Decades before Fenty developed 50 shades of foundation, many black girls first found their perfect match in Bobbi Brown, the first brand to hit the market which gave us a full understanding of undertones—especially those of us with yellow undertones. Turns out, there were a lot of us. The woman-led brand was virtually an overnight success, and makeup artist Brown became a major mogul.
Now, Brown’s formulas are being introduced to a new generation as the cosmetics line has enlisted It girl actresses Yara Shahidi and Elizabeth Olsen (sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) as brand ambassadors, via their “Confident Beauty” campaign.
And proving pretty is as pretty does, activist Shahidi’s involvement isn’t just about good looks; the young star is also doing good works. On International Women’s Day, she announced her partnership with the brand, which supports organizations that promote equity and opportunities for women through the launch of The Pretty Powerful Fund.
The fund pledges a total of $400,000 to each of three charities chosen by Shahidi and Olsen—with Shahidi choosing gender justice leader The Third Wave Fund, Girls for Gender Equity and women’s human rights organization The Urgent Action Fund.
“When I think about gender equity, it’s not just about fighting for our woman-ness, but really advocating for the intersections that make us so expansive and unique,” Shahidi said in an Instagram post announcing the fund.