Behind the Controversy: The Tarte Shape Tape Foundation Launch

[@jenluv]

*NOTE* I just realized that Carli Bybel's name auto corrected to Babel! Sorry, Carli! Swear I typed it correctly! Ugh!

[@eatmyoctopus]

I noticed that 😂

[@racheld7528]

@@Lime61318 Too me that now makes things a little extra interesting!

[@jenmajczan3113]

It’s not funny what Tarte did. However, Alissa & Jackie ripping Tarte a new one was gold!

[@savy_jean]

💯

[@DeeL-u1c]

It's called making lemonade from the lemons launched at one.

[@MoonWitch77]

Jackie refused to call out Too Faced on many things because there were paying her. Same with Anastasia.

[@jenmajczan3113]

@@MoonWitch77 ohh you’re right!! I totally forgot about that.

[@clairemason5922]

When Jackie got the GOT palette lives rent free in my head xx she is pure gold xx

[@janessajayechampagne]

Another reason why I think this blew up the way it did is that Fenty launched in September of 2017, and whether you liked that foundation or not it was all anyone could talk about that a new brand by a celebrity would have such a large, inclusive shade range from the jump. Then tarte was really the first brand to launch a hyped foundation with a poor shade range after the Fenty launch, so that just made it that much worse - if a brand new brand can be inclusive on Day 1, then what was the excuse for this well-established brand with tons of resources?

[@cynthiafisher3392]

Great point!

[@jolenefraser4239]

Yep even if I could not wear Fenty I did find a pinky pale shade that matched.

[@patientmarmalade4787]

Exactly they set the standard and because the standard wasn’t met people took notice.

[@msdouglas12100]

Yes!! I think Jackie and Alissa had mentioned this in their video. I remember the fact Fenty had so many shades was a huge post of why the shape tape was roasted. I'm surprised Jen didn't mention it at all.

[@eris2561]

I remember that Pur was celebrated after that because they followed up with an even larger range than Fenty the following year showing how much Tarte screwed up. Everyone was saying "at least its a better range than Tarte" for quite a while.

[@thepeachyplace]

Jackie and Alissa will forever be iconic for this.

[@nanananananananana00]

youthforia saw this and said “hold my beer”

[@pxxchytea]

@@nanananananananana00 literally so true LMAOO

[@heathertheheathen10]

i remember the infamous arm swatches of the foundation and immediately thinking thats not going to go well 🤣

[@mariposafria]

It's the audacity of Tarte to send so many influencers of color all of the pr boxes that gets me.

[@Modvintagegypsy]

like who was in charge of that???? what were they thinking??

[@nisajohnston]

Totally… so ballsy

[@roselynmvm]

But that was the point. Bad publicity was still publicity, at least for them.

[@lesliegutierrez4384]

As someone that avidly consumes beauty content, you're so right. I don't really look for the reviews anymore. I think as a whole, we had to get our consumerism in check. My goal for 2024 is not buy anything new, use what I've got and focus on new techniques. I'm back in my learning era.

[@ReemadreeMonzur]

reviews as a whole aren’t dead, i think it’s the platform. reviews are still huge on tiktok.

[@aleigha9141]

I have the same goal 😊 the “shop my stash” goal. No new makeup purchases or skincare purchases (unless I run out or need the skincare) happy 2024! 🎊🎉

[@joyful]

my consumerism has moved from makeup to hair care. i really need to stop buying. but i'm always looking for a good product to try. sometimes i browse drugstores and sally beauty and say to myself: oh, maybe this product will be just as good as the more expensive one. then i end up with a bunch of cheaper products that i don't even like.... as least with sally i can take it back.

[@lesliegutierrez4384]

@joyful I was doing the same with skincare. I had to take a step back and realize that not everything is meant for me. The end of last year, I focused on really paying attention to what actually worked and made a difference, and I'm sticking with those few products.

[@joyful]

that's a good plan. i'm going to take that :) @@lesliegutierrez4384

[@BarbItalia]

I'm 66, and Sicilian-American. When I began my makeup fascination/journey in the early 1970s all foundation shades were pink or peach. That's ALL. Revlon, Max Factor, Cover Girl, Angel Face, Love and Yardley; even Clairol had a makeup line. We Italian and Puerto Rican girls were applying these ridiculously off shades to our olive complexions to cover our blemishes in vain. To my knowledge nothing was made for dark complexions at that time, at least not in the general market. People don't remember or realize that it was Bobbi Brown who brought yellow tones into face makeup. My olive skin has no yellow in it, but at least the foundations I could then find were better than pink! It was many years later when olive tones were recognized by cosmetic companies and still, some companies offer only dark olive shades as if lighter shades don't exist (I'm very light but clearly olive). I don't know when companies began creating dark shades - let alone a proper selection of dark shades - I hope BB did. I don't know when Black Opal and Black Radiance brands became available but in the late '70s I used to buy black e/s from a very limited "black line" - can't remember the brand but it was drugstore. Regardless, in 2024; the story this video tells is APPALLING. My opinion of Tarte has changed; it's highly unlikely I will ever purchase from them again. And I'll be more conscious of the shade selection and marketing brands are offering. I don't want to support that kind of BS.

