App a visual beauty aid for women of color

When it comes to the makeup industry, women of color such as beauty and fashion blogger Ofunne Amaka can grow tired of being left on the sidelines. Although some strides have been made toward diversity, the majority of ad campaigns for leading cosmetics brands continue to feature mostly white models.

Amaka created Cocoa Swatches, an Instagram account catering to makeup enthusiasts with underrepresented complexions. Following the success of the account — which now has 49,300 followers — she furthered her mission by launching the Cocoa Swatches app (free, iOS and Android). It has been downloaded about more than 30,000 times, Amaka said.

The app features a frequently updated collection of images, created by the 26-year-old Amaka, showing swatches of lip, eye shadow and blush products as they appear on darker skin tones. It also offers videos of the week, recommendations and makeup product comparisons. A comment button allows users to pose questions or add their thoughts on products.

Like that friend who knows the best beauty bloggers you should be following, Cocoa Swatches introduces users to popular makeup gurus, such as ItsMyRayeRaye (Raye Boyce), the Style and Beauty Doctor (Danielle Gray) and Jackie Aina.

Under “Makeup Experts We Love,” users can follow links to the experts’ Instagram posts and YouTube videos, where they offer tips and tutorials on applying liquid lipstick, contouring and creating the perfect cat eye, especially helpful for makeup novices.

I’m a bit of an amateur when it comes to makeup; the other day I had to ask a friend the difference between liquid lipstick and lip gloss. Knowing that this app was designed to meet the needs of women who look like me made me comfortable turning to it. The videos of the week and links to makeup experts are among my favorite features, and I’m excited to see how the app expands to represent a greater variety of black women’s skin tones.

“Because I’m the one creating the original content, it obviously starts with me, and I have a darker complexion,” Amaka said, adding that she hopes the app will eventually feature the skin tones of women of African descent from throughout the world.

As Amaka wrote on her website, ofunneamaka.com, makeup can be used as a “creative extension of personality.”

Also check out the associated cocoaswatches.com.

This app pairs convenience with inclusiveness.