To whoever needs to hear this, nude isn’t just one colour!
We all know that nude is not just one colour, well at least I hope everyone does. Previously, the colour nude was only referred to the skin colour of Caucasians and let’s be honest; even they come in different shades. The colour ‘nude’ was never really something that black people could pick, look at and say, “Yes this is exactly the colour I’m looking for”. The nude lipstick was always too light and needed some form of add-ons. Nude t-shirts were just beige/pinkish t-shirts for us. What I’m saying is that nude was never in the vocabulary of a black girl without the disclaimer that mentioned, “this isn’t made for you sis”. Even plasters came in a colour that did not match any black person’s skin colour.
I’d like to thank all those black-owned businesses, big or small, that started to offer products in nude colours suited for black people. It led to big retailers making the necessary changes – all in all, a little too late. I mean Tesco did you really introduce nude plasters for people of colour as if black people hadn’t already put it on the market a long time ago? Gee thanks
Actual nude lingerie for the black girl.
Nude lingerie was another market that completely missed the target when it came to nudes for everyone. When a black woman wears a white t-shirt, the traditional nude bra doesn’t really work. Sorry but what brand looks at one nude bra, and says “ah we’ve done our job, put it in our stores, they’ll love this!” Well, all of them girl. All of them did at some point at least. BUT… again the innovative and creative black people that we are, a gap was identified and a new brand was born! Nubian Skin launched back in 2014 and (finally) offered underwear to women and men of colour in 4 different colours, Berry, Cinnamon, Caramel, and Cafe Au Lait. I mean the names alone got me excited! And I said men of colour because they have boxers in different nude shades. What? So, you can get your mans some boxers, while you’re shopping for your nude bra.
The collection form Nubian Skin looks amazing! They offer lingerie, hosiery, panties, swimwear, bodysuits, shapewear and menswear in all the 4 nude colours. I for one have my eyes on the Paris Corset.
The Nude high heel
If you want to go full-on nude, pairing your new nude lingerie set with a nice nude high heel, this again might be a challenge. Well, it used to be. Did I already say how creative and innovative black people are? The founder of Kahmune was frustrated because she couldn’t find a nude shoe that matched her complexion. She bought white high heels; painted them in her complexion and boom she had her own nude high heels! Sounds easy right? You’d think that big retailers could try to do the same thing. Anyway, a new brand that catered to women of colour was born – again! The heels come in 10 different colours catering to women with a light to dark complexion.
The colour nude for a long time has been a colour that most black people couldn’t relate to. When hearing the word nude most of us wouldn’t pay attention. But times have changed and if you want a nice nude piece, whether that be clothing, footwear or even makeup, you’ll find a brand that has multiple nude options available. Plus chances are that these brands are black-owned, so that’s a major win!
Side note: saying that 2020 has been a rollercoaster would be an understatement. From lockdowns to racial injustices and from protests sparked all around the world to the face masks controversy. 2020 has been a challenge for most of us. Nonetheless, it’s Black History Month in the UK and international Breast Cancer Awareness month. As a Black woman and someone who has had a very close family member be diagnosed with breast cancer, this month is very important to me. So, in light of Black History Month, Nubian Skin and Kahmune are black-owned brands and in light of Breast Cancer Awareness month, please check your girls (boobs) regularly and see your GP when you notice something irregular. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Want to know how you can properly examine your boobs, visit the CoppaFeel website.
Millennial Femme 