Fenty Beauty’s 40 Pro Filt’r Foundation shades ushered in a new era in inclusive beauty. Here, CEW Beauty Insider rounds up some of the latest shade-inclusive brands, from prestige to drugstore, offering 40-plus shades, the unofficial ‘threshold’ number for inclusivity.
ColourpopNo Filter Natural Matte Foundation
Number of shades: 42
What’s so different: The oil-free foundation collection was ‘developed for the Selfie Age with soft blurring pigments to give a natural matte finish. The collection covers six categories: fair, light, medium, dark, medium dark, and deep dark, and features neutral, warm and cool undertones. Colourpop had previously increased its No Filter Concealer shade range, from 15 to 30 colors.
Marketing initiative: Customers choose a shade by selecting their current foundation brand and shade—and Colourpop suggests the closest match.
Cost: Retails for $12.
Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation
Number of shades: Backstage is Dior’s first lightweight face and body foundation featuring 40 shades. “It’s my star product. I wanted 16 different intensities, but particularly wanted six undertones. In total there are 40 colors, so every woman can find the shade that best matches her skin tone,” said Peter Philips, Creative and Image Director for Dior Makeup.
What’s so different: Backstage formulas are waterproof, sweat-resistant and can also be used to camouflage imperfections on the face and body.
Marketing initiative: Dior has selected high-profile, multicultural models to front its campaign.
Cost: Backstage retails at $40.
Firm Flesh Thickstick Foundation
Number of shades: 40
What’s so different: Revlon’s first prestige line, Firm Flesh Thickstick Foundation is a portable, multi-purpose foundation stick designed to honor the integrity of skin and provide medium coverage.
Marketing initiative: A key part of the Flesh concept is to overturn the notion that one nude shade fits all skin tones. In addition to 40 foundation shades, there are 14 shades of highlighter, 30 lipsticks and eight blush shades.
Cost: Retails for $18 exclusively at Ulta Beauty.
CoverGirl TruBlend Matte Made Foundation
Number of shades: 40 What’s so different: TruBlend Matte Made Foundation is inclusive when it comes to price, and is accessible to budget-conscious millennials (it’s at least $20 cheaper than Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Foundation).
Marketing initiative: Katy Perry, a CoverGirl ambassador, had her entire makeup look for New York’s Met Gala in May created with the brand’s products, including the new TruBlend Matte Made Foundation. The collection is featured as part of CoverGirl’s #IAmWhatIMakeUp campaign which pays homage to women of all races.
Cost: The foundation retails from $8.49 to $11.49.
Jouer Essential High Coverage Crème Foundation
Number of shades: 50
What’s so different: Jouer’s Crème Foundation is lightweight, longwearing, and includes a tri-peptide complex, hyaluronic acid and cucumber and chamomile extract. It is also oil-free.
Marketing initiative: Jouer’s website features a brand comparison guide, with a host of bestselling foundation brands and Jouer’s corresponding foundation match. The Instagram-famous brand also offers free sample packets of foundation on its site.
Cost: $38.
CoverFX Power Play Foundation
Number of shades: 40 shades and three undertones for a skin-specific match.
What’s so different: The brand is free of mineral oil, gluten, parabens, fragrance and talc. Additionally, the brand offers Natural Finish Foundation (available in 40 shades), Pressed Mineral Foundation (40 shades), and Total Cover Cream Foundation (40 shades). Cover FX’s Custom Cover Drops (in 25 shades) can be mixed into preferred liquid beauty products to create the ideal foundation or tinted moisturizer.
Marketing initiative: Cover FX’s Foundation Finder is a digital conversation tool designed to help customers find their precise shade. The tool asks a few questions, like hair color and skin care needs, and the shade finder helps them navigate the shades to find their perfect match.
Cost: Retails for $44.