[@IruTheday]

I feel your pain and have the same problem. I am too olive for almost all light foundations on the market. They usually look very orange, red, pink and yellow on me. The only medium or full foundation i have found that looks good is armani luminous silk and that is fricking expensive. Also other things like concealers and bronzers are hard. Bronzer options are a bit better now than a few years ago. L'Oreal is marketing their Truematch foundation relaunch as the only one that uses more pigments, which I don't think is completely true but kind of ya. That is very sad it is only happening now and that they are acknowledging it. I really hope this means more brands will consider more nuanced undertones and not just pink yellow and peach. I am very happy brands having been creating deeper shades for deeper skintones, but I hope they see their tones don't work for a multicultural setting across the shade range. I know there is only so much budget and such variety of tones tones of people but they should give a decent selection.

[@gladysita_]

Milani #03 foundation is my go to. I’m also olive toned. 🩵

[@chasingautumns]

I'm 53, also have tan skin from my Sicilian great-grandfather, and in the 80s I would spend the $ to have Prescriptives create a custom foundation shade for me. Glad it has gotten better, and Tarte has no excuse whatsoever for this fiasco.

[@aliciabrooks3214]

Don't forget Fashion Fair good make up my mother is puerto rican she used Fashion Fair and Chanel they had colors for the Latinos and Black Americans. My mother is deep tanned

[@abigailpena5950]

Yep, I'm Spaniard and fair olive, luckily I found a white foundation mixer and used the Urban Decay Stay Named foundation in 30CG. Most of the fair foundations were orange or pink on me as well and yellow shades tended to look better on me also. My shade to this day is either 10WY or 20WY and it doesn't look orange on me, I haven't tried another foundation since.

[@LEbackstage]

That was and still is the reason why I refuse to buy anything from Tarte. They've shown more than once that we aren't welcome there. I remember when the videos went online and Nymas was so heartbreaking. Makeup by Mario did a similar thing when his contour stick and powder came out to Ohemaa. They contacted her to send her PR damn well knowing her skin tone and then the deepest shade wasn't even included because it hadn't finished production on launch day. And another one didn't go deep enough too.

[@breeskilove4817]

Tarte was very tone deaf. They obviously did not have anyone of color on staff and if they did they didn’t listen or ask. They went for the dollar, rushed product & paid a hefty price for it. I’m a makeup person, I couldn’t find a color in the concealer that worked. When the foundation came out and I saw Jackie & Alyssa’s video I was so turned off I haven’t bought anything Tarte since.

[@gisellespringer]

Righttttt

[@courtran]

The anger around the launch was even more infuriating because Fenty came out of the gate with a huge range of shades around the same time. As a WOC it's hella aggravating to constantly be an afterthought in the beauty market. The excuse of it being more difficult to create or formulate an inclusive shade range is for the birds

[@SussexSandra]

Just started watching this video. I remember this time. Jackie Aina was the queen of beauty for Black women back then. Brands literally did not give Black skins a thought when it came to makeup. Even up to 2020. Tarte were the unfortunate ones who got that add whooping from Alissa & Jackie. It was hilarious at the time but a horrible hard truth. Complexion makeup for dark skins had always been considered an after thought. When big influencers came in defending Tarte, I literally had a fit. I’m looking at you Wayne Goss. Things have improved in the last 5 years but look at what it took to bring brands up to speed. Tarte humiliation, Fenty beauty and Uoma Beauty.

[@DeeL-u1c]

Hmmm could be Goss knew his own complexion products would be super limited. Hit dog gonna yell.

[@daphne0123]

The fact that they swatched these on a brown arm is beyond comprehension.

[@JOALKR11]

Imagine a light/ medium/ deep arms. 15 light swatches on the light. 2 on the medium and 1 on the deep. They know how shady that would look lol

[@SagaRydberg]

5 months late but also none of the darker ones dont even fit the skin color of the person in the picture XD

[@miamaradiaga2758]

I remember this! I had been so in love with tarte at that time. I had the magic star palette and loved the mascara. I was gearing up to be a lifelong customer and then they released the foundation and realized they didn’t actually want me as a customer. Haven’t bought anything since. Alyssa and Jackie were GOLD! I will never forget that.

[@hellaSwankkyToo]

i agree w| Nyma wholeheartedly. saying this as someone who worked in branding in PR + had my heart shattered//bubble burst the moment i started working in Hollywood + learning truths i kinda still wish i didn’t know. this happens. this 100% happens. i can’t say if Tarte did it, but i know multiple brands that have.

