Creating a concealer for a beauty community that truly celebrates our brand meant we knew exactly who we wanted to be the faces of the campaign: you. Our Make Face Camouflage Concealer and Colour Corrector was designed for your skin, so we wanted to show how it really looks, feels and wears on you.
Amba was one of our community models we selected at our casting day. As a qualified makeup artist and an ambassador for the Birthmark Support Group, we knew she’d bring real passion and authenticity to the campaign. We’re so proud to have her involved and to show anyone with a visible skin difference that they’re seen and celebrated, however they choose to wear their makeup.
We sat down with Amba to talk about representation in the beauty industry, her go-to makeup techniques, and what she hopes we all take away from her story.
What do you think of representation for visible differences in the beauty industry?
There has definitely been positive progress in the beauty industry over the last five years, and I feel incredibly honoured to be part of that change by helping showcase greater representation, but I believe there is still so much more that can be done.
I think for some brands, inclusivity can sometimes feel like a tick-box exercise, where someone with a visible difference is featured once in a campaign but isn’t represented again, or the campaign is very short-lived. I’d love to see representation become a consistent and genuine part of the industry, rather than something used occasionally to demonstrate a brand’s “diversity”.
What do you wish beauty brands understood about products for those with visible skin differences?
I wish beauty brands understood that people with visible differences don’t necessarily want to hide who they are. They want products that give them a choice, whether that’s to cover their skin or to highlight and enhance their differences.
Products should allow people to feel confident in who they are, with a wider range of shades and coverage options that work with different skin conditions and sensitivities. But most importantly, people with visible differences want to be seen, heard and empowered by beauty brands through their products, packaging and marketing.
Do you use makeup to enhance or conceal your birthmark?
Both! There are days I choose to cover my birthmark with makeup to help me feel more confident. However, I also love using makeup creatively to showcase my birthmark through colour and illusion; it allows me to express feelings I feel now or previously have that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.
What kind of coverage do you prefer in a concealer?
I’ve always been a full-coverage girlie! When I choose to fully conceal my birthmark, I want a highly pigmented formula that provides maximum coverage without needing to apply lots of layers, as this can quickly look heavy and really unnatural.
What were your first impressions of the By BEAUTY BAY concealer?
I love that the product is full coverage, as it gives me the flexibility to either lightly cover my birthmark or build the coverage to conceal it completely. With the wide range of shades, the concealers can be used as foundation, brightening concealer and contour.
Will you bring the By BEAUTY BAY concealer into your everyday routine?
Of course! Finding a concealer that sits comfortably under my eyes has been a challenge, particularly as I have glaucoma in both eyes and need to use eye drops regularly throughout the day. I’m really impressed by how lightweight and blendable the By BEAUTY BAY concealer feels, as I often find heavier formulas crease or wear away when using my eye drops.
As a qualified MUA, what’re your birthmark concealing techniques for those who wish to?
I would 100% recommend starting with colour correction. This is one of the reasons I love this new Make Face range, as it includes both a green and an orange, which are perfect for neutralising birthmark tones.
Step 1: Apply the green colour corrector over red or pink areas, and the orange over purple or blue tones on the birthmark. Without colour correction, tones can show through and leave the overall finish looking uneven, grey or ashy.
Step 2: Next, apply concealer directly over the most pigmented areas, gradually blending the product outwards into the surrounding skin. This keeps the coverage where you need it, while diffusing the edges to blend seