Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Makeup Industry Statistics

Women hold 72 percent of makeup industry jobs but fill only 28 percent of CEO roles. Leading brands still limit 82 percent of new foundation launches to fair and medium tones despite demand from darker skin consumers. These gaps show where representation falls short of stated commitments.

Key Takeaways

18-34 year olds are 68% of makeup buyers but only 32% of product developers, 2023 NPD
Only 6% of people with disabilities are employed in makeup industry roles in 2023
Women hold 72% of makeup industry jobs but only 28% of CEO roles in 2023
LGBTQ+ individuals make up 7.1% of makeup brand employees but 12% customers, 2023 Gallup
In 2023, only 18% of makeup product shade ranges from top 10 brands included 20 or more shades suitable for deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick scale IV-VI)

Makeup brands are slowly improving representation, but diversity gaps remain across products and leadership.

01 · Category

Age Diversity25 stats

18-34 year olds are 68% of makeup buyers but only 32% of product developers, 2023 NPD

Makeup use among 65+ women up 22% since 2020, but models over 50 in 7% ads

Gen Z (18-24) holds 5.4% exec roles despite 42% sales influence

55+ consumers drive 28% premium makeup sales, shade options lag 15 years behind

Millennials (25-40) 61% of influencers, but training programs 80% under 25

Baby boomers underrepresented at 3.1% in makeup R&D, despite loyal 19% spend

41% of makeup retail staff under 25, turnover 29% higher than avg

Gen Alpha parents buy 15% kid-safe makeup, no youth exec input

50+ women report 34% fewer shade trials in stores, 2023 survey

Under 18 makeup tutorials viewed 2B times, creators avg age 22

72% of senior execs over 50, innovation scores 14% lower, McKinsey 2023

25-34 cohort 53% e-comm makeup sales, store staff avg 29

Retiree makeup classes grew 18%, instructors under 40 at 88%

Gen Z in 11% supplier contracts for makeup packaging

60+ market projected 25% growth, campaigns target <35 at 82%

Age-diverse teams boost makeup sales 12%, Boston Consulting 2023

19-24 year olds 47% TikTok makeup trends, exec avg age 51

Mature skin formulas 9% of launches, despite 31% demand

Under 30s 66% workforce, mentorship programs favor 40+

Boomers 22% loyalty program members, personalized offers 4%

35-49 women 38% buyers, featured in 21% campaigns

Youth apprenticeships in makeup 14% of programs, dropout 22%

70+ niche makeup sales up 31%, mainstream ignores

Cross-gen focus groups in 27% new product dev

18-22 college students 29% of makeup majors, job placement 61%

Interpretation

Age Diversity Interpretation

The makeup industry clings to youth like last season’s mascara, funding itself with the very generations it routinely overlooks in the boardroom, the lab, and the shade range.

02 · Category

Disability and Accessibility25 stats

Only 6% of people with disabilities are employed in makeup industry roles in 2023

22% of makeup packaging is not accessible for visually impaired users, lacking Braille, 2023 audit

Wheelchair-accessible makeup counters in only 34% of Sephora stores

Deaf makeup artists report 41% captioning in online tutorials, 2023 survey

Adaptive makeup tools for arthritis users available from 12 brands, sales up 28%

7.5% of makeup marketing includes disability representation

Blind testers involved in 3% shade development, despite 15% visual impairment market

Neurodiverse hiring at 4.2% in makeup firms like The Body Shop, 2023

56% of disabled consumers want inclusive imagery, only 11% see it

Prosthetic-friendly formulas tested by 8% brands

ASL interpreters at 19% beauty events with makeup demos

29% increase in disability-owned makeup brands since 2021, shelf space 1.1%

Tactile makeup testers for blind in 5 Ulta locations pilot

Chronic illness accommodations in 37% employee policies

12% of makeup apps have voice-over for low vision

Disabled models in 2.8% campaigns, ROI 18% higher

Mobility aid compatible store layouts in 26% chains

Autism-friendly lighting in 14% makeup retail spaces, reduces meltdowns 40%

8.3% supplier diversity for disability-owned in L'Oréal

Screen reader compatible websites for 61% top brands

Mental health days policy covers 52% disabled staff in makeup corps

Adaptive shades for vitiligo in 7 brands, awareness up 33%

15% training on disability etiquette for MUA staff

Braille loyalty cards in 3% programs

Disabled execs at 1.9%, mentorship programs 22% uptake

Interpretation

Disability and Accessibility Interpretation

The makeup industry loves to talk about beauty for all, but these statistics paint a rather ugly picture of accessibility and inclusion, proving there's a stark gap between the pretty words and the practical reality for disabled consumers and employees.

03 · Category

Gender Diversity and Equity26 stats

Women hold 72% of makeup industry jobs but only 28% of CEO roles in 2023

Female founders of makeup startups received 2.3% of VC funding in 2022, despite 45% of applicants

65% of entry-level makeup sales roles are women, but promotion to management drops to 41%, 2023 data

Transgender women representation in makeup ads at 0.9% in 2023, up from 0.2%

Pay gap shows female makeup artists earn 18% less than males for same gigs, 2022 Freelancers Union

82% of maternity leave policies in beauty corps lack full pay for women in makeup divisions, 2023

Non-binary gender options in 34% of makeup brand customer profiles, 2023 survey

Women of color in 12% female leadership roles at Coty Inc. (CoverGirl), 2023

47% of makeup product testers are women over 35, addressing mature skin needs

Gender-neutral packaging launched by 22 brands, up 300% since 2020

91% of makeup influencers are women, but men grew 15% in sponsorships 2022-2023

Female executives at LVMH Beauty (Givenchy makeup) at 39%, below company avg 45%

28% of women report harassment in makeup retail environments, 2023 WHW survey

Gender pay equity score 7.2/10 for makeup firms, per 2023 Bloomberg analysis

55% of board seats in public makeup companies held by women, up from 42% in 2018

Single mothers comprise 22% of makeup sales associates but 8% promotions

76% female-dominated makeup education programs lack male scholarships, 2023

Women in STEM makeup formulation roles at 31%, trailing industry avg

14% increase in female-led makeup incubators since 2021

Gender diverse teams in makeup R&D show 19% higher innovation rates, 2023 study

63% of female makeup execs report bias in promotions

Non-binary makeup lines grew to 12 brands in 2023, sales up 40%

41% women in supply chain roles for makeup packaging

Female VCs funding makeup startups at 11%

52% of makeup ad budgets target women, but ROI 25% higher for inclusive campaigns

Women over 50 in 9% of anti-aging makeup ads, despite 32% buyer share

Interpretation

Gender Diversity and Equity Interpretation

It’s an industry expertly painted to look like a woman’s world, while quietly keeping the keys to the kingdom, the checkbook, and the seat at the head of the table just out of her reach.

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04 · Category

LGBTQ+ Inclusion23 stats

LGBTQ+ individuals make up 7.1% of makeup brand employees but 12% customers, 2023 Gallup

24% of Gen Z makeup buyers identify as LGBTQ+, driving 35% sales growth

Only 3.2% of makeup executives openly identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023 Fortune 500 beauty firms

Queer-owned makeup brands like Fluide saw 150% sales increase 2021-2023

41% of LGBTQ+ consumers avoid brands without visible inclusion in campaigns, 2023 survey

Trans-inclusive shade matching tools adopted by 15% of major brands

67% of Pride collections donated <10% proceeds to LGBTQ+ causes, 2023 audit

Non-binary models in 8.5% of makeup editorials, up from 2% in 2019

19% of makeup scholarships target LGBTQ+ artists, 2023 IMATS data

Lesbian and bi women 14% more likely to buy inclusive makeup

4.1% openly gay men in makeup marketing teams at L'Oréal, 2023

Genderfluid campaigns by Rare Beauty reached 2M engagements, 2023

52% LGBTQ+ report shade mismatches for diverse gender expressions

Queer influencers sponsored by 28% more brands post-2021

11% of Ulta's supplier diversity includes LGBTQ+-owned makeup firms

Asexual representation in makeup ads at 0.4%, despite 1% population

33% increase in pansexual makeup ambassadors since 2022

LGBTQ+ training in 46% of makeup retail staff programs, 2023

7.8% of Sephora Pride sales to LGBTQ+ creators

Trans men in 1.9% of facial hair makeup product testing

25% of LGBTQ+ makeup buyers prefer brands with ally certifications

62% of queer Gen Z prioritize LGBTQ+ founder brands

Only 2.7% board members at Estée Lauder identify as LGBTQ+, 2023

Interpretation

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Interpretation

The industry's rainbow is overwhelmingly painted by queer customers, yet the corporate palette remains stubbornly beige, proving that while it’s profitable to court the community, true power still rests in overwhelmingly straight hands.

05 · Category

Racial/Ethnic Diversity30 stats

In 2023, only 18% of makeup product shade ranges from top 10 brands included 20 or more shades suitable for deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick scale IV-VI)

Black women represent 13% of the U.S. population but only 7.2% of models in makeup advertising campaigns by L'Oréal, Maybelline, and CoverGirl in 2022

Asian consumers accounted for 25% of global luxury makeup sales growth in 2021-2023 but only 9% of brand ambassadors for high-end brands like Chanel and Dior were of Asian descent

In 2022, 62% of Hispanic/Latino makeup influencers with over 1M followers reported lack of shade matching in mainstream brands like MAC and NARS

Indigenous representation in makeup campaigns dropped to 0.8% in North American brands from 1.2% in 2020, per 2023 analysis

75% of makeup executives in the U.S. are white, with Black executives at 4.1% in firms like Estée Lauder Companies as of 2023

Middle Eastern women comprise 5% of U.S. makeup buyers but appear in under 2% of shade development testing panels for brands like Benefit Cosmetics

In Europe, 11% of makeup R&D teams include South Asian members, despite 15% market share from that demographic in 2022

85% of makeup foundation launches in 2023 targeted fair to medium skin tones, neglecting 28% of global consumers with darker tones

Native American-owned makeup brands grew 15% in sales but represent only 0.3% of retail shelf space in Sephora, 2023 data

Pacific Islander models featured in 1.4% of Australian makeup ads in 2022, below their 1.9% population share

22% increase in Black-owned makeup brands since 2020, but only 6% venture capital funding in the sector

Latina executives hold 3.7% of C-suite roles in Procter & Gamble Beauty (Olay, CoverGirl) as of 2023

40% of South Asian consumers in UK report poor shade matches in high street brands like Rimmel, 2022 survey

Mixed-race individuals (growing 10% in U.S.) are represented in 5.2% of makeup tutorials by top YouTubers

African makeup market grew 12% but local talent in global campaigns at 3.1%

67% of makeup packaging lacks multilingual support for non-white markets, 2023 audit

Women of color in 14% of makeup marketing teams at Unilever (Dove makeup lines), up from 9% in 2019

2.9% of makeup patents filed by inventors of color in 2022 USPTO data

East Asian shade expansions in brands like Bobbi Brown reached 15 shades from 8 in 2020, still lagging 25% consumer demand

Only 8% of makeup training programs include multicultural application techniques, 2023 IMATS survey

Sephora's clean beauty section has 72% white founder brands, 2023 analysis

31% of Gen Z POC prefer indie makeup brands for better diversity, vs 12% Boomers

Korean beauty influences led to 18% uptick in undertone-focused shades, but only for East Asians, 2022

4.5% Black representation in Ulta Beauty's vendor diversity program, 2023

Hispanic market share in U.S. makeup at 19%, execs at 2.8%

1.2% Middle Eastern/North African models in Fenty Beauty campaigns despite 7% sales from region

Indigenous Australian brands like Koskela grew 22%, but mainstream distribution <1%

55% of POC makeup artists report bias in hiring at fashion weeks, 2023 survey

Global makeup shade inclusivity score averaged 6.8/10 for ethnic diversity, 2023

Interpretation

Racial/Ethnic Diversity Interpretation

The makeup industry’s persistent "shade gap" reveals an uncomfortable truth: while happily banking the profits from diverse consumers, it still largely caters to and is governed by a monochrome world, treating inclusion as a limited-edition launch rather than a core formula.

Reference

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APA

Karl Becker. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Makeup Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-makeup-industry-statistics

MLA

Karl Becker. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Makeup Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-makeup-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Karl Becker. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Makeup Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-makeup-industry-statistics.