Uoma Beauty founder, MUA and champion for diversity in the industry, Sharon Chuter, has passed away aged 38.
Nigerian-born Chuter, whose career in beauty spanned two decades with positions at L’Oréal and LVMH, died in Los Angeles, US, on 14 August.
She launched Uoma Beauty in 2019, setting out to bring inclusive and diverse products to the mass cosmetics market.
The make-up brand launched to market with 50 shades of foundation, pigmented pallettes and “Badass Icon” lipsticks named after singers Diana Ross, Tina Turner and Whitney Houston.
Chuter’s cause of death is still under investigation.
Chuter’s impact goes beyond beauty, with the MUA known for her philanthropic approach and dedication to making beauty a safe space for all.
In 2020, following the impact of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, she launched non-profit Pull Up for Change – pushing for beauty brands to share the number of people of colour working in leadership roles.
Her work prompted major brands, including e.l.f Cosmetics and Huda Beauty, to publicly champion their Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees.
In 2023, following five years at the helm of Uoma Beauty, Chuter stepped down from her CEO position.
She explained in an Instagram post how health concerns had pushed her to step back.
“After five long years as a CEO and 17 years of corporate grind, I have decided to give up the suit for good and say farewell to the boardroom,” she wrote in the Instagram post.
“I started my 2023 in the hospital mid-Jan.
“I lost 10kgs in one week, doctors thought it may be stomach cancer but luckily it wasn’t, and I’m back ok, albeit forced into medical leave which was the true story of my sabbatical.”
Earlier this year, Chuter filed a lawsuit against MacArthur Beauty LCC, who bought the brand’s assets in December 2023, and BrainTrust Fund, the investor group behind the brand, claiming the brand’s assets were fraudulently sold.
The lawsuit also alleged that Chuter was illegally forced out of her CEO role while on medical leave by the investor group, although the case is still unresolved.
Chuter’s death has sent shockwaves throughout the beauty industry, with founders and fans alike sharing tributes to the trailblazer.
Her impact on the beauty industry will not be forgotten.