[@myheartiswriting]

I think what screwed Tarte over more heavily than normal was Fenty. Fenty only launched their highly inclusive foundation less than a year before Tarte, and the hype over Fenty's 50 shade lineup was insane. It was a legitimately a historic moment in makeup, because not even the power houses of inclusion like MAC, Makeup Forever, Lancôme, Estée Lauder didn't have the range of shades Fenty did. They had 40-45 shades, but they didn't have shades that light or that deep. Fenty was a newcomer, an innovator, and they took the bar of what foundation could be, sent it into the sky and into oblivion. Brands like the ones mentioned above immediately followed suit, expanding their shade ranges to meet the new standard of beauty. Tarte didn't fall in line. In fact, it did the opposite, they didn't include anybody. They basically had fair light shades, and left out Light, Medium, and Deep. To do something that oblivious and idiotic after Fenty released 50 shades, after every other brand switching up to accommodate, Tarte asked to be boycotted.

[@lorifrederick2367]

Yes, i was working at the big beauty store back then and still there. I am a pink pale ghost. When Tarte launched that at Ulta, we were all like "what the firetruck?" Are you kidding me? We were all 💯 with Fenty, the expansive shade range and undertone range.

[@SussexSandra]

“ what the firetruck”. Never heard it put like that before 🤣🤣 🚒

[@DystopianOverture]

This needed to happen. POCs have been talking about lack of shades for them for donkey years. Even white gingers have been struggling with lack of pale shades too. Big respect to Rihanna for showing everyone that being inclusive was possible and that there was NO excuses. Having people speaking up about other brands being lazy. I'm so glad this controversy and Rihanna made companies start adding more shades to include more skin tones and listening to years long concerns. I'm on the extreme pale side (lol I'm ginger) and finding that the lightest shade was always a warm tone pale shade that ended up still being too dark for me was annoying. Finally make up brands added cool tone pale shades that matched my skin. I don't wear foundation anymore except for cosplay but for years I did and struggled with my face going orange.

[@bettysayshey23]

When you said Makeup Forever and MAC would disagree, I was yelling YES at my screen!! Back in the day, I used to use Tarte, but I found it strange that a lot of the time, I was their darkest shade. For context, in today’s ranges, I’m usually square in the middle!! What a shame.

[@StellaMariaGiulia]

Speaking as a very pale Italian I have to say that the scenario didn't change much here in Italy, there's a sea of beige foundations and not much on the lighter and darker sides of the spectrum. Yes, nowadays technically there are a lot of brands that produce a wide range of shades (and a lot are manufactured here in Italy, to add irony!) but then you can't find them in stores. It's true for cheaper drug store brands and it's true for more expensive ones in Sephora, et

[@ambersmith2612]

The shape tape line isn’t even medium foundations 🤧 it’s all pale and then one brown

[@xErinxx]

Drugstores and department stores here in the US are the same; a lot only carry the light-middle 5 to 10 shades in store. I’m pale and generally have to order it online. Ulta and Sephora are better though

[@StellaMariaGiulia]

@@ambersmith2612 and it's even more narrowed down here, I have never seen Tarte in the wild, so I checked and apparently it's sold at Sephora (not my local one, though) and out of the 50 something shades of face tape they only sell 16 and 2 shades of concealer. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Note that Sephora won't accept returns here, so I don't think I'll ever gamble €43 for a foundation that won't probably match my skin.

[@StellaMariaGiulia]

@@xErinxx buying online it's such a hassle though! You can spend quite a lot of money and end up with a drawer full of unused bottles. And still I did it with my current foundation from The Ordinary because it was cheap enough. It's not even that great but it was surprisingly a good match but now they discontinued it 😆

[@xErinxx]

@@StellaMariaGiulia yep, most of my foundations looked light enough online but then orange on me 🥴 I’m used to mixing my foundations 1:1 with white now

[@Bdhstl95]

The Beauty Blender Bounce foundation was the same situation. I don’t remember now which one came first.

[@SussexSandra]

Oh gosh yes! And even the Crypt Keeper JS called them out. I think it came after Tartes scandal and that’s why JS jumped on it because he knew it would make good content.

[@DuskyJewel]

@@SussexSandraCrypt Keeper 🤣🤣🤣 You are wrong and so right! Oh, sorry I forgot the point. You’re right it was after.

[@ransomnotes666]

I remember this going down and Fenty making a bigger shade range and it blowing up. The whole thing felt very racist at the time and opened my eyes to the makeup industry excluding POC. They deserved to be called out.

[@playbunny25ure]

Facts 😊

[@transsnack]

Fenty slaps, honestly. I'm sure they have their fair share is skeletons in their closet, but like... their range is incredible. I'm whiter than most types of bread, so I can always find something close to my complexion, but I have an olive skin tone so most brands don't actually carry it. It's always warm or cool, and nothing in between. Fenty has the best olive tones I've seen.

[@ashlikefrompokemon4327]

jen I am absolutely LOVING your "Behind the Controvery" vids!!!!!!!

[@c.michellesparks2925]

I'm convinced that most concealer is just a slightly thicker version of the foundation specially in high coverage products.

[@xErinxx]

Well ideally it should be thinner actually because it’s on your undereye, and more coverage in proportion to the thickness. Also maybe less drying than the foundation version

[@Suzanne4415]

Yeah it's funny that the idea of a foundation "inspired by" a concealer got people so excited. So, it has more pigment and is drier - a high coverage foundation? 🤯

[@bree9272]

I came into beauty KZbin right after the controversy and heard about it in review videos. I don't use foundation but I use concealer, and as a biracial woman with light brown skin, it is hard to match shades. I found that Nyx's Can't Stop Won't Stop in Warm Honey is perfect and it's much cheaper than Tarte, whose products I've never used. It's not hard to be inclusive.

[@vanitybymari]

See to be honest the big factor was that fenty beauty just came out in fall/winter in 2017 and riri had offered 45+ shade range that when others came out with their minimalist shades, it was a major slap in the face. See for year us dark skinned people was living with knowing we had to buy multiple foundations and mix them just to get our shade. We got used to it and it became our norm. But we fenty came out and we saw it could be done. We refused to accept anything else. So tarte wanted to be first of the year and ended up being the fall guy. But because of their failure, other brands now know that can't come out with new foundations without a minimum of 30 shades!

[@Catherines_Mama]

I worked at ulta when this came out and I remember having the HARDEST time trying to shade match the concealer and later the foundation, because just looking at the display and seeing all these random names like tan, tan sand, or espresso neutral? I helped many guests who said they were just confused looking at all the names.

[@steelcutoaths3033]

I wasn’t in the beauty space when the concealer launched. But even when it first launched… who thought 6 shades were enough to cover “all skin tones”?

[@MissKapanadze]

Not saying whether that’s enough or not, but in general, concealers need way less shades than foundations because they don’t need to be an exact match, so different skintones can use the same shade of concealer.

[@ericap7446]

⁠@@MissKapanadzegenerally, I disagree. Undertones really effect how its gonna look on some people, like for me personally if I use something even a hint too warm its a nightmare.

[@mayanaw.9027]

​@@ericap7446 This. If it's a lighter coverage you can typically get away with less shades bc the person's actual skin tone and undertones shine through but with anything as full coverage as shape tape was you need so, so, so much more accuracy.

[@JeanieD]

I once bought a mini Shape Tape concealer, to see what the hype was all about. I hated it - it made me look like I’d been dead for weeks. 😱

[@Figgatella]

I bought it once and hated it. Too thick for older skin.😊

[@laurenr5095]

For real. It made me look like a wrinkled paper bag

[@heidibarnett466]

Lmfao I thought I was the only one, literally dead is the only way I can describe it as well and not even sexy open casket makeup dead 💀😂

[@Suzanne4415]

​@@heidibarnett466😔good to know, im always going for sexy open casket dead

[@funsizedi88]

Same and im pale olive- colors were def caske ready or pink, even tho they said neutral.

[@katieharris7219]

Very well done, Jen. I remember when this happened and it truly opened my eyes to what others go through to find foundations to fit them. I can always throw a little blue corrector, white or even pink and create my "perfect" shade when I can't get a match, but this Tarte situation was different. I started seeing the inequities everywhere and I stopped buying from brands that were not inclusive or diverse. It also opened my eyes to loads of black creators that I'd never seen before and I began to diversify my subscription feed too. As an academic in sociology at the time, I also remember feeling ashamed of myself for not applying that same lens I used all the time professionally and personally to what was going on in my beauty community. I love the way you did this video, Jen. It's fantastic: well-delivered, well-argued, and placed in both historical and current context. Amazing!❤❤❤

[@Serenityblu23]

I got an invite to a beauty group thru fb. I remember fenty being launched and a lot of the group members with lighter completions not understanding why fenty did so well and why all the products for darker skin sold out. I responded and said most make up brands don't cattery to different entities and if they do you have to blend two different foudations together. Sometimes it not enough shades and it's hard to find. Their replies was that there were plenty of shades for dark skin or people of color but none for those that are fair skin and they are the ones left out not people of color. It took awhile but I dropped the group.

[@sillybananachops]

I feel like this and the beauty blender foundation really inspired Rihanna’s brand Fenty. I must say as a mega megs pale girl most brands never had my shade either (not that the issue why is the same but other than kvd I could never get a match) but then when fenty came out not only did it have all my black and poc girls covered I had a match too! Inclusive lines and brands can be inclusive for everyone and I’ll always be grateful to black owned brands like fenty

[@divatron3000]

I think coming so hot off the launch of Fenty Beauty in September 2017 which broadened people’s awareness to the lack of shade inclusivity, to see something so jarringly opposite, so soon after really cultivated the perfect storm for this to be an absolute nightmare for Tarte….

