We’ll always argue that the more diverse the beauty industry, the better. And luckily, the cosmetics space is growing more and more inclusive by the day, and we’re happy to see an expansion of other races and genders across the board. Case in point: the newest face of L’Oréal Paris, Maria Borges. If you know who she is, then you already know she’s a really, really great pick.
If you don’t recognise her name, though, you might recognise her face — and probably her flawless skin, too. The Angolan model was the first model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with her natural hair. In 2017, that might not seem as controversial as it would have two years ago — but it's a monumental moment. While Victoria’s Secret made waves this year for letting plenty of models strut down the catwalk in whatever hairstyle they were born with, it was Borges who led the troops years before. Back in 2015, she was the first to wear (by request) her short, natural curls make her way down the runway without extensions or a Beachwaver — and she totally stole the show. Since then, she’s climbed the ranks within the fashion world, walking for designers like Ralph Lauren, La Perla, and Emporio Armani.
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L’Oréal has been on the fast track to inclusivity for months now. The brand started 2017 off right with its new “Your Skin, Your Story” campaign for True Match foundation featuring trans model, actress, and writer, Hari Nef. The campaign also included models and influencers of all different colours and genders in the same campaign — making it a point to note how crucial it is to have a diverse group of people within the industry. (Sabina Karlsson, Dominique Babineaux, and Darnell Bernard, among others, were featured.)
While we'll always love seeing Blake Lively in every L’Oréal Paris commercial, we’re definitely ready to see Borges pop up on our TV screens, too. She's already made a statement on what it means to love the hair you have, and we're proud to see she’s taking her voice to an even bigger platform.