Is Sephora's #MyFaceIsAMasterpiece the beauty industry's much needed step forward?

by Shruti Narayanan

Photo by @Zebedeetalent and @faceequalityint

Sephora launched #MyFaceIsAMasterpiece last week. They collaborated with Face Equality International and content creator Nikki Lilly to generate awareness about visible differences. Face Equality International is a global collective on a mission to ensure equality and fight discrimination. It celebrates individuality and empowers people to express themselves through makeup. While there's work to be done, this campaign paves the way for a more equitable and diverse future for the beauty world.

People with visible differences, like birthmarks, scars, vitiligo, or other skin conditions, often face societal pressures and exclusion based on their appearance. Seeing themselves reflected in the beauty industry, a space traditionally focused on uniformity, can be a powerful validation of their beauty and self-worth.

Sephora is sending a message that all faces are beautiful and deserve to be represented. This can inspire other brands to follow suit and create more inclusive marketing campaigns. We surely need more visibility and representation in the beauty industry. When a brand is vocal about something like this it only makes us wonder, is this representation simply performative, or is Sephora committed to inclusivity throughout its business practices? Is it just a topical moment for the brand to grab some quick eyeballs or do they actually care? Mainly because the campaign was out between 13th and 19th of this month which is Face Equality Week. It also included a huge Sephora launch in Manchester’s Trafford Center where Zebedee Talent agency’s models who were the faces of this campaign were present. It was a wholesome event. It marks a moment of representation for people with visible differences like never before. But somehow the campaign also felt fairly silent for the beauty giant, it was easily missable. I wish Sephora had bigger billboards across the UK that would give a lot more visibility for these gorgeous people.

As a huge conglomerate in the beauty industry Sephora does have the power to influence. Earlier this year we saw the brand being taken over by 10 year olds shopping for their “must haves” in skincare. Does the campaign go far enough in reflecting the diversity of Sephora's customer base? A true commitment would be reflected in the brands they carry, their marketing throughout the year, and their in-store representation. When it comes to representation, Winnie Harlow walked for Victoria Secret and Fenty Beauty’s foundation range was launched in 2018. Not much has happened since. While this is a good first move, the beauty industry needs to make bigger strides in this front. We shouldn’t have to wait another 10 years for more visible difference representation.

Overall, Sephora's #MyFaceIsAMasterpiece campaign is a welcome move towards a more inclusive beauty industry. It celebrates individual beauty and challenges narrow beauty standards. However, the conversation about true representation and lasting change remains ongoing.