[@gladysita_]

There needs to be extensive research to uncover what the helll was wrong with us in this beauty era! The excessive buying, collecting, consuming makeup and makeup content!

[@mekenna6214]

it definitely could have been the youtube algorithm that was just pushing that at the time, like the DIY and slime trends or that whole cursed spider-man and elsa thing

[@randomlyswatching9481]

Until the pandemic I was literally that then I stopped

[@amykh7647]

I love this series! You obviously take the research very seriously, and then are able to break it down into an easily understandable and enjoyable video. Thanks for everything you do!

[@metropolitankreyole]

Oh wow... I had never seen the launch video by Tarte and wow... When I hard "6 shades for everyone", my brows reached Jupiter and my jaw the center of Earth. I had to rewind the video to hear it again and then I just laughed. I kinda forgot we were there not that long ago. And Tarte Shape Tape is one of my favorite. I just have a LOT of concealers to finish before I buy it again, but my god...

[@kailm.5107]

I don’t wear makeup and I don’t care about beauty content, but your videos came up in my recommendations, and I’ve been binging them ever since. I love your narration style and all of the great information you provide.

[@ambersmith2612]

Thanks Tarte I’m Black year round!

[@ChrystalVanDusseldorp]

I currently use Shape Tape concealer as a spot concealer because it's basically spackle, and it was 50% off at Ulta. Otherwise I use Colourpop matte concealer. I was never interested in the foundation because I like sheer/light coverage, but their range and excuses were just ridiculous.

[@nisajohnston]

I remember when this happened. I was on a girls trip to the USA (as Canadians back in that time, ShapeTape was only available at Ulta and Ulta is not in Canada). We walked into our very first Ulta, and BOTH the hydrating and matte versions of the foundation was contained on one 4ish foot round table. We walked up, went “huh. This must be a sampling to get people hyped!” Went to the Tarte section and we were all totally shocked. That shade range will always be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

[@-TotallySaneCatLady-]

I can say I was not excluded with this launch, however, because it was so obvious they intended to exclude so many people I never purchased it. There are two ways to tell a brand something, one is obviously through social media and the second is by not purchasing. Since my voice has little sway but my purchase power does, I chose to not purchase.

[@mylastduchess9998]

It sounds like companies are experiencing something similar to survivor bias. In ww2, planes that returned to base shot up were studied to learn where to make them stronger to prevent crashes, NOT the ones that crashed. They ended up reinforcing the wrong areas. If you don't sell a product people can buy, you can't use that as proof they won't, though the makeup industry has done that forever.

[@BKJay718]

I loved this video Jen!! I’m in my 40’s and I remember when the proverbial sh*t hit the fan with this! I have very yellow undertones and for years I was only able to get my foundation from MAC. I never was a fan of Tarte’s products they’re thick and give me “ashy” it’s good to see other brands took notice and expanded their products to be more inclusive.

[@AnnathePiana]

The backlash about the shade selection made it so brands became much more inclusive, so it wasn't all bad.

[@viobliterator]

Remember when Beauty Blender launched that foundation with the awful shade range

[@kashenniiosthaSloan]

I never used the shape tape the way influencers used it. I watched Wayne goss and loved his techniques and still to this day I use such a tiny bit of concealer when I do my makeup. Tarte needs to up their game in colour range. I believe this isn’t the first time this has happened and with a lot of other brands too

[@tishgaffney8953]

I love these deep dive videos on brands/beauty incidents. Great video ❤

[@Jellylover11]

One more thing about the timing that really worked against Tarte: Fenty Beauty had launched just 3 months before the shape tape foundation. Rihanna revolutionized the beauty industry when she launched that foundation with 40 shades right off the bat and the beauty community was still riding that high when Tarte dropped that shape tape foundation. But beyond how awful that shade range was, sending the PR package to black beauty creators was really the dumbest and most insulting thing they could've done.

[@MichiganHoney]

This launch was when I stopped buying anything from Tarte. You don’t have to tell me twice that my money isn’t good enough

[@heatherdoodles5504]

That’s all they care about, money. Speak with your wallet and support brands that are inclusive. I’m not a hard to match color but I do take stock in a brand’s range because I feel like it needs to be supported.

[@brittbrattthat]

Oooooooh this was a time. The excuses they gave 😅 I did not care for Tarte before this and STILL do not support them. That brand still hasn’t learned smh

[@kalishajnz]

This was a great video, Jen. I've never purchased from Tarte, and I never will. It's a brand that has never been on my radar for obvious reasons. 💜

[@taylorslade961]

Personally, I made the choice to never buy from Tarte way before this release. When I first started to get into makeup, the Shape Tape concealer was in its hey day, so I was doing a ton of research. One of the things that I look for is a companies environmental policies and I found nothing on Tarte's website. So I sent a message via the website asking about their environmental policies and I got NOTHING in return. Not even a generic confirmation that they recieved my message. I felt that was real shitty of them so I excluded them from my collection. I fully believe that the executives at Tarte (at least at the time) were actively trying to exclude people of color from their brand. Around the same time, the whole racist meme on IG debacle was happening.

