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In the days before the Academy Awards, actress Lupita Nyong’o could have stuck to primping for her big night, but instead she chose to speak about “dark beauty” at the annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon. She read aloud a letter from a fan who, after seeing her success, had decided not to buy a skin-lightening cream. Nyong’o explained that she too once hated her skin tone, that she was teased and taunted, and that her “one prayer to God was that I would wake up lighter-skinned.” That fan wasn’t the only one paying attention: When Vanity Fair was accused of lightening the 12 Years a Slave star’s deep brown skin for her portrait in its February 2014 Oscar issue, armchair comments ranged from “Black people like to be adequately lit too” to “It’s so nice to finally see a black celebrity with really dark skin.”

It’s easy to think of Beyoncé, Rihanna and Freida Pinto as symbols of inclusivity; they are, but with their light skin and/or light eyes, they represent a beauty ideal that many women of colour can never hope to achieve. Colourism (or shadeism) is a type of discrimination that occurs within ethnic groups, creating a quiet divide between light- and dark-skinned people of colour. It drives women to choose too light a foundation; use lightening creams with dubious ingredients and results; or opt for surgical treatments. If you’re any type of brown, hearing an auntie say, “Stay out of the sun or you’ll get too dark!” is about as common as being told to eat your vegetables.

Every week our Beauty Fix columnist takes on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.

I heat-style my hair more in the winter because I wash it in the morning and don’t want to head out with damp hair in cold weather. How do I protect my hair against this increased contact with heat tools?
As soon as the temperature is low enough to freeze hair in the duration of a short stroll outside, air-drying season is officially over and blow-drying becomes necessary. Hopefully you’re in the habit of using a heat-protectant spray whenever you decide to turn on the hot tools, but if you’re especially concerned with heat damage switch up your shampoo and conditioner. Pantene Pro-V Heat Shield Shampoo and Conditioner ($6 each, at drugstores) is geared to defending your hair in each step of the cleansing and styling process. This shampoo and conditioner duo each contain a heat-activated oil that protects against heat styling up to 450 degrees, making it your go-to every time you’re planning on breaking out the hair dryer and flat iron. Using this shampoo and condition in conjunction with a thermal protectant spray should keep hair in tip top shape all year!

I have dark skin and have a tough time finding foundation for my complexion, especially because it changes slightly depending on the season. Got any tips? No matter your skin tone, finding the perfect foundation to match can be a challenge, to say the least. The simplest solution is to buy two shades, one slightly […]

The post Afternoon beauty fix: The trick to finding the perfect foundation for darker skin tones appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

I’ve been one happy camper since I found out Ontario cosmetics brand Vasanti is now available in my Montreal ‘hood (Pharmaprix, 2740 Notre Dame St. W., 514-937-3924). Their Wonders of the World corrector/concealer duo ($17, vasanticosmetics.com) comes in two shades: Y2 (fair beauties) and O2 (for darker-skinned divas, comme moi). The corrector works like a […]

The post The daily steal: Concealer duo, $17 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Growing up in 1980s suburban Toronto, I didn’t love being the only brown girl in the class. But here in the cozy confines of a small editorial team, I do. Why? Getting first dibs on makeup for darker skin tones. This is how I discovered Vasanti Cosmetics in 2007 when our beauty editor, Lesa Hannah, suggested I try their eye and cheek putty.

Full disclosure: I am conservative when it comes to makeup. During those crucial years of experimentation the products simply did not exist. Perfume, lotions and nail colours, those were easy to get around, but makeup? Once you’ve applied the wrong foundation or exited the front door with a ghastly, too-pale pink on your lips, well you just don’t go back.