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50 shades of Black: navigating Eurocentric beauty standards

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50 Shades of Black: Navigating Eurocentric Beauty Standards
by
Cameron Patterson
——————————————————————————————————————
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR
COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)

December 2020

Copyright 2020 Cameron Patterson

Acknowledgements
A special thank you to my committee members Professor Lisa Pecot-Hebert, Professor
Sandy Tolan, and Professor Alan Abrahamson for their dedicated mentorship and guiding me
throughout my time at Annenberg. A huge thank you to Lisa for being an outstanding chair and
confidante during this entire thesis journey -- you are amazing and greatly appreciated.

ii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ii
Abstract iv
Introduction 1
Body-Centric 2
What’s Hair Got to Do With It? 7
The Blacker the Berry (Exploring Colorism) 17
Beauty Industry & How They Have Deserted Us 22
Changing Trends 27
Bibliography 29

iii
Abstract
Throughout history, the Eurocentric standard of beauty has dominated worldwide. This is
a standard which favors whiteness by emphasizing qualities such as light skin tone, thinness and
long straight hair often present in “western” media representations of women. This article
showcases how beauty is difficult for all women, but particularly trying for women of color who
have to navigate prevailing notions of beauty that are rigged against them -- from body to hair in
the workplace to the entire beauty industry itself.
iv

