Influencers are dubbed such for a reason; they have the ability to influence the decisions of their followers based on (supposedly) unbiased opinions. If my favorite follower told me a new product was simply to die for, you might soon find me waiting at my door for a delivery of the same. But aside from being able to sway the decisions of the folks whose social feeds they dominate, influencers have begun to affect the positioning and product lines of brands across a multitude of industries.
The fashion and beauty industries were two of the hardest hit as they faced scrutiny for lack of diversification, be it for varying body types or skin tones. Many content creators take it upon themselves to continue the push for comprehensive coverage. One such creator is the exceedingly popular, Golloria George (@golloria), who prides herself on being a spokesperson for skinclusivity. TheThings spoke with Golloria to take a closer look at her growing platform and associated efforts.
How Throwing 'Shade' Made Golloria A Sensation
Social media applications like TikTok and Instagram are flooded with content creators who specialize in makeup and skincare. Think Huda Kattan or Mikayla Nogueira. While the space is seemingly saturated, "newer" influencers - like Golloria - are continuing to gain traction by finding their niche and attracting fresh audiences. So, what compelled Golloria to take a chance?
"I have always loved the makeup side of TikTok, but there was no one that looked like me. I wanted more dark skin women that looked like me in the beauty space and TikTok was the easiest way to get my voice out there."
Influencers like Golloria are helping to correct representation issues within the makeup industry. Be it foundation, concealer, or powder, the range of color should indubitably be inclusive of every known skin color. No one should have to pay more or search harder for a commodity product because brands choose to be deaf.
Much like her reasoning for creating a TikTok account, Golloria tells us,
"I was always intrigued by makeup, but as I was able to slowly afford different products I noticed that the complexion shade range was missing shades for deeper/dark skin. I wasn't able to find my shade in stores and it genuinely made me feel like there was something wrong with me, when in reality the beauty industry just lacked tone inclusivity."
Ah, and so comes to light the negative side of marketing: if you don't fit our product, it's on you, not us. "You could try SEARS." But the reality is that Golloria is absolutely right in saying the fault never lies with the customer, but rather the business who refuses to fulfill the customer's needs.
So, why won't these companies simply tweak their formulas to cater to other skin tones?
"There is genuinely no excuse as to why brands have yet to expand their shade range. I think the lack of range in most complexion products is a rooted issue of colorism in the beauty industry. Tone inclusivity is the bare minimum and there is truly no excuse to not be inclusive in 2023. Things definitely aren't as bad as they used to be in terms of complexion products, BUT there's still a long way to go, and more work can be done across the board."
Colorism, sizeism, classism. Each -ism imprinted means exclusion of a pool(s) of people. Hence, the importance of influential individuals like Golloria who use their talents to help pull the ostrich's head out of the sand.
"[I have gotten to be a] shade consult for major companies in the industry. Being able to advocate for the young girls that have my complexion means the most to me and has been the most exciting thing thus far."
Golloria's Dream MUA Collaboration
Golloria is not only known for her advocacy, but of course, her makeup artistry. Naming Rihanna's FENTY BEAUTY as her favorite makeup brand, we were curious to know which makeup artist (MUA) she dreams of working with.
"My dream makeup artist to work with is Pat McGrath...Getting my makeup done by Pat would be a dream!"
If you're unfamiliar with the legend that is Pat McGrath, she has long been considered one of the most influential MUAs in history. Through product, protegees, and prestige, Pat has continued expanding her brand and making an impact in the worlds of makeup, fashion, photography, and more. Needless to say, there are infinite reasons behind Golloria's choice.
Our time with Golloria concluded with a question that has since been proven moot. At the time of the interview, Golloria's following on TikTok had just tipped over 923,000. We wanted to know: when - not if - your following hits 1,000,000, what are your plans? As it turns out, we're already too late to be the ones to share the hot gossip as Golloria's account on the platform now boasts over 1.1 million followers! A feat more than deserved.