The people spoke & TIRTIR listened

Why is finding a perfect foundation shade so difficult?

Even more so if you’re a melanated baddie like me.

So many beauty brands have been called out for not being inclusive.

Recently, TIRTIR, a Korean beauty brand, was under fire for not providing a diverse range of shades for their cushion foundation.

Initially, they only offered 9 shades. But after many critics on TikTok reviewed their brand, they came out with several more. Of course, people questioned why they would need to cater to the rest of us if they’re a Korean brand.

Brown beauty influencer, Monica Ravichandran, pointed out in her TikTok review video, 'If you’re a Korean brand and this is your darkest shade, and are marketing your cushion foundation in the U.S. market…take it back to the lab.'

The appeal of a cushion foundation is simply, convenience. Putting the formulation aside, carrying a compact foundation in your purse for on-the-go use is a game changer. Who would want to carry around a bulky bottle AND applicator anyway?

There's still a lot of room for improvement in terms of the shade range, but this is a step in a positive direction!

What did they do well?

They listened to the people. It’s really easy to dismiss criticism by labelling it as 'hate' or 'cancel culture.' But TIRTIR not only listened but SERVED us what we’ve been asking for.

They also recognized TikTok was the main platform where the speculation stirred. In response, TIRTIR’s official TikTok page posted a video introducing their new shades with the caption 'Finally, we're expanding our shade range from nine to twenty! For those eagerly awaiting lighter shades, get ready – they're coming your way. And for those anticipating darker shades, we've got you covered too!'

This video gained 4.5 million views.

They also sent PR packages to several beauty influencers of colour to test their new shades and give their review. One of those influencer, Miss Darcei, initially reviewed the brand in a negative light due to the darkest shade being nowhere near her skin tone.

But, the brand sent her their new shades. And in her new review that reached 16.2 million views, she says, 'You guys have no idea how happy I am right now, like look at that, it’s literally perfect. I can finally use a cushion foundation!'

Instead of dismissing criticism, TIRTIR used it to make their product better.

They’re going global. As said earlier, cushion foundations are literally so cool. They’re super common in Korea, but not so much in the West. So for TIRTIR to expand this brand is a bold but genius step. Not only are they now the most inclusive K-beauty brand, but also number one selling on Amazon.

If you’re still wondering what the hype is about this beauty product… you just don’t get it. Most of the time, K-beauty foundations are also formulated with skincare. This means you aren’t just getting coverage but benefits for your skin too.

With K-beauty going viral on social media everywhere, it is an insanely smart move to expand cushion foundations of this sort to the West.

What can they improve on?

Give us more. No, we aren’t ungrateful. We’re just saying there's room for improvement. There are still people out there who can’t find their perfect shade. Crystal Nicole tried on the darkest shade on her TikTok video and shared, 'I really wanted this to work, I love this formula, but it is not deep enough for me.'

We definitely need more shades! Thankfully, TIRTIR has now rolled out 30 shades, with 10 more on the way.

What can we learn from this?

• Listen to the feedback you are getting, and improve. There’s a reason reviews are a thing. So use them to your advantage. By doing so, you’ll improve as a brand.

• Think bigger. You may want to expand to a larger audience. Just keep in mind you may have to make a few tweaks to appeal to more people.

• Figure out where your audience is. If there’s a certain platform where people are talking about your brand, go on there and interact. Engage with and show people your ideas. You’ll boost your brand visibility and credibility, and you’re bound to create some buzz, too.

-Visha, Intern