“You’re beautiful for a Black girl,” a handsome white Sigma Chi said to me, smiling,
while he reached to grab me a drink. By the time he turned around, I was gone. I know in his
mind, that was a compliment, and what’s even sadder is the fact that this wasn’t a singular
occurrence. I still wonder if I should have stayed to have a teachable moment with him, but it
was my first time at a fraternity house and, quite frankly, I just wasn’t in the mood.
A similar incident happened in my dorm elevator. When the elevator stopped on the
third floor, a young man entered, armed with another judgmental comment – this time, though, I
had time. “Do you like reggae?” he asked. Confused by the question, I responded, “Huh, no…
why?” He continued, “Your hair is so wild...it’s giving me Rasta vibes.” “So just because my hair
is curly, you’re assuming I like reggae. You realize that’s racist in and of itself, right?” As soon as
I said that, he quickly backtracked, explaining that he meant that as a compliment and that he
loved my “wild” hair. I really didn’t care; I just wanted to get out of the elevator.
The common denominator between these two men didn’t come down to ethnicity, as
the student in the elevator happened to be Asian. However, they both rendered their own implicit
bias and in turn the implicit promotion of Eurocentric beauty standards they held onto women of
color. Although these cringeworthy moments were temporary, they stuck with me. These
Introduction
1
experiences made me grapple with the idea that living up to impossible beauty standards is hard,
but especially taxing for women of color.
Body-Centric
In 2014, the New York Times published a magazine story in which a self-proclaimed
“skinny white girl” assumed that a “heavyset” Black woman, who never spoke to her in yoga
class, yearned for her lithe body type. This controversial essay sparked a whirlwind of responses,
one in which Black writer, Demetria D’Oyley, pinpointed that Black women have their own
beauty ideals (D’Oyley, 2014).
Black women’s bodies and beauty have been historically devalued and rejected by
mainstream culture, which places a premium on a European esthetic and undermines the esthetic
of other racial/ethnic groups with the exception of exoticizing them (Banks, 2020). According to
a study conducted by psychologist Germine Awad, the U.S. overvalues “fair” white skin, blue
eyes and straight, long, blonde hair, considering these characteristics the epitome of beauty,
stemming back to slavery days. Features that are intrinsically linked to the African esthetic are
deemed less attractive, a sentiment that is transmitted daily and from different social institutions,
such as business industries, churches, media and family/peer groups (Awad et. al, 2014).
2
D’Oyley’s point that Black women rarely compare themselves to the figures of their
white counterparts surprised me. Perhaps it was due to the fact I grew up in a predominately
white environment or maybe it is partially because I am a product of a white mother, or both. I
wasn’t sure and wanted to find out.
Twenty-three year old Katelyn Ogunmowo boasts her vivacious curves to a quarter of
a million loyal followers on Instagram. However, her body was not always something with
which she felt comfortable.
“I struggled a lot in middle and elementary school. I think because all my friends were
white at the time. They were skinny, small boobs and no butt and that was considered pretty,”
Ogunmowo explained. “That is what guys were into at my school so I definitely had moments
where I wanted to be skinny like that.”
When Ogunmowo began her freshman year at UCLA, she became heavily involved
with the Black community and on-campus organizations. She noticed a big shift in her opinion of
herself as soon as her friend group became more diversified.
“I went from growing up in a setting where being curvy and ‘thick’ was a bad thing to
getting to college and that being celebrated...I always wondered what my experience would be
like if I went to a predominately Black school,” Ogunmowo said. “I know my friend Alliyah
3
struggled in the opposite way, though. She grew up around Black people and was the only one in
her friend group without curves...so it can very much go both ways depending.”
Clinical psychologist Dr. Kimberly Finney explained that the environment plays a
major role in how a person views their body, as Ogunmowo’s case demonstrates.
“If you take someone from a micro-level who was raised developmentally in a
predominately white environment, then there would be some internalized body hate about
oneself,” Finney said.
According to Finney, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if Black bodies were not
a problem for whites in particular. Research has shown that when exploring the differences
between African-American and Caucasian males, there has generally been a trend where African-
American men are more accepting of larger body sizes for women than Caucasian men
(Freedman, 2006). Thompson wanted to take this further by examining the adolescent male’s
perception of ideal female body size. He asked boys who weren’t in relationships to approximate
a weight they would desire for a girlfriend; the calculated Body Mass Index (BMI) sought-for in