[@gabriellestanton6074]

I was not in the beauty space 2016-2018, but I still remember hearing about this.

[@sweet-red]

hi jen! haven’t finished watching yet but i have adhd and WILL forget if i don’t comment it *now* but i wanted to say: yes pls! i’d love to hear your thoughts on why review videos aren’t as popular anymore! i hope you’ll consider this video topic 🤞🏼

[@marlbboro8091]

Agree. I am sure it will be a very enjoyable video.for me I know, if I ever want a review, or best and worst, I watch TikTok because it’s quick. But never for a real ‘ I am going to buy this’ - don’t trust anyone on TikTok 🤣 just casual ‘eye candy ‘interest. I think ‘new users’ moved onto TikTok and me, an old timers’ on YT have aged out and happy with what we have. I only watch Hannah Louise Poston religiously, because of her articulation. Beautiful script. A yummy experience lol.

[@LizzyDel]

Loved this dive! I remember when Fenty came out with its shade range and there was another round of shape tape smack down!

[@ZurieRae]

Great video. I recall this. Tarte was huge. Maybe they still are. I wasn’t heavy into make up but one of my first make up purchases was a tarte pallet ( prior to my knowledge pigments) and a couple of Tarte brushes which I still have and love. Glad to see brands being more inclusive. At this point, if a brand doesn’t make a shade for me they just won’t get my money.

[@JaimeTravels]

I loved this video. Shape Tape came out right as I was starting to watch KZbin and get into makeup. I remember the Jackie & Alissa video VERY well. Also I loved that you cut in on the Tarte demo video right as I was yelling "how are you gonna contour with a lighter shade?" 😂 The sad thing is that, based on TikTok drama from last year, I don't think that Tarte has learned a daggone thing.

[@haleyboston]

Im glad brands are inclusive now. They should have been from the beginning. But we have come a long way. I am a girl who grew up around the time the universal “honey beige” shade was trendy. My drugstores only carried light-tan shades. I always looked orange. 😭😭

[@osteophagus]

I've never understood the argument of "we'll release more later!" Like even if you get to the darker shades eventually you're still making it very clear you prioritize your white customers. "It's winter" isn't an excuse - black and brown people don't magically turn white during the winter months.

[@jade.dustdragon]

So (for a touch of humor), I'm watching and the vid went from you saying (paraphrased) "When I say it (the ST concealer) was everywhere, it was everywhere..." and the cutover timed perfectly to watching a LitterRobot commercial; honestly? It took me a sec and if it hadn't been that it was showing the latest version of the LR, I would have been captivated (watching the full commercial) to see how they made use of it (ST) in it! 🤣

[@xErinxx]

I was a 16 year old white girl with virtually no exposure to people with deeper skintones when this all blew up, and even I knew better. There’s no excuse for a whole mainstream brand to have such a bad shade range. Especially no excuse for the “people tan in the summer” reasoning; wtf is that- have you ever MET a brown/black person?? Melenated people aren’t just ~extra tan~ or something 🤦🏻

[@sailuna9195]

I still have never tried the concealar or the foundation, and I'm on the light side of skin tones. Jen, this video is amazingly researched, Wow👌

[@peachy_87]

Call me stupid, call me dumb, call me an idiot...but I wasn't really aware that creating a hype out of something negative by big brands was an actual and real thing. I had suspicions but I didn't believe it was an actual, existing propaganda move until I saw this video, which confirmed what I suspected wasn't just my paranoia acting on me. This explains so many things now!!

[@tasha7726]

I find it hilarious that Tarte managed to produce several shades of beige then added two shades of brown like an afterthought. Their logo should have been, "Tarte, we don't try very hard."

[@blammela]

And then claim they had to rush it out…. Like, I’m 2nd from the end white and I have NO IDEA HOW they have NINE identical white shades????

[@krissyp4715]

@jenluv Great video and very thorough. I’m a Black woman who loved Tarte. I remember being excited then extremely annoyed when the shades for the foundation were released. Since that day I’ve never purchased another product from Tarte. What angered me the most back then and sealed the deal for never purchasing Tarte again was quote the from the Pop Sugar article about deeper shades will be released toward summer b/c that’s when skin will be tan… 🧐😒 I am about second chances and allowing companies to make it right but the ignorance in that statement. I stand on principle and never purchased their products again.

[@MoonBunny69]

As a black woman who witnessed this debacle, I wasn't surprised by the limited inclusion. The beauty market has exiled us for centuries. But I'd like to offer another perspective in addition to the ones mentioned. When black and brown ppl start creating our own products for us by us, there is always a reoccurring theme from non pocs, "well what about us?". It's frustrating to be exempted from a "club", turn around to create your own, just to be "shamed" into including the very group that never had/will consider you, out of respectability politics.

