting greater inclusivity.

Rihanna

Source: Sephora

In 2017, Rihanna launched her cosmetic brand, Fenty Beauty, and has made a significant impact on the beauty industry since. Advocating for diversity and inclusion, she launched her brand with forty shades of foundation ranging from light to dark and anything in between. About a year and a half later, she expanded her collection to fifty shades.

"I want women all over the world to feel great — I want all women to feel great. We are women, and we have challenges; we deserve to feel beautiful, and I want women of all shades to feel included and all races and all cultures to be a part of this, and that's really what was important for me within choosing the shades and how many we were going to make, especially with the foundation and its a fun situation and I want all women to have a piece and take part in this," said Rihanna during a  New York Fashion Week  interview in 2017, Rihanna said,

Rihanna's stance on diversity and inclusion has paved the way for future brands and allowed them to be mindful of individuals of all shade ranges, which has impacted the makeup and beauty industry for the better.

Pat Mcgrath

Source: Dazed

Pat McGrath is a British makeup artist who has influenced many people and has been acknowledged for impacting the beauty industry. Her successes have been recognized, and she has been awarded for her accomplishments. Her first ever award was the Council of Fashion Designers of America Founder’s Award in 2017, where she was named the first makeup artist to receive that reward. She also received The British Fashion Council Award this same year. She was also awarded as one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Influential People in 2019 and was even acknowledged by Queen Elizabeth II for her impact on the fashion and beauty industry in addition to her advocacy on diversity and inclusion with the Dame of the British Empire award. 

McGrath works closely with the fashion industry, creating makeup looks for high-end designers' ready-to-wear and couture shows in Milan, Paris, London, and New York. One of her looks that received so much public attention was her porcelain doll look for Maison Margiela's Spring 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week.

"The collection explored the idea of Paris by moonlight on the Seine, with exquisite muses coming to life in a beautiful tableau and in a painterly way. The highlight of the look was this modern take on porcelain glass skin, which we achieved by making the models’ faces as shiny and reflective as glass," says McGrath.

This look was created to complement the show's designs, and the makeup look took about three years. The finishing touch was created by airbrushing the model's face, and McGrath shared the entire makeup process of doing this look after it went viral.

Soucre: WWD

In addition to her influential work alongside the fashion industry, she also created her cosmetic line, Pat McGrath Labs in 2015 and has sold out immediately after her launch. This line is a collection of high-end makeup and skincare products. Since her launch, she has been exceeding expectations and has become the biggest selling beauty brand in Selfridges’ history when she launched her products in-store in 2019.

Danessa Myricks

Source: Beauty Launch Pad

Danessa Myricks is a self-taught makeup artist, photographer, entrepreneur, and founder who has established a positive reputation within the industry. Her primary focus is on equity and inclusion, and she strives to include individuals of all genders, ages, races, and ethnicities. 

Myricks began working in product development for beauty brands, including KISS and Benefit Cosmetics before she created her own cosmetics brand, Danessa Myricks Beauty. She explains how she was never able to just go to a store and buy a foundation suitable for her skin tone, so she wanted to ensure that she was inclusive when creating her brand so people didn't feel excluded.

"As an artist, I found great joy in working on multiple skin tones. Everyone and every face was important to me, so I knew that I couldn't just be single-minded. I wanted to make sure that people who look like me are included, but I wanted to include everyone," she says in an about her video on Youtube.

Myrick formulated her products to be multifunctional for unlimited use. "I wanted to create a line where anything you pick up gives you endless opportunity for creativity," she says.

Some of Myricks accomplishments would be creating looks for celebrities, working alongside entertainers in the music and film industry, collaborating with other brands and artists to continue to impact the beauty industry in a positive light, and sharing her skills with the world. While these are huge successes, she finds the positive feedback from those who felt unnoticed in the beauty world to be the most fulfilling part of the job. Her goal for her brand was for people of all kinds to feel appreciated and included, and she has done just that.

Selena Gomez

Source: People

Selena Gomez launched her cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty, in 2020 and has become very successful in the beauty industry. Rare beauty consists of well-formulated and cruelty-free products that are inclusive of all individuals. 

Gomez has openly discussed her struggles with Lupus and designed her products to be disability-friendly. The applicators on her blush and highlighters are soft, limiting the amount of pressure needed to apply them to the skin. These products are formulated to be easily applied and blended onto the skin.

Rare Beauty's inclusivity does not stop here. She is also inclusive of all skin tones and has created forty-eight shades of foundation ranging from fair skin to darker skin. 

In addition to her impact on the beauty industry, Gomez created Rare Impact to help and support those struggling with mental health. Her biggest dream is to positively impact the world, and she has succeeded in doing so.