The right shade of foundation or powder can make all the difference in our daily lives. For many women (and men) make-up is more than just a beauty routine – it’s a confidence booster.
Nancy Brittney is one woman who has had her fair share of frustrations in finding the right shade and brand.
Growing up and working in an industry dominated by darkskinned women, she had to settle for the next best shade because hers was difficult to find. With her new makeup line, Amor, she is now creating a line of cosmetics that caters to every skin tone and type, because every woman deserves to feel beautiful and confident.
A few months ago, we featured Nancy, a model with albinism. Nancy is not stopping anytime soon as she continues to expand her impact in the beauty industry. We recently interviewed Nancy about the new adventures she has taken,, her recent cosmetics brand launch and what it means to her and other women with albinism.
What was the inspiration behind the cosmetics line?
I have said this plenty of times; I have always wanted to make a mark in the beauty industry. I have always been fascinated with beauty and makeup since I was very young. I knew for a long time that something was missing in the beauty industry. I remember as a little girl, I would dive into my mom’s makeup bag, and I just loved how the touch of a few products on my face would instantly boost my confidence, though I didn’t understand much then.
In my early adulthood years, my friends would go into a shop and buy concealer and powders, everything to look pretty. I wouldn’t have any of that because there would be no products for lighter-skinned women, especially here in Zimbabwe. So, I knew at a very young age that I wanted to fill that gap.
When I participated in the Miss Albinism pageant and won, I knew I wanted to use such a platform to make an impact. I wanted to use the crown to bring further awareness to the beauty that lies in people with albinism. At that time, I didn’t know what it really was. I thought skincare, but then realized the market is oversaturated with people who are already doing skin care products.
Makeup is not easy to do; it takes a lot of time, effort, and money. So it wasn’t really my first choice, but I knew that this was something that had to be done, something I had to do. I did it, and this is where we are and what we are doing, one step at a time, one day at a time.
How does Amor aim to promote inclusivity and diversity in the beauty industry?
That’s basically what I stand for; the brand is about revolutionizing the beauty industry, shaking it up, especially here in Africa.
When we think about shades of Africa, we don’t think about people with albinism, we don’t think about people like me.
Brands are trying to get the dark shades, and then we end up sidelining the lighter-skinned sisters. Basically, my brand is about promoting inclusivity and diversity. We cater to every shade, no shade left behind. Our lightest shade is almost white, even too light for me; and our darkest shade is close to black.
All my products have SPF in them to cater to all my mates with albinism, especially here in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, where the sun can be scorching hot. All our products will also have some skincare elements to ensure your skin is healthy and happy.
Twenty-six shades! Why so many and why foundation first?
Twenty-six shades, well, of course, diversity and inclusivity. We are literally going all out! The goal is 40 shades because there are a lot of technicalities when it comes to makeup – the foundation and undertones. We are trying to make sure that everyone is included and everyone feels loved, hence the name Amor.
Foundation is the most important step to your makeup because if your foundation is too light, you will look orange. And if it’s too dark, you will look grey. Foundation needs to be perfect! Your foundation determines how your base looks. That’s why I decided to start with foundation. It’s where the gap was. All I want is for everyone to feel seen. The shade ranges are still growing; we are trying to work on the undertones as well.
What makes Amor foundation unique?
This is probably my favourite question out of all of them because it just allows me to brag about how awesome my foundation is. Actually, the full name is Amor Ultra Waterproof Liquid Foundation. Basically, the name says it all and emphasises how superior it is. It is a waterproof foundation, which means when they take you swimming on the first date, girl, you can get away with it! It is a full coverage foundation and very lightweight. What I mean by that is you can achieve the full cover look – cover your redness, cover your black spots, your acne, and whatnot without feeling the weight of foundation on your face.
Have you ever put on makeup and actually felt the heaviness of the makeup on your face? That’s not a nice feeling. Our foundation is lightweight, has SPF, and it’s got skincare properties, meaning even if you do not wear primer (which I do not recommend) and just go with foundation only, your skin is still going to be safe. No worries about skin breakouts or sunburns. It’s just an amazing foundation. It blends easily, I can go on and on!
How do you intend to empower women with albinism and dark skin?
The brand Amor is a direct translation; it just means love. Love yourself, that’s what I encourage people to do because when you love yourself, when you invest time in yourself, when you look good, you feel more confident, and you are capable of doing everything you want. Confidence is the key.
This brand is about encouraging women to feel their best. We are encouraging women to take time to be themselves aside from being mothers, sisters, wives, or employees. Encouraging women to sit down and put in the work, not just with make-up but in general. When you love yourself, you are capable of allowing somebody else to love you. You are capable of loving somebody else openly; you are capable of loving other things. That’s basically my brand’s mission: to empower love and ensure love.
In what ways will Amor the brand change or challenge traditional beauty standards?
Here in Africa, when someone is describing a beautiful woman, they are typically thinking about a melanin queen – thick, gorgeous hair, full lips, and all. Nobody is picturing a girl with albinism. That’s what I want to change.
I want my girlies with albinism to feel included, to be able to dress up and know that they look good.
I’m just here to give girls who have been underrepresented the chance to show up and say, ‘Okay, I’m here, I can do this, here we go.’
How do you see the brand growing in the next couple of years, any products that are currently in the pipeline?
I’m here to revolutionize the beauty industry. Amor is here to shake things up and make a mark. We are here to change how people view makeup and cosmetics in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole. We are not going anywhere. We are not backing down until it is achieved.
Right now, I’m focusing on complexion products because I want safe, affordable products for women with albinism that fit our complexion pretty well. By complexion products I mean your foundation, concealer, and powder. Very soon there’ll be a concealer, loose powder, and a pressed powder coming out. The rest will follow because complexion products are what have been missing in the beauty industry.
Word of advice to marginalized women who may be struggling to find their place in the beauty industry:
I live by this qoute: “If there is no space for you at the table, if there is no room for you at the table, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, build your own table and sit on it.”
In some way, we are all struggling to find our place in the beauty industry. All you have to do is just make space for yourself. It will be hard to live up to the beauty standards that have been set up for centuries, you just need to focus on the things that make you, you.
Focus on the things that make you unique. Focus on things that bring you joy, focus on growth and loving yourself. Just being the authentic, unapologetic you. You don’t even need to worry about the space that’s there in the beauty industry. Build your own table and don’t worry about who is or isn’t on it.
Nancy’s brand Amor is a reminder of the importance of putting a little bit of love in everything we do. I am totally sold in to this ultra waterproof liquid foundation. I am thinking of getting one and giving my face the tender loving care it deserves. Maybe you should too!
Phoebie Shamiso Chigonde is a journalist passionate about gender equality, social development programmes and grassroots-based solution seeking initiatives. She has a passion for women and community development. Phoebie is also a radio personality at a regional commercial radio station, a platform that enables her to network with like-minded women, journalists and activists as she continues to document and tell the story of the ordinary woman from the lens of that very ordinary woman.