the survey revealed significant cultural differences. Black teens desired a BMI in the appropriate
weight category for a 15-year-old female, whereas white teens desired a BMI value that was
considered “underweight” (Thompson et al, 1996).
4
“I just finished a book and the whole idea that white women have that Black women hate
themselves because they want to look like them is actually quite the opposite...most African
Americans that I have come in contact with are not comparing themselves to white women at
all,” Finney explained. “They are ok with wider hips, they are ok with bigger butts...Studies have
shown when looking at prevalence rates for eating disorders, they are not as high for POC as
white women. It becomes somewhat of a protective factor when looking at magazines and things
like that. They are not us.”
Although, yes, it may be beneficial to abide by a different non-Eurocentric standard when
you have minimal popular culture to compare it too, the quest to “slim thick,” however, can
prove equally problematic. For those wondering what exactly it means to be “slim thick” -- the
term describes a woman with bigger/toned thighs, normal sized hips, a plump booty AND a flat/
toned stomach (Cliff, 2019). In 2015, Essence kicked off Black history month with an article
about a woman, Apryl Brown, who lost her limbs due to silicone butt injections gone wrong.
According to the article, after years of feeling insecure due to Brown’s family and friends
relentlessly poking fun at her “pancake” booty, she had an unlicensed person, known as a
“pumper,” inject industrial-grade silicone into her buttocks (Keith, 2012). By 2006, the silicone
5
hardened, causing not only severe pain, but also a life threatening infection, requiring amputation
of her limbs.
Over the decades, especially due to the rise of social media, there has been a palpable
acknowledgement of Black beauty. Cultural empowerment movements such as Black Lives
Matter proclaiming that “Black is beautiful”, a saying that was quite prevalent in the 1960s that
has since resurfaced is rampant on traditional and social media platforms -- from our brown skin
in all shades to our unique hair types, wider noses, and butts. More Black women are seen being
featured on the cover of magazines than ever before with 27 celebrities of color gracing
magazine covers in 2018. A number that has stayed consistent since (Underwood, 2018). As well
as new lifestyle magazines, such as Madame Noire and For Harriet, sharing stories that
epitomize our beauty and help to normalize Blackness. Although imitation is the highest form of
flattery, there is a difference when it is seen as merely an esthetic.
“When Black girls got braids, it was seen as ghetto and ratchet but Kim Kardashian got
braids and it became a trend,” Ogunmowo expressed. “Same goes for the Kardashians getting lip
fillers and butt lifts...these features were never ok until white women made them ok.”
Ultimately, when white women give “Blackness” a go, they are only admiring what is
trendy or “exotic” at the time.
6
Dr. Stuart Kaplan, a Beverly Hills dermatologist for over 37 years, noted a serious shift
in his clientele requests since his start, with 85 percent of his patients being White.
“I would say that the majority of white women come in for lip injections, Brazillian
butt lifts and fillers,” Kaplan said. “There has definitely been an uptick in fillers and Botox since
social media...It’s like wide ties vs. thin ties but now it's big lips and big butts. Who knows,
maybe in a few years it’ll go back to the other way just like ties did with men.”
Former professional basketball player and current sports analyst for ESPN, Jalen Rose,
said it best during his segment on Get Up -- “I wish America loved Black people as much as they
love Black culture.”
In other words, non-Black people appreciate and appropriate our culture, but do not
actually want to be us.
What’s Hair Got to Do With It?
Hair-related angst is a shared and universal source of stress for women throughout the
world, regardless of skin color. Whether white, Black, Hispanic, or Asian, most women cringe at
the idea of cutting our hair too short, brood over having to get it color-corrected and fret over
how to best style it. Dermatological research has determined that humans are all born with an
estimated 150,000 hair follicles on the scalp, but despite this common denominator, not all hair is
7
created equal (Browne et. al, 2006). Black hair is noticeably curlier, thicker, courser, and frizzier
compared to Caucasian and Asian hair. From a grooming standpoint, black hair is more sensitive
to manipulation. To that end, curly hair is known to lose its shape and spring due to excessive
exposure to heat or chemical processing, requiring a different set of styling techniques to be
applied (Browne et. al, 2006).
Beauty showcased through hairstyle has a long-standing history unique to Black
culture. From plaits, curls, and afros to dreadlocks and weaves, Black women use their hair as
instruments of expression and reflections of the evolution of Black culture, a culture that has
been challenged and repressed since the birth of this nation.
There is no denying that hairstyles reflect both Black history and identity. In 16
th