[@saltynikita5095]

I find it insane that Wayne Goss, who founded his foundation products, had a closer choice for someone like myself, who is between Alissa and Jackie's complexions. I did have to get two foundations from his line, but again, for a tiny company, he did a better job with shades.

[@DuskyJewel]

Interesting. He was a big Tarte defender.

[@carolinetorpy5111]

I love these types of retrospective videos, Jen! More please!

[@genbernier]

Just want to wish Happy new year to you and your family! 🎉

[@msSweeTae]

I had no money, but because every beauty guru raved about that concealer I "treated" myself (I live in Germany). First swatch on my hand was nice, but I hated it in my face. And I felt exactly like you did, that I fail to use it properly. But it was like this with almost every product big US KZbinrs loved back then that I was able too afford or swatch. It was only when I found Robert Welsh that make up made sense. His recommendations were/are good and he gave me confidence to use techniques I'm comfortable with.

[@cherrymoon58]

Wow Happy Birthday to Mya. Looks like an amazing cruise. Thanks for sharing. 💜

[@teabean7]

I saw an interview with Iman and she said one of the reasons she started her cosmetic line was because when she was modeling the black models had to bring all their own make up to the shoots. The make up artists didn't have anything for their skin color. So unacceptable.

[@trac6009]

I love reviews of products especially mature skin authentic reviews! It blows my mind any company could be so dumb to not be absolutely inclusive of all skin colors and tones or do their best to include the most shades possible

[@Lydspaceee]

I worked at ulta until recently and whenever my darker skin clients came in for a shade match there was literally only 4 high end brands i was able to recommend and even then it was only certain foundation lines from those brands that had proper shade ranges

[@mumemic]

Omg the background section about the concealer is making me come face to face once again with the fact that everything I know about makeup comes from when I taught myself with KZbin in 2016 😅 girl I still do the triangle thing under my eye with the tarte shape tape to this day

[@Genista18]

This just emphasizes how terrible Youthforia's actions are all these years later! They just couldn't be this clueless.......

[@lotta_lip]

This is when and why I jumped ship from purchasing Tarte products and was happy to shop Fenty!

[@Berry0Art]

I remember when this controversy first happened; I showed my mum (who is a deeper skin tone than me, I am very light) and not even SHE could find her shade because the undertones for the darker shades didn't fit right. The best for her was probably the third to last shade, but that still wasn't right for her. She usually doesn't have too much of an issue finding her shade, so seeing this... Yeah, what an abysmal launch.

[@Sandra-Renea]

Youthforia “Tarte, hold my beer”

[@galacticunicorn6319]

I’m here because the shade 600 thing and it made me curious about the subject of inclusive make up. I still just can’t believe someone would put friggin black paint out there as “foundation”. Smh

[@laurenr5095]

The sad thing is that tarte has literally learned NOTHING since then. There's still been allegations that they treat poc like crap and a lot of their complexion products still have miserable shade ranges.

[@thejammiestjam]

Love this series!!

[@alexagolden9172]

Love this type of video looking back

[@thecryingcryptid]

goddddd i remember the absolute DEATH GRIP shape tape had on the community and the real insanity was everyone was slathering it over their entire faces on top of a full face on foundation.

[@Suzanne4415]

Yeah i know that's not the point here but im seeing those clips, dear god how did that look in person 😂

[@sashaa_pp]

Thank YOUU ! I never understand the hype of the tarte shape tape concealer, and I have a nice skin without too much trouble... it was just so dry.... luckily I try it out before purchasing...

[@laurajameson1261]

LOVE the video, Jen! I absolutely love your content❤

[@MsBNoodle]

Ahhh I remember this. The memories!

[@millicentspears]

Right

[@satutoivonen9679]

I'm somewhere in the fair to light range and have no problems finding a shade for myself. But. I use make up to feel good, to lift up my spirits when I'm down. 💩 like this does the exact opposite. I remember this launch very well and I haven't used Tarte since. I haven't made a coscious decision not to use the brand but I just don't feel like buying from them. I don't want to be reminded of social issues every time I open my make up bag. I want to be socially consious and keep these things in minds, yes. Just not when I'm doing my make up.

[@jongkittae]

I'm actually so glad this blew up because honestly it took far too long for the makeup industry to get with the times and take their whitewash tinted glasses off. cos the thing is, the beauty industry was built not only on a foundation of misogyny but also very much on classism and racism and it's kind of horrific it took until 2018 for the majority of these huge brands to realise "damn we fucked up maybe we ARE the problem" AND STILL in 2024, there are brands out here saying "diversity and inclusivity" while actively perpetuating the same problematic shade ranges that have existed since the start. I remember this being huge for me because I personally was so appalled seeing this shade range that I stopped using tarte products. it was like well I love that amazonian clay foundation but I'm never gonna buy it again because this brand sucks actually.

