Nykhor Paul Instagram: Model's Open Letter To Makeup Artists About Dealing With Black Skin

Model Nykhor Paul Pens Powerful Letter To Makeup Artists Working With Black Skin

Two weeks ago, Nykhor Paul joined the chorus of black models exposing inequality in the fashion industry by sharing her struggles on Instagram.

The South Sudanese beauty posted an open letter addressing all the "white people in the fashion world", specifically makeup artists who don't know how to work with models with darker complexions.

The 25-year-old asked, "Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the other white girls don't have to do anything but show up?"

Read the full letter below:

But while the post received a huge amount of support for speaking out about undercover racism, many users also labelled Paul racist herself.

The model took to Instagram again earlier this week to address the issue with another inspiring open letter, below:

Dear white people in the fashion world! All women are beautiful in their own skin whether you are black, white, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian. Beauty is diverse and it deserved to be appreciated and honored by true artist who are free of prejudice or racism. I am not a racist, I am a human being expressing herself about the lack of diversity in the fashion world. Black models have never been a priority in this industry and they never will be if we don't addressed the root causes. Clearly there is a serious issue facing our world and we as a people are choosing to hide from the truth. We are a society that is too sensitive to the truth but we are hurting and have been for generations. You can't speak your mind as a black person without someone labeling you as an angry black woman, I mean how would white women feels if every time they tried to speak what's happening to them someone calls them names? How would a white girl feel to walk in my shoes as a blue black African girl in this western world? Learn to handle the truth without using racism as an escape goat every time so we can have a healthy dialogue about us and the issues facing us today. I am a child of Africa with many shades of darkness and have no hate for another human being in this world because I was raise to love all things life under God light. I am blue black and proud of it, I am beautiful in my own skin no matter how dark and scary people might feel around me. Embrace your blackness!!! #RefugeeGirl #SouthSudan #WeAreNilotic #Modellife #NiloticQueen #NiloticGirl #BlueBlack #Akobogirl #BlackModelsRock #Africangirlsrock #BlackBird #BeautyandPeace #WalkingArt #Africanstakingover #onepeople #onetribe #OneAfrica #ILOVEAFRICA. @marieclairesa

A photo posted by nykhor (@nykhor) on

Beauty blogger Segun Garuba from Lotions, Potions & Me told HuffPost UK Style that she agrees with Paul's statements about how darker skin tones are often an afterthought.

"As a blogger, I'm frequently invited to new product launches, only to arrive and find that they don't have any of the darker shades available! Which means I have to make a special request to the PR or the brand itself to see the shade at a later date." she said.

"Its frustrating and annoying and leaves me feeling excluded from the very industry I'm passionate about."

In her second post, Paul writes that "Beauty is diverse and it deserved (sic) to be appreciated and honored" - and we think the fashion industry needs to take note.

Donyale Luna

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