Century Africa, hairstyles were not only indicative of a person’s ethnic identity, but also their
age, religion, wealth, caste, and marital status (Thompson, 2008). Black women were forced to
repress their natural hair. For example, house slaves were forced to don wigs similar to their
slave owners while field slaves had to conceal their hair with wraps (Thompson, 2008). In the
early 1900s, renowned entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker collected a patent for creating the “hot
comb,” an instrument used in the Black community to temporarily straighten curls. In the mid-
1960s, George E. Johnson created the “relaxer,” a chemical process to straighten hair, which was
8
argued to be less damaging to the scalp and a more convenient way to get similar, more long-
lasting results as an adjunct to the “hot comb” (Thompson, 2008). In the 1980s, many Black
women began using the weave, whereby synthetic or real hair was sewn into their own hair. This
gave Black women a straightened effect, and added length. Similarly, synthetic braid extensions
are woven into a person’s own hair, providing the illusion of longer hair. In some cases, a woman
braids her hair first, then the stylist sews in “tracks” or strips of synthetic or natural hair onto the
braided hair, either using glue or a different bonding method.
For young black girls, hair is not just something to flip around, braid, curl, or shove
under a baseball cap. Hairstyles come with underlying messages that, unfortunately, have the
power to influence how they are perceived by society, including peers, employers, and
relationships on every level. In her book, Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture, and African American
Women, Noliwe Rooks (1996) discusses an experience during her childhood that highlighted the
pertinent relationship between hair and identity for black women. She explained, “When I went
South for the summer, my grandmother could not get me to Miss Ruby’s beauty parlor and a
straightening comb fast enough...She reasoned that because no one was ever going to mistake me
for having anything other than African ancestry due to the dark color of my skin...straightening
9
my hair would give me an advantage in the world. It was one less battle that would have to be
fought.” (p. 3-4) This is unfortunately a battle that is still prevalent today.
As a person of color with a naturally curly mane, this reality strikes a sensitive nerve.
For context, there are different levels to curly hair within the “natural-hair” community. All
natural hair is not created equal with different shapes, sizes and textures -- 2B being loose waves
to 4C being as tightly coiled as it gets. The term, texturism, fosters the idea that certain types of
natural hair patterns are more desirable than others -- type 2A being the most, type 4C being the
least (Simeon, 2018).

