The beauty sphere has come a long way from when Caucasian, female, and cis-gender women were the target demographic. It is a slow yet steady movement; a much-welcome roll-out of gender-neutral and ethnically-inclusive labels that refuse to subscribe to limiting standards. Instead, they are expanding their viewpoint to create products suited to a wide-range of audiences and overlooked communities.
2020 saw beauty mogul Rihanna cast Paloma Elsesser and A$AP Rocky for a Fenty Skin campaign, for one, where she explained that she never “approached skincare from a gender standpoint”. Then there’s companies in the vein of Aesop and MAC, who dub their products unisex. And while that proved to be directional at the time, it seems there are other companies out there that are even more explicit in their stance on gender-neutral skincare as well as makeup, of which is conveyed via their choice of product ingredients, packaging, and more.
We’ve chronicled them for your perusal, below—though it should be noted that some don’t provide shipping to Singapore just yet, and will require some creative legwork to get your hands on. Here are the ones that made it on our radar:
Pleasing
Founded by Harry Styles, Pleasing is a projection of Styles’s own gender-fluid sensibilities which is demonstrated through his penchant for eye-catching manicures. The label’s line-up comprises several nail polishes as well as eye, lip, and face serums photographed on both female and male models. The launch of their first drop—the Perfect Pearl Polish—took it a step further by featuring the hands of people from all walks of life sporting unique designs crafted by Guatemalan nail artist, Sigourney Nuñez; a showcase that aptly highlights the brand’s genderless approach.
Pleasing accepts international orders and ships to Singapore.
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One/Size
You might recognise the name Patrick Starrr. The influential beauty YouTuber has started his own beauty line since catapulting into the spotlight and built One/Size based on the sentiment that “makeup is one size fits all.” This translates to items that work—and are modelled—by a wide variety of individuals including transgender folk, men, and people with skin conditions such as acne or rosacea. Starrr has stated in multiple interviews that his intention in doing so is to allow people to get into makeup, especially if they lack the courage to go up to a beauty counter to do so.
One/Size is available at Sephora Singapore.
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Humanrace
“Humanrace doesn’t differentiate by race or gender. We’re creating for humans; we are all born in the same skin and Humanrace celebrates this,” shares founder, Pharrell Williams. The label prides itself on creating efficacious products with a unique perspective as evidenced by the thoughtful details that go into each item.
Containers harbour the names of products written in braille, for instance, so they remain accessible to the visually-impaired. There is no segregation of cleansers that are suited for oily skin, or an exfoliant designed for dry complexions either. Rather, goods are said to work on across the board, and boasts results with just three products—their full skincare range—alone.
Humanrace accepts international orders, though not to Singapore. Check the site for a full list of locations.
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Golf Le Fleur
Tyler the Creator’s beauty venture is designed for “sun-seekers”, and comprises three nail polishes as well as a fragrance titled ‘French Waltz— so far, that is. The campaigns feature both male and female models prominently, while its packaging is adorned in pastel hues and text accompanied by the claim that it is “made for everyone.”
Golf Le Fleur only ships within the U.S.
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UN/DN LAQR
This nail polish label is started by Machine Gun Kelly, and touts the philosophy of self-expression without commitment or limitations. Beyond modelling for the line himself, UN/DN LAQR also features models of colour on their Instagram—of which is paired with captions that encourage gender-neutral sentiments such as “Anyone can wear pink. Anyone Anyone can paint their nails. Anyone can be an artist.”
UN/DN LAQR only ships within the U.S.
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