[@ericacole7102]

Jen, Thank you for this complete story. It seems like Tarte was shameful in their 3 shade offer. .Isn’t there a employee someplace that wants to share the back room that wants to spill the beans?

[@SussexSandra]

I don’t know if you remember, Sharon Couter the previous owner of Uoma Besuty did a challenge to Besuty companies. She asked them to give a number or percentage of Black and brown people working in their companies. Then give a number of how many are in decision making positions affect consumers. I think Tarte was one of the companies that had no Black or Brown people working there at any level. Even as cleaners! Unfortunately, a lot of the big brands had very people of darker skin tones working. If they did, they were not in creative, marketing or decision making roles. The campaign was called something like Pull Up or Shut Up. It produced very interesting results. Some companies refused to give a response which reflected very badly on them.

[@calamityjai99]

They’re probably shackled by NDAs

[@speca]

Nyma was seething!

[@lolamurder1882]

Her video was the one that really stuck with me throughout this issue.

[@fatttydevine]

I hated the Tarte Shape Tape and how everybody else was hyping that trash up because they're on Tarte's payroll. Junk.

[@LipstickNsofrito]

Thank you for sharing this with us...Happy Sunday ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@juliannos]

I think the other thing that really made this controversy take off in a way that really hadn't before was the launch of the Fenty Beauty foundation line in 2017 - only a few months before the Shape Tape foundation. It was a new brand that launched with 40 shades but tarte couldn't get it together to even get half that? I feel like when Fenty beauty was launched, it really created a watershed moment (that was preceded by SO MANY YEARS of people being outspoken about terrible shade ranges) where most consumers demanded more because it was proven to have been done.

[@Kathleen_Gig]

I always hate this concealer 🤣 I never know why people love it. The first I try In my twenties, I didn't really have any dark circles or imperfections. I had it again 1 year ago at 31 and the horror even worse 😆 I never understood the hype. I tried in small doses, with my finger, with a brush, with a sponge and nothing worked for me... I said to myself I can't believe I'm the only one who doesn't like the Beauty gurus, they all love it. The range color I am light-fair olive skin it’s always complicated! Super video Jen 🙃💛

[@unsolicitedtalks]

34:06 I have never had an issue with finding my shade, but after the whole Tarte thing, I tend to not buy from brands that don’t have an inclusive shade range. It makes me feel icky and I don’t want to support brands that are essentially racist. And I know there are plenty of other makeup girlies that feel the same.

[@prettynsleepy1073]

I absolutely love your videos. The blue light is showing when you move your arm and it’s distracting/hurts my eyes a bit. It’s usually not there. This is the first video I have seen where the light was visible. The way you put together videos is so genius. I love how detailed you are. I feel smarter watching you.

[@jenluv]

So sorry about that. I usually keep my box of gently used products there, but I brought the box up for the holidays to share with my family and forgot to put it back.

[@rhondalanier284]

In the intro you mention that brands started looking at complexion products differently because they didn’t want to be Tarte. Actually, the complexion product disruption happened in September 2017 when Fenty Beauty launched their foundation with 40 shades and changed the game. Even top legacy brands had to get back in the lab. Tarte’s PR was unprepared for the feedback, they had multiple excuses about the deeper shades, and their social media responses were disrespectful. This is not the only time that Tarte demonstrated insensitivity, this is who they are. I have and will never support the brand.

[@nekkwiill218]

Yeah as a makeup lover and a black women. I wore makeup all the time as a dancer in high school and when I got my first pallet by urban decay, I was in love. I got tarte eyeshadow pallet and that was my wearing makeup everyday in high school. But when I found out they only had a few foundations and I’m a darker skin women it really hurt. It felt as though I was an after thought. I now only wear fenty and most black owned because of that launch. That’s crazy.

[@Liz0519]

Awesome video Jen!! I actually bought a bottle of Face Tape a while ago and still have it. I don't know if I'll be using it again with the knowledge I have now.

[@SussexSandra]

You’ve paid your money, use it, don’t let it go to waste. Just think twice in the future before buying from the brand. They are much more inclusive as a brand in their complexion products. So they have definitely learnt their lesson. They are focussing more on the very young influencers now, mainly those who aren’t aware of the Tarte Scandal. TicToc generation 🤗

[@heatherdoodles5504]

I’d use the face tape. You’ve already spent your money with them, might as well finish up the product and get your money’s worth. Also best for the planet not to waste.

[@josie_amy_d8943]

Love this video, thank you for making!

[@lauriedaniele5967]

I found with the shaped tape tart concealer is too heavy for my under eyes. Plus, they don’t have a deep enough shade. No, I need dark shade all year long I have olive skin. thank you Jen for sharing❤