10
For someone like me, a bi-racial girl with type 3C (curly tendrils), growing up I never
saw people in positions of power or celebrated role models wearing their hair in its natural state
until recently. Black women always had their hair pressed and sleek. I recall my cousin having a
recurring appointment to get her hair straightened before every work trip or important business
meeting. When I asked her why she felt the need to do that, I remember her saying she felt as if it
was “more professional-looking.” She, like so many women in her position, fell right into the
arms of acculturation, recognizing that her ability to meet Western beauty standards made her
more trusted, taken more seriously, and therefore more successful in her role as the e-commerce
Development Manager for Cliff Bars.
At eight, hearing this, I knew that it was not right that the hair growing out of one
person’s head was deemed unprofessional or unkept, whereas another’s was deemed worthy. This
was clearly not an attack solely on hair, but something much bigger than that: one’s race. Hair
was just another intrinsic quality used as a tool by society to discriminate against its Black and
brown members, making them feel less-than in their natural state.
“Due to the fact most of the biggest companies are run by white males, they are under
the impression that all women must function under the same Eurocentric beauty standard,”
Finney said. “If you were Indian, they wouldn’t allow a Sari to be worn to work.”
11
Across the United States, people of color are disproportionately encumbered by
policies and practices in public spaces - specifically the workplace - that target Black people for
donning natural hairstyles. By “natural,” I am referring to the type of hair texture that is not
chemically treated, permed, dyed or relaxed. For many women of color, the road to natural hair
has been a serious journey. New research shows that Black women with natural hairstyles,
including curly afros, protective styles such as twists and braids, are less likely to get job
interviews than White women or Black women with straightened hair (Guy, 2020). This is a
topic that has sparked national attention, sparking a reaction from former Democratic
presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. “Hair discrimination is racial discrimination, and we ought
to recognize that at the national level, too,” he said at Essence Fest, an event created by the
company behind the black women’s magazine (McGregor, 2019). There are many reasons why
women do not feel supported wearing their hair in its natural state, whether it be from a fear of
judgement or an inability to style it themselves, but ultimately the common theme is it not being
deemed “professional.”
Kalen Cornelious, a graduate student at USC’s Price School of Public Policy and
current research assistant at Sol Price Center, weighs in on her experiences growing up with type
4c (kinky coily) hair.
12
“I think there is this notion that if you don’t wear your hair naturally, you must be
unhappy with it or can’t accept that it doesn’t fit this Eurocentric definition of beauty. While I
hear this argument and there is validity to it, I also think that black hair is complex...it is a form
of expression and we have so much freedom and versatility with our hair,” Cornelious said.
In other words, not wearing her hair in its natural state does not mean she is
“unhappy” with it but rather views natural hair as less manageable. She continues by saying her
permed (or straightened) style is part of a “professional” look.
“I have heard and seen so many stories of friends and family members being harassed
or asked a million questions about their hair that I just wasn’t up for that additional battle. It’s
already challenging enough to be a woman of color in the professional world,” Cornelious said.
This shows the direct conflict and confusion many Black women face. On the one
hand, she stresses that wearing her hair straight is due to manageability but, on the other hand,
she insists that having straightened hair is just a given within the professional field. It begs the
question: if curly hair had been historically accepted in the workplace, would she feel the same
need to straighten it?
With the growing reports of discriminatory acts in the workplace against people of
color wearing their hair in its natural coily, kinky or afro-like state, protective law put into place
13
in some states. The CROWN Act, meaning “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural
Hair,” was introduced in California in January 2019 by Senator Holly Mitchell (Democrat-Los
Angeles) and stands for women of color to reclaim their natural hair glory in the workplace. The
law, which passed in California, with similar version put in place in New York, Maryland, New
Jersey, Tennessee, Michigan, and Illinois to ensure the protection against discrimination based on
hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles in the Fair
Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) as well as state Education Codes.
In 2019, the CROWN research study conducted by JOY collective showcased the
significance of racial discrimination experienced by women in the workplace on the basis of
wearing their hair naturally. The survey spanned 1,017 Black women and 1,050 non-Black
women ages 25-64. Of the non-Black women, 92 percent were white. In order to qualify, women
had to be currently working full-time in an office or sales environment, or worked in a corporate
office in the past six months.
The data proved that Black women’s hair is under much more scrutiny than that of
their non-Black female counterparts, which further contributes to “a climate of group control in
the company culture and perceived professional barriers” (Dove, 2019).
14
Outside of her role as a social media influencer, Ogunmowo also works full time at
Oracle as a technology consultant and is cognizant of the attention her hair gets from non-Black
colleagues.
“Every time I wear my hair in an afro or braids, it always becomes the topic of
conversation as soon as I step in the office,” Ogunmowo explained. “There’s this one guy who
every time I have a different style will come up behind me, and touch my hair while I’m literally
seated at my desk. One time I had an afro and I turn around and he’s touching it. I didn’t want to
make it awkward in the office, so luckily my friend said something but it’s 2020, I don’t get why
people still think that’s ok.”
The CROWN research study showed that 30 percent of Black women are more likely
to be given a formal grooming policy in the workplace and to be under the impression that there
is a difference between their hair and other women’s hair. Further, 80 percent of Black women
are more likely to agree with the statement, “I have to change my hair from its natural state to fit
in at the office.” Black women are also 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace
due to their hair being in its natural state, and are 83 percent more likely to feel judged harsher
on their looks than other women. In conclusion, the survey measured that hair discrimination has
15
a tangible social and economic impact on Black women with their hair being 3.4x more likely to
being perceived as unprofessional.
Sierra Britt, the head of product development at actress Tracie Ellis Ross’ curly hair
company, PATTERN, feels strongly about this new law. Prior to developing this successful
haircare line, Britt worked for beauty powerhouse, Estee Lauder. She knew what it felt like to be
the only person of color in the room.
“Throughout my professional career I had many long nights prepping my hair for an
interview or making sure it felt “professional” enough for work the next day,” Britt explained.
“Even at my first day at my current job, I wore my wig because I was not sure what the
environment would be like.”
Britt felt determined to create a product that helped the underserved Black consumer as
