CoverGirl campaign features model with vitiligo for first time

‘Diversity is important’

CoverGirl has unveiled their latest beauty campaign, which features a model with vitiligo for the very first time.

CoverGirl has recently made quite a name for itself as a champion of diversity. In 2016 blogger Nura Afia was named the beauty brand’s first Muslim ambassador, while blogger James Charles became their first male spokesmodel in the same year.

Their latest campaign, titled "I Am What I Make Up", includes an advert featuring Amy Deanna promoting the truBlend Foundation. Deanna is a model with vitiligo from Texas.

Vitiligo is a skin condition caused by a lack of melanin, a pigment in the skin, which results in white patches appearing on the body.

“Vitiligo is a common condition, affecting about one per cent of the world’s population,” Matthew Gass of the British Association of Dermatologists told The Independent.

“The extent of the condition is unpredictable, varying from single small patches to total loss of skin colour.”

Deanna feels very proud to be raising awareness for the condition and showing people that they don’t have to conform to the beauty standards dictated by society.

“Vitiligo awareness is something that is very important to me,” she told People Style.

“It’s a part of my identity, but it doesn’t define who I am… For there to be so many of us and so little representation, it’s truly disheartening.

“I work with CoverGirl; I’m a black woman; I have vitiligo. That is empowering.”

In the video for the foundation campaign, the narrator asks: “Why try to blend in when you can choose how to stand out?”, showing Deanna first concealing and then accentuating her vitiligo.

Deanna believes that there is still lots of progress to be made within the beauty world in terms of advocating for inclusivity.

“The fashion and beauty industry sometimes feels like a private party that only a select few get invited to,” she said.

“To me, that is not progressive. We have to be more inclusive.

“Diversity is important. Representation is important. Inclusivity is important - not just for people of different backgrounds and ethnicities, but also people of all sizes.

“Let’s face it, together we are a mosaic - that in itself is beautiful. We should celebrate that.”

Gass explained the significance of an individual with vitiligo appearing in such a prominent beauty campaign.

“As with many visible skin conditions, the psychological impact can be very challenging, so having someone in the public eye be open about their vitiligo can help enormously,” he said.

“Seeing models with skin disorders also challenges the notion that people are aesthetically flawed or unattractive if their skin does not echo the ‘airbrushed’ look often seen in the media."