Lipstick is among one of the most favored makeup item among makeup users. With all the unique colors that are associated with the product, there are many options that go along with choosing a lip color. However, as many beauty gurus would advise, not every color works for every skin type in many cases. There are many opinions about the best colors for different skin types, and these opinions can vary across many makeup experts. However, Maybelline New York has sought out to take this standard and create a lipstick for all types of ethnicities. The new product is labeled as Made For All and the advertisement features six different women of many different ethnicities wearing their product. There is an excellent amount of representation for many different cultures, while other representation is left out. This analysis will tackle the many times of representation both included and not included, as well as the topic of a makeup product that is made for every ethnicity without the variety of shades that work for certain skin types, but not for others.
The Maybelline New York ad for their Made For All red lipstick features six beautiful women from what appears to be many different cultures and ethnicities wearing the same brand of red lipstick. The message that I believe this ad is trying to send is that their Made For All lipstick is just as it advertises; Made for all. Every culture that roams the earth can wear and feel beautiful in this lipstick, contrary to many beliefs that colors vary from person to person. The cultural representation is impressive, considering many companies in the past would have likely never even thought to create an all inclusive brand of lipstick for every skin type imaginable. This, I believe speaks volumes for Maybelline New York in regards for their cultural sensitivity, especially among the many makeup controversies, including Beautyblender’s recent release of a 32-shade foundation, of which had a wide range of light colored shades with very minimal shades to represent darker skinned individuals.
One group that I didn’t exactly see represented in the ad, but would have made a nice contribution, was older women. In all of the ads that I looked through, not one displayed an older woman. This Maybelline New York ad was no exception. The ad displays six beautiful young women who all look to be no older than thirty. If this lipstick was truly “Made For All”, it would have been nice to see an older woman grace the ad with these younger models. Older women are rarely represented in beauty ads unless it is advertising some type of age defying cosmetic product. According to Etaugh and Bridges (2018), “… even though textbooks on the psychology of women and psychology of gender note the invisibility of older women in the media, these texts themselves give only minimal coverage to midlife and older women.”
Makeup is commonly seen as a confidence booster. As according to Palumbo et al. (2017), not only does makeup help boost self esteem in some cases, but it can also make some women feel smarter. A study called “The Lipstick Effect” took three groups of women, all without makeup, and had them rate their mood, rate how beautiful they felt, and to read a textbook. They were then separated and given different tasks. One group listened to classical music, one group colored a picture of a face as if they were putting makeup on it, and another applied makeup to themselves. They were then given a reading test on the textbook they had read earlier in the day, as well as rate their mood and level of beauty again. The group with the highest level of positive mood and beauty, as well as the highest score on the reading test, was the group that had applied makeup to themselves.
Many women have different opinions when it comes to makeup. Some see it as a bad product meant to cover up “imperfections” and a way to change themselves in order to look more beautiful. Others see it as a way to embrace creativity and boost their self esteem. Some even wear makeup as a way to feel in control. As said by Colbert (2018), “ There are reasons so many women wear makeup. Being pretty brings acceptance, respect, even power.” As a makeup user myself, I definitely relate to the latter reasons, especially when it comes to lipstick. I love to wear lipstick, but not every color works on me. For someone as fair skinned as I am, it is certainly hard to find dark and vibrant colors in lipstick that match my complexion, so for there to be a red lipstick that will work for not only me, but even people who have darker complexions than mine, I believe that it is certainly a product to rejoice.