well as appeal to those with textures who were farthest on the curly spectrum.
“I am happy that the CROWN Act exists but in the same breath am bothered that
someone’s uniqueness is something we have to create an act for in order to protect,” Sierra said.
“We live in the ‘Land of the Free, Home of the Brave’ yet for centuries people could not accept
us in our purest form, which forces us to conform. I hope that one day acts do not have to be put
16
in place to protect me but we can live in a world where I am truly free to be me in all my various
shapes and forms.”
Britt is not alone. Tanya Vaughn, a former executive assistant at William Morris
Endeavor voiced a similar concern.
“The fact that anyone gets a say and can dictate the longevity of my career path due to
my hair texture is ridiculous,” Vaughn expressed. “I am relieved this law was passed but at the
same time it’s sad it was even needed to be put in place to begin with.”
The Blacker the Berry (Exploring Colorism)
There is a prevailing beauty standard regarding skin complexion that has subjugated the
African-American community since the days of slavery and continues to hold true in society
today: colorism.
A beauty standard that is distinguished by skin complexion among the African
American community grinds down the framework of cultural identity, social and economic
mobility, and inclusion. Throughout the world, one of the main characteristics that divides
dominant and non-dominant groups is skin color (Hunter, 2002). Within the Black community,
there is an array of skin tones varying in levels from light to dark with certain shades deemed to
be more acceptable than others. Historical studies have shown that African Americans with
17
lighter skin tones have fewer societal barriers, even among their own community (Bowman et
al., 2004). Furthermore, “it is apparent that colorist ideology is based on not just skin
pigmentation but all highly correlated physical traits[s] -- hair texture, eye color and facial
features” (Matthews 2015, 249). Although intra-racial discrimination impacts both men and
women, research has shown that there is disproportionately greater harm for women. Research
suggests that skin affects women specifically in the field of beauty ideals, partner selection, and
social and socioeconomic status (Brown et al, 2003).
The pressure for African-Americans to attain a lighter “ideal” dates back to slavery -- the
light-skins worked primarily in the home, while dark-skins picked cotton in the fields (Samuels,
2010). Historically for Black women, skin that was deemed “too white” was not welcomed,
while skin that was “too dark” was considered to be unattractive and lower class (Maddox and
Gray, 2002). This color consciousness ignited the need to lighten skin to a more desirable and
admirable shade. R. Hall (1995) called this “response by African-Americans in their attempts to
assimilate into a society characterized by cultural domination” the “the bleaching syndrome.”
Practices such as skin bleaching and products like fading cream were produced with the intent of
changing skin tone to a more preferred “light” shade (Thompson, 2006).
18
When Ogunmowo visited her family’s home in Nigeria, she witnessed first hand the
difference between her treatment there versus in America.
“Here I’m obviously viewed as Black but when I’m in Nigeria everyone calls me ‘white’
due to my lighter complexion,” Ogunmowo said. “I get special treatment wherever I go. The
people that work in our houses there will ask to take pictures with me to go show their family
members that they took pictures with a light-skin person.”
She noted that the U.S. and Nigeria differ in that Nigeria it is more overt in the way they
value and treat someone with lighter skin, whereas the U.S. is more covert. Hence the reason
that rapper Blac Chyna, teamed up with a company to create a bleaching cream sold exclusively
to the Nigerian market.
“I’ll never forget when I walked in on my cousin, she’s like 7, who put my white
setting powder all over her face. And I was like, ‘What are you doing?’ And she said, ‘I’m just
trying to be lighter like you...that was heartbreaking to me.”
Colorism not only has macro influences (societal), but also is transmitted on a micro-
level through one’s family. This draws a parallel to the Doll Test, which was a study conducted
by a renowned child psychologist and University of Chicago professor Margaret Beale Spencer.
The video released on CNN shows a white child looking at a picture of a Black child and saying
19
“she’s bad” because she’s Black. We also see a Black child say a white child is “ugly” because
he’s white. Then finally, a white child says a Black child is “dumb” because she was a “dark
skin.” Ultimately, the study showed that while all kids were exposed to certain stereotypes, white
children maintained those stereotypes much more strongly than Black children with the
explanation seemingly attributable to parenting (Billante, 2010).
“Parents of color in particular had the extra burden of helping to function as an
interpretative wedge for their children,” Spencer told CNN. “The fact that white children and
families don’t have to engage in that level of parenting, I think does suggest a level of
entitlement. You can spend more time on spelling, math and reading, because you don’t have to
have the extra task of basically reframing messages that children get from society.”
There’s no question that parents play a large role in forming a girl's perspective, life
experiences, and identity through the socialization process. For instance, Cornelius said she is
thankful for having a mother who did not let her feel inferior as a result of her dark skin tone.
“I vividly remember my mom requesting to speak to a manager at Toys R Us when I
was little because they had very few Black dolls in the store. She’s a big reason why that idea of
light skin versus dark skin and Black not being beautiful never sit for long with me.”
20
However, not all women have that strong female example, and feeling beautiful in their
own skin proves to be more of a struggle for people of color, particularly those with darker skin
tones.
Anna Spearman, a student at University of Virginia, opened up to me about how dating
at her university and feeling beautiful in her own skin has been a struggle.
“You have the white guys who really only go for white girls, unless there is a really
light-skinned mixed one and even Black men tend to go for the lighter-skin Black girls,”
Spearman says. “I swear this has been a frustrating tale as old as time, though.”
Although the institution of slavery was brought to an end in the 1860s, the color caste
nonetheless has become internalized within both the African-American and white communities
(Hill, 2002). Historically, skin complexion resulted in elevated positions both socially and
economically; therefore, light-skinned African Americans would strategically reproduce among
themselves, or Black men would look for lighter-skinned women so that the offspring created
would be deemed “beautiful” and more socially advantaged (Brown et al, 2003). This physical
attractiveness is limited to having a “lighter skin color, facial features and straighter hair [that]
were similar to European features” (Brown et al., 2003). Partiality to lighter complexions have
become a part of the mainstream as well with rappers, who have a dominant influence on popular
21
culture. In rapper Lil Wayne’s song Ride With the Mack, he says, “I tell a dark skin chick I’m
allergic to chocolate.” Rapper Fabulous’ hit Lights Out makes a similar statement, “And groups
of pretty -- with them light skin complexion.” Both examples equate lighter skin with beauty.
Unfortunately, this ongoing favor of Caucasian-like features has not only been pertinent
to what is deemed beautiful historically, but also plays a hand in how the beauty industry has
abandoned Black women.
Beauty Industry & How They Have Deserted Us

