Traditionally, in the eyes of the fashion and beauty industries, nude is a sort of mid-beige/pink colour that doesn’t really resemble anyone’s natural skin, but the least catered-to group is women of colour. “Most brands don’t have extensive shade ranges, plus they don’t always consider undertones, which creates another obstacle to finding a good match,” says Toronto-based PR professional Maxine McDonald.
Thankfully, the situation is improving, partly due to the rising profile of stylish celebs like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Kerry Washington. Nowadays, you can get lingerie, nail polish, lip colours, and even dance wear in a range of nudes to match most skin tones, Still, lighter-skinned women have the most choice, which brings an unexpected benefit for those brands that do cater to the whole spectrum. “I think the upside for the brand is that when a person of colour finds a good match they don’t switch very often because it’s hard to find options. In a way you’re forced to be loyal,” says McDonald.
Undercover agents
UK brand Nubian was founded last October and does lingerie, tights and stockings in four different shades of nude and multiple styles, for every size. The full collection is available on the website, NubianSkin.com, and selected items are at Nordstrom, priced $68.75 for a bra.
Lip service
New brand The Estée Edit, an offshoot of Estée Lauder, has created the Barest collection. It includes six shades of nude lipstick ($26 each) and complementary lip liners ($24 each). The brand also has a very broad range of foundation shades. Products are exclusively available at Sephora.
Nailed it
Nail polish is another area where it can be difficult to find the right nude. Christian Louboutin has a whole range, The Nudes, which comprises 10 shades from off-white to deep brown, $65 each, at Holt Renfrew. The brand has also created a capsule range of nude shoes, which will be available at Nordstrom in the next few months.
Dancing queens
The usual attire for dancers and dance students is a ‘flesh-coloured’ leotard, but until recently, people of colour had to dye their clothing to match their skintone. Mahogany Blues Dance Apparel launched in March 2015 and makes leotards for children and adults in three styles and four colours of nude. Available at MBDanceApparel.com, priced at $45 for adults’ leotards.
