In June of 2017, business mogul and beauty icon, Kim Kardashian West released her cosmetics line KKW Beauty. Her first release focused on what she is most famous for in the beauty world: her sharp and chic contouring. The initial product release was a contour kit and since then, Kim has gone on to release a new product: age inclusive conclears. The concealers launched on March 23rd. They are marketed under the tagline “Conceal. Bake. Brighten.” The inspiration for this launch arose from Kim’s love of a bright under eye, which enhances and compliments her classic contoured look. The concealers are advertised through diverse promotions displaying models with a variety of skin tones as well as age ranges. What is really iconic about this release is the age inclusivity. The beauty world is not marketed to older women (or men) outside of skincare and wrinkle control. Kim took a noble approach to this launch by working on a formula for beauty lovers of all ages. Being that this is not commonly done, KKW Beauty is a step ahead of many more established makeup lines.
@kkwbeauty via Instagram
The concealers come in 16 shades. The “Conceal. Bake. Brighten” kits include a concealer, baking powder, brightening powder and two dual-ended blending brushes. The entire kit is retailed at $80, each item individually retails for $18. The concealers are described as “full coverage liquid concealers with an ultra-creamy, hydrating formula perfect for correcting and highlighting, and perfect for everyday use alone or in conjunction with the Baking and Brightening Powders.” The creamy and hydrating formula is perfect for all ages as it aims to conceal not only dark circles but wrinkles/fine lines as well. The baking powder serves to set the makeup in place, while the brightening powder is set to be applied after you bake in order to really highlight your under eye area.
@kkwbeauty via Instagram
While the purpose and inspiration of this release are beautiful, there is one big area of critique that KKW Beauty has to face yet again revolving the limited shade range. Although it seems as though Kim Kardashian attempted to be more diverse through her promotions, she has limited her potential sales as well as support by discluding people of darker complexions. Four out of the sixteen concealers are geared toward dark skin. Dark Skin is just as complex as fair skin and deserves a variety of options to choose from. We all have different undertones that should be represented in products targeted to us. There is no reason for KKW Beauty’s understanding of dark skin concealers to be aimed at only warm undertones. If a company has the resources to provide twelve options of cool, warm, and neutral toned concealers for light skin, the same should be done for the opposite side of the spectrum. Successful black-owned beauty brands like Fenty Beauty have proven that it is not impossible to be completely inclusive. It’s not like Kim Kardashian West has no resources to develop true diversity within her beauty line. Isolating a large demographic of people will only lead to her brand’s slow demise. Kim seems to be on the right track of working toward inclusivity, but, she needs to rethink her launches and work on what is really dragging her brand down.