The partiality present within the workplace and even among members within the Black
community of favoring those with a more Eurocentric look is heightened within the beauty
industry. Company frontrunners such as L’Oreal and Estée Lauder have set the tone of what
beauty means by releasing makeup (foundation, concealer) that varies depending on the
consumer’s skin color. However, the tone that has been set by leading companies has been
riddled with a bias that favors the fairer skin with advertisement campaigns featuring models
who exemplify conventional beauty standards (Smith, 2009).
It took protests and an international Black Lives Matter movement for Sephora, the
largest multinational chain of prestige personal care and beauty stores, to announce a 15 percent
pledge’ to carry more Black-owned businesses. In other words, they will be providing 15 percent
22
of their shelf space to companies with Black founders. This marks a small but necessary change
that will revamp the world of beauty as we know it.
What many don’t realize about the Black consumer is that they are avid shoppers of
prestige beauty brands, but their biggest challenge is finding products that are not only effective,
but branded towards them (Smith, 2009). In 2009, Essence magazine’s Smart Beauty Panel
conducted a study on the shopping experience of Black women within the prestige beauty market
and found that African American women spend $7.5 billion annually on beauty products. Also,
as of 2016, African Americans held a buying power of $1 trillion with a predicted reach of $1.3
trillion by 2017 (Neilsen, 2016).
This comes as no surprise since women of color have the unnecessary burden of
ensuring their hair is “professional-looking.” Eula Smith, a consultant at United Talent Agency,
expressed that she has only touched her hair three times herself in five years.
“Since I was 10 years old, I have had a relaxer in my hair and it is routine for me to go
in for a set, like a wash, dry, and flat-iron root touch up, every week,” Smith explained. “That’s
$200 per visit. Girl, it took until slowing down with quarantine for me to realize that I was really
spending $1000 per month on hair and beauty products alone.”
23
Despite the spending potential the Black beauty market holds, African Americans have
remained underserved by the beauty industry throughout history, until now...sort of. In 2013,
L’Oreal started its Women of Color Lab, which specializes in innovation for women of darker
skin tones as well as acquiring Carol’s Daughter, a Black-owned natural hair brand in 2014
(Bryant, 2016).
Although Black-owned brands, such as Carol’s Daughter and Iman Cosmetics, have
been catering to women of color since the early 1990s, the rise of social media has prompted
several top beauty brands to follow suit. Consumers now have a more direct channel to raise
concern with brands which might have previously been ignored or have failed to reach the top.
Over the past four years, CoverGirl, Dior and Rimmel have all expanded their foundation ranges
to fit darker skin tones.
Brands strategically announced their expansion after the success of Fenty Beauty, a
brand which has offered 40 shades since it was launched by popstar Rihanna and beauty
multinational LVMH in 2017 (Fleming, 2019). In November 2017, when Time announced Fenty
as one of its Best Inventions of the Year, the magazine disclosed the brand earned $72 million
and was constantly sold out in stores, indicating a serious market. Fenty might have been the first
brand to release such a wide range of shades, but it really took the backing of a major global
24
company and a celebrity to emphasize such a large opportunity that makeup brands were
missing. Although brands are now marketing towards Black women, it’s not enough to put a
celebrity like Zendaya or Tracee Ellis Ross on the campaign, the product needs to be great.
Britt says when she and Ellis began working on PATTERN, the brand was created to
fulfill the unmet beauty needs of the curly, coily and tight-textured hair community.
“Many brands focus on easy fixes rather than really studying what the Black community needs,”
Britt said. “As a woman of color, I wanted to create not just products but a message that curly,
coily and tightly textured hair and its heritage are beautiful...I pull from a lot of learning curves
through my hair experiences and develop from that. There are so many stages in the natural hair
journey and I wanted to create products that meet people in all of those stages.”
The responsibility for the lack of representation in the beauty market falls on the
retailers as well. Mary Beth Peterson, former Vice President of Divisional Merchandise at
Sephora, agreed.
“Despite some wins here and there for the Black community in the beauty specter,
there is still so much growth to be done...we’re really just scraping the surface,” Peterson
explained. “Yes, there is a huge window of opportunity to capitalize on the market of the Black
consumer, but a problem that Sephora faces is the lack of Black customers shopping with us.
25
Something that’s understandable given there wasn’t ever much for them product-wise, which I
am proud is finally being rectified since I’ve left as it’s long overdue.”
Peterson’s point was backed up by Reid who detailed the overarching problem with
retailers to journalist, Taylor Bryant, for Refinery29.
“A lot of times, they’ll say something like, ‘You know, we did have something but the
sales weren’t there…’Then, the question becomes: ‘Well, did you tell [the consumers]? How did
you tell them? Where was the product positioned?’ 60 percent of the time she’s gone in there,
there hasn’t been anything for her and now you have something...how do you communicate that
to her when she hits your store and that beauty aisle?” Reid explained. “Location,
communication, information, and having people that understand what she’s looking for and are
able to guide her, are important” (Bryant, 2016).
This is a sad truth. Unfortunately, according to Peterson, it is customary for Black
beauty to be placed in the “ethnic space” in the beauty aisles, as seen in Target and Ulta.
However, they really should be given the same opportunity to be at the front with other popular
top sellers.
“I was thrilled to hear that Sephora is committed to provide 15 percent of their shelf
space to Black owned companies, but that isn’t enough. It’s a step in the right direction, but I
26
hope they are evenly distributed throughout the store and not allocated to a single space,”
Peterson said.
Changing Trends
Today, it is not only the pages of magazines that dictate beauty trends but also the
clicks on Instagram, streamed videos of reality television stars, Oscar and Met Gala coverage,
