Black woman convinces Maybelline to sell darker foundation in the UK

Maybelline has agreed to sell foundation for darker skin after pressure from a British photographer.

Nadia Gray noticed there were only six shades of the product available in the UK compared to 12 in the US.

"I was very upset. I felt it was just typical of the industry ignoring people like me," she said.

"If you are someone with darker skin it's like you're held hostage to just buy the expensive brands."

Model Jourdan Dunn was used to advertise the foundation in a US magazine

Nadia, who's from Luton, says she found out about the product after spotting it in an advert in a US magazine.

"I noticed that Jordan Dunn, a black British model, was used to advertise the foundation in America," Nadia said.

"But when I saw the same foundation in a magazine in the UK, a different model was used and there were fewer shades of it available."

Nadia's discovery potentially meant that Jourdan Dunn, the model promoting the product, may have not been able to buy it in the country she lives.

The product as it appeared to Nadia and customers in the UK

Nadia wrote a blog post and also penned a letter to the cosmetic company about her discovery.

"I told them not only are they being ignorant but you're missing out on a huge part of the market.

"If I go into any any Boots or Superdrug there's so little choice."

For example, an eight shade range foundation costs £16.50.

Whereas a brand which offers the user 20 different shades can cost double that price.

"After I wrote the blog it kind of turned into a thing and then they [Maybelline] invited me up and promised to do something about it," Nadia added.

The product as it appeared for customers in the US

According to Business Wire the global make-up industry is estimated at being worth £368bn and that's expected to rise to £541bn by the year 2020.

The photographer says that even though she met with Maybelline, she didn't expect the changes to happen.

"They promised to do a lot of things about it but I just sort of ignored it and thought nothing was going to happen.

"Last week they called me up and said we are introducing these products and then I saw them."

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