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When UOMA Beauty burst onto the scene earlier this year, the excitement was real. Beauty editors touted the makeup brand as the "new Fenty" thanks to its inclusive foundation shade range (51 to be exact) and makeup obsessives thought the velvet matte lipsticks and glitter-splashed glosses on par with Instagram-famous Pat McGrath Labs.
But UOMA Beauty is so much more than simply aesthetic. The brand's ethos is about heritage and fierce modernity, with individuality and difference at the forefront. "I have been very frustrated with beauty for a while so it was very important to me to usher a new era in beauty," brand founder Sharon Chuter told Refinery29, "not just for its lack of diversity when it comes to catering for a broader demographic, but also the lack of creativity and strong identity." To Chuter, it's incredibly important that brands launch with the freedom to have many options. "People, especially industry experts, thought I was out of my mind launching with so many options out of the gate: 108 items in total. For me it was important to stay true to what I believe in. I wanted everyone to find something so that they identified with us now, not in two years' time. No one is an afterthought."
UOMA Beauty's interpretation of inclusivity is unique and this is mirrored in every product, which has launched straight into Selfridges in the UK. Aside from foundation and Instagram-worthy mattes, there is also an abundance of metallic lip products, glosses, eyeshadow palettes and concealers. Just like Fenty and Pat McGrath Labs, UOMA makes a case for cool colours and bold pigments, something Chuter thinks will be huge this summer. "After a decade plus of barely there makeup leading beauty trends, things are changing. People are now transitioning from the minimalist Nordic vibe and embracing their rebellious side. Expect bold lips and eyes and a return to a pseudo-maximalist existence."
Ahead, nine R29 staffers gave UOMA Beauty a trial. Here's what we thought.
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