daily vlogs, uninvited pop-ups, illusory photo filters, and minute-to-minute media feeds that
collectively serve as a reminder of beauty’s relentless demands. However, there has been a
noticeable shift in beauty trends, as we are bearing witness to the exaltation of Black women’s
beauty, strength and allure. We are truly entering the era where Black women reign supreme.
In May 2018, we watched as the first Black princess, Meghan Markle, glide down the
aisle of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, trailing behind her a 16-foot Monarch Veil
(named after Princess Diana). Less than a year later, history was made when a Black opera
singer, a Black lawyer and a Black high school student were crowned Miss America, Miss USA
and Miss Teen USA -- two of them with their bejeweled tiaras placed atop their natural curls.
What does this mean for the cultural climate today? According to a marketing study done
by senior research analyst, Ashley Williams, Blacks will continue to be trendsetters in fashion,
music and dance (Williams, 2019). A report from the University of Georgia’s Selig Center for
27
Economic Growth projects the annual buying power of African Americans to reach $1.4 trillion
by 2020.
As refreshing as it is to see that trends are progressively changing, Black women still
have hurdles to climb. I recently had my hair braided for the first time, a style I previously
avoided for fear people might label me as “ghetto.” After seeing box braids in a recent Chanel
advertisement as well as researching all of the benefits of this protective style, such as the
expedited growth of my natural hair and added shine, it felt like a good time to try. Two days
ago, I received an email from my agent letting me know about a modeling job I booked at the
end of the month. I let her know I would have my braids out by then. She then replied with a
passive aggressive email asking me when I was taking them out because “the braids are cute but
most clients LOVE your curls so we’re excited to get back to that as well!”. After I shared this
story, one of my Black friends said to me, “Sounds to me like they like you Black but not too
Black.”
Hmm. Maybe she is right.
28
Bibliography
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Women.” The Journal of Black Psychology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Dec. 2015,
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Banks I. Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women’s Consciousness. New York and
London: New York University Press; 2000.
Billante, Jill, and Chuck Hadad. “Study: White and Black Children Biased toward Lighter Skin.”
CNN, Cable News Network, 14 May 2010, www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/13/doll.study/index.html.
Browne, R. (2006). Most Black Women Have a Regular Source of Hair Care – But Not Medical
Care. Journal of the National Medical Association, 98, 10, 1652-1653.
Cliff, Martha. “Forget Hourglass Curves and Thigh Gaps: 'Slim Thick' Is THE Body Shape
Celebs Are Striving for This Summer and Here's How to Get It.” The Sun, The Sun, 11 June
2019, www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/9121071/forget-hourglass-curves-and-thigh-gaps-slim-thick-
is-the-body-shape-celebs-are-striving-for-this-summer-and-heres-how-to-get-it/.
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D’Oyley, Demetria Lucas. “Black Beauty Standards Can Be Just as Unhealthy as White Ones.”
The Root, The Root, 12 Jan. 2017, www.theroot.com/black-beauty-standards-can-be-just-as-
unhealthy-as-whit-1790874415.
Dove. The Official Campaign of the CROWN Act, 2019, www.dove.com/us/en/stories/
campaigns/the-crown-act.html.
Freedman, Rachel E K, et al. “Do Men Hold African-American and Caucasian Women to
Different Standards of Beauty?” Eating Behaviors, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug.
2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3033406/.
Guy, Jack. “Black Women with Natural Hairstyles Are Less Likely to Get Job Interviews.” CNN,
Cable News Network, 12 Aug. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/business/black-women-
hairstyles-interview-scli-intl-scn/index.html.
Hunter, Margaret L. “‘If You're Light You're Alright’: Light Skin Color as Social Capital for
Women of Color - MARGARET L. HUNTER, 2002.” SAGE Journals, 2002,
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/08912430222104895.
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Keith, Amy Elisa. “EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Illegal Butt Injections Gone Bad.” Essence, Essence,
10 Oct. 2012, www.essence.com/news/exclusive-photo-illegal-butt-injections-gone-bad/.
Koster, Kyle. “Jalen Rose: 'I Wish America Loved Black People as Much as They Love Black
Culture'.” The Big Lead, The Big Lead, 29 May 2020, www.thebiglead.com/posts/jalen-rose-i-
wish-america-loved-black-people-as-much-as-they-love-black-culture-01e9gjvxta6n.
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African American Women.” 2015, pp. 248–274.
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32

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Throughout history, the Eurocentric standard of beauty has dominated worldwide. This is a standard which favors whiteness by emphasizing qualities such as light skin tone, thinness and long straight hair often present in “western” media representations of women. This article showcases how beauty is difficult for all women, but particularly trying for women of color who have to navigate prevailing notions of beauty that are rigged against them—from body to hair in the workplace to the entire beauty industry itself.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Patterson, Cameron (author)

Core Title 50 shades of Black: navigating Eurocentric beauty standards

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Publication Date 11/13/2020

Defense Date 11/10/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag beauty industry,beauty standards,black women,body ideals,colorism,CROWN Act,curves,diversity,Eurocentric,hair,identity,OAI-PMH Harvest,workplace discrimination

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Pecot-Hebert, Lisa (committee chair), Abrahamson, Alan (committee member), Tolan, Sandy (committee member)

Creator Email camerop@usc.edu,cpatterson97@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-392718

Unique identifier UC11666491

Identifier etd-PattersonC-9116.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-392718 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-PattersonC-9116.pdf

Dmrecord 392718

Document Type Thesis

Rights Patterson, Cameron

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA