Shayla Mitchell can definitely teach you a thing or two about applying makeup. Her YouTube channel, MakeupShayla, where she has more than 500k subscribers, is comprised of in-depth makeup tutorials on how to fashion everything from a humble highlight to a full-on slay. However, it’s her latest tutorial that has the beauty world shook.
Last week on Instagram, where she has 2.6 million followers, the beauty influencer posted a photo of herself donning a dramatic smoky eye, nude lip, and a subtle highlight with dark paint dripping down her hands. Many of us began to speculate the arrival of a new makeup collection. In the popular YouTube tutorial, Shayla shows us how to use the seven products from her #ShaylaxColourpop collection which dropped today at 1 p.m. ET.
If you know anything about Colourpop, then you know that their products are affordable — this entire collection retails for $65. With the collection releasing today, ESSENCE caught up with Shayla to tell us about her inspiration for the line and to discuss how this collaboration lends itself to the push for inclusivity in the beauty industry.
The pigment-rich lipsticks, highlighters, eyeshadow pallet, and sparkly lip topper are just the icing on the cake. Furthermore, each product is Black-girl friendly. “I made sure that every shade in this collection would work for as many people as possible,” she tells ESSENCE. “When I come out with products I want everyone to be able to wear them, you know? That’s just one of the reasons why I appreciate ColourPop because they’re all about inclusivity and just everybody.”
The collection’s Perception eyeshadow palette that retails at $23, is an extension of the former pro makeup artist’s push for inclusion.
“When I was designing the packaging, I really wanted the paint splatter because it just spoke to me. I feel like we can all relate to it and so that’s why I named it Perception,” she says. And what was most important for Shayla is that when people look at her palette, they’re able to find something that speaks to them.
She carried this same line of thinking over to creating a highlighter. “The yellow highlighter Booming has more of a yellow undertone and then the deeper shade Pose has more of that peachy coppery tone. I really wanted to make sure that it was going to work for my skin tone and deeper, and they do,” she says.
Thankfully, neither of the highlighters will make you look ashy or grey, like so many do. Best of all your soon-to-be favorites won’t break the bank since both retail at just $7.
The product we’re most excited about from the collection is the Quickie lipstick, the perfect pinky nude. Finding the perfect nude lipstick for Black women is never an easy feat but of course Shayla nailed it.
“Do not put on a nude lip without lipliner. To get the perfect nude lip, line your lip and then apply Quickie,” she shares. Like the bronzers, the lipsticks also retail for just $7 each.
Shayla’s collaboration with ColorPop is a part of her larger goal to make brands more diverse. “I want people to know that regardless of their skin tone, that there’s a place for them with makeup,” she shares. We’ve long been a fan of Shayla’s and couldn’t be happier she’s using her platform to push the industry forward.
