De-Colonizing Beauty 

Cosmetic Routines

I asked Kendra to describe her level of experience with makeup, and what a typical day looks like for her in terms of product use. She describes herself as "an avid consumer" of both cosmetics and hair products:

"In terms of hair products I am constantly on the hunt for new products that don’t weigh down or damage my hair. Being Yaqui, and coming from a long line of Yaqui women who take great care and pride in their hair, I have tried just about every product out there. My day-to-day routine in terms of haircare products is pretty simple. A matching Shampoo and Conditioner followed by a detangling spray from the same brand I’ve been using since I was 3. I try to air dry my hair so I stay away from blow drying sprays/creams. After which I follow up with hair oil (still on the hunt for a great one) and a heat protectant (olaplex #8 is my favorite right now). In terms of makeup, I use concealer, bronzer, mascara plus eyebrow gel, and blush." 

Navigating the Industry

Kendra and I spoke about how the cosmetic industry can be very overwhelming for the inexperienced. Consumers first have to approach the process with a pre-existing familiarity and awareness of their own cosmetic needs, and are then expected to make educated decisions about product effectiveness and safety:

"I think it’s difficult to find products that one likes with the amount of marketing we all see and experience daily. On top of this, the lack of intention and the sheer amount of over-saturation in the market for things labeled: "voluminous," "thickening," "protective," "smoothing" is often demoralizing. I have found that many products in both these categories are not intended for people of color. It’s difficult to enter the hair care space and know exactly what you are looking for on top of having to know what you need. Is your hair porous? Non-porous? Thick? Thin? Coarse? Flat? Oily? Dry? Who knows at this point.. and right when you think you got it - you don’t. Add to this the entire argument of safe vs non-safe products to put in your hair. There are so many products out in the market right now that have harmful ingredients or aren’t environmentally friendly. I try to take care to vet every product for carcinogens and environmentally unfriendly productions as well as only use cruelty-free and clean products."

It is clear that the beauty industry is not very conducive to consumer ease. It is designed to project an image and ideal onto a target audience who must then grapple with finding a product to measure up to that ideal. However, products aren't formulated for every individual, nor are they easy to navigate and understand. Ironically, those who may feel the most pressured to alter their appearance with cosmetics may also be those who are most confused about which product would be effective or safe for them.

Eurocentric Trends

Specifically on the subject of beauty trends, Kendra shared the ideals that she herself feels pressured to embody, and how this has impacted her self-image and subsequent product use:

"I think a lot of the trends popular right now are directed towards the same type of person. Typically this is a straight, european, lighter skin toned, skinny girl. Many of these trends push for achieving the same type of look which only further establishes the damaging Euro-American ideologies that are intended to push women to acculturation of these same ideologies. Examples include bronzing your nose to make it thinner, making your lips bigger, making a cat eye to make your eyes more almond-like. These are all trends that appropriate other cultures to hemoginize a population."

"I will say I am incredibly privileged to have a neutral skin tone with a lighter complexion and even then finding these products has taken so much effort and time. More people rather than less struggle with finding the right shade for their own skin. Major flaw in the industry!! A lot of Indigenous people have undertones that are not accurately represented in foundations and other skin toned products. Same issue with other POCs."

Targeted Marketing and Social Media

The next phase of our interview focused on the mode of delivering these harmful ideations of beauty, specifically through social media, celebrity endorsements, and other influencer marketing:

"I think all influencers, celebrities, and other people with a platform have a HUGE role in perpetuating the trends mentioned above. To some extent, the same people that are in these positions are the direct representation of these Euro-American ideologies. The lack of representation of people of color in these spaces also then reflects on the lack of representation in trends and makeup/hair care industries." 

"I can’t really lie, to some extent these trends have drastically changed the way that I view myself and the things that I use. I think for a while these trends made me not like my appearance for a long time. Not having people that looked like me and not having products that were made for POC women really hurt my view of my identity. However, growing up has made me realize that while that representation would be great to have, I can be my own representation and hopefully be the representation I once seeked."

Harms to the Native Community

Finally, we discussed how these issues pertain to Kendra's community specifically. She shared that a lack of Indigenous representation in beauty, from advertisements to product formulations, has perpetuated harmful notions of identity and self-image:

"Not having representation in these sectors terribly affects Indigenous communities. There are a lot of Indigenous women who do not see themselves in the media or even in their local Target advertisements and this causes a derogatory sense of identity towards Indigeneity. The sense of devaluing a women’s identity, in any space, is incredibly harmful for them and their community. In terms of my own indigenous community, the devaluing role of women has resulted in cultural endangerment and decreased representation of Indigenous sovereignty." 

Therefore, the cosmetic industry is characterized by discrimination at every turn. Pervasive, Eurocentric ideals of beauty guide the industry and its customers towards a single image through product formulation and marketing. Many minority women therefore find themselves simultaneously pressured into adhering to this image as well as discouraged by non-inclusive, misleading, and unrepresentative products and marketing. This makes navigating the industry and maintaining safety even more difficult for these communities. For Indigenous individuals in particular, this further perpetuates colonial ideals of beauty and endangers sovereignty.

Full Transcript

Jenna Reppas: Would you be able to introduce yourself, your background, and your area of study?

Kendra Barreras: Hi! My name is Kendra Barreras. I am Native American from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona and I am currently a 4th year undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in American Indian Studies and Anthropology. I was born in Mexicali, Baja CA, Mexico and moved to the United States at the age of two to the Imperial Valley (CA).

Jenna Reppas: Our project is focusing on the use of cosmetics and hair products. Can you describe to me what a typical day for you looks like in terms of these products? Do you consider yourself an experienced makeup user?

Kendra Barreras: Oh how exciting! I am an avid consumer of both of those categories. In terms of hair products I am constantly on the hunt for new products that don’t weigh down or damage my hair. Being Yaqui, and coming from a long line of Yaqui women who take great care and pride in their hair, I have tried just about every product out there. I think it’s difficult to find products that one likes with the amount of marketing we all see and experience daily. On top of this, the lack of intention and the sheer amount of over-saturation in the market for things labeled: "voluminous," "thickening," "protective," "smoothing" is often demoralizing. Not to be pessimistic either but I have found that many products in both these categories are not intended for people of color. It’s difficult to enter the hair care space and know exactly what you are looking for ON TOP of having to know what you NEED. Is your hair porous? Non-porous? Thick? Thin? Coarse? Flat? Oily? Dry? Who knows at this point.. and right when you think you got it. You don’t. Add to this the entire argument of safe vs non-safe products to put in your hair. There are SOOO many products out in the market right now that have harmful ingredients or aren’t environmentally friendly. (anyway enough of my tangent)

My day-to-day routine in terms of haircare products is pretty simple. A matching Shampoo and Conditioner followed by a detangling spray from the same brand I’ve been using since I was 3 (I know HOW LOYAL). I try to air dry my hair so I stay away from blow drying sprays/creams. After which I follow up with hair oil (still on the hunt for a great one) and a heat protectant (olaplex #8 is my fav rn).

In terms of makeup, I use concealer, bronzer, mascara+eyebrow gel, and blush. I have made sure to vet every product for carcinogens and environmentally unfriendly productions and I try really hard to only use cruelty-free and clean products.  I will say I am incredibly privileged to have a neutral skin tone with a lighter complexion and even then finding these products has taken so much effort and time. More people rather than less struggle with finding the right shade for their own skin. Major flaw in the industry!! A lot of Indigenous people have undertones that are not accurately represented in foundations and other skin toned products. Same issue with other POCs.

Jenna Reppas: More generally, can you speak to common beauty trends you see in society? Ones that are perhaps more Eurocentric in nature and have the potential to discriminate against other ethnic groups?

Kendra Barreras: I think a lot of the trends popular right now are directed towards the same type of person. Typically this is a straight, european (lighter skin toned), skinny girl. Many of these trends push for achieving the “same type of look” which only further establishes the damaging euro-american ideologies that are intended to push women to acculturation of these same ideologies. 

Bronzing your nose to make it thinner, making your lips bigger, making a cat eye to make your eyes more almond-like. These are all trends that appropriate other cultures to hegemonize a population. 

Jenna Reppas: What impact do you think social media, celebrity endorsements, or influencers have on perpetuating these trends? Have any of these marketing methods affected you personally – persuading you to look a certain way or purchase a certain product?

Kendra Barreras: I think all influencers/ celebrities/ and other people with a platform have a HUGE role in perpetuating the trends mentioned above. To some extent, the same people that are in these positions are the direct representation of these Euro-American ideologies. The lack of representation of people of color in these spaces also then reflects on the lack of representation in trends and makeup/hair care industries. 

I can’t really lie, to some extent these trends have drastically changed the way that I view myself and the things that I use. I think for a while these trends made me not like my appearance for a long time. Not having people that looked like me and not having products that were made for POC women really hurt my view of my identity. However, growing up has made me realize that while that representation would be great to have, I can be my own representation and hopefully (eventually) be the representation I once seeked.

Jenna Reppas: If you’re comfortable, could you speak to how you’ve observed these pressures affecting individuals in the Native community?

Kendra Barreras: Not having representation in these sectors terribly affects Indigenous communities. There are a lot of Indigenous women who do not see themselves in the media or even in their local target advertisements and this causes a derogatory sense of identity towards Indigeneity. The sense of devaluing a women’s identity, in any space, is incredibly harmful for them and their community. In terms of my own indigenous community, the devaluing role of women has caused linguistic and cultural endangerment thus resulting in a decreased representation of Indigenous sovereignty.