A Beauty Entrepreneur’s Call For Black Representation in the Beauty Industry

On June 3, Sharon Chuter—founder and CEO of UOMA Beauty—posted a viral Instagram video challenging big beauty brands to either “pull up or shut up” in response to what she called PR-driven support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Issue of Representation in Beauty

Representation has long been a struggle in America, and the beauty industry is no exception. The murder of George Floyd magnified the lack of diversity and sparked overdue conversations around racial justice and inclusion.

In her video, Chuter highlighted a striking disparity: while Black people make up 13% of the U.S. population, only 8% hold corporate roles. For beauty companies to post solidarity messages without addressing the lack of Black professionals within their own organizations is, in her words, “not true advocacy.”

“You cannot show us ‘Black Lives Matter’ publicly when you don’t show us ‘Black Lives Matter’ within your own home and organizations,” said Chuter.

The #PullUpOrShutUp Movement

Within 72 hours, over 30 companies revealed their diversity data, including Sephora, Ulta, Tatcha, L’Oréal, Beauty Bakerie, and Kylie Cosmetics. Even brands with zero Black leaders publicly disclosed their numbers, proving that transparency is possible—and necessary.

The results were eye-opening, exposing how much work remains to create real diversity in leadership, hiring, and brand representation.

Driving Change Through Accountability

As Chuter explained:

“Only transparency and accountability can drive change. We need to get to the tree of white supremacy and cut off all the branches. This is my branch. I know what goes on here. Only consumers can drive accountability.”

Her words remind us that lasting change requires both corporate responsibility and consumer action. Every individual has a role to play, whether in beauty, business, or community spaces.

So—what’s your branch? Where will you take action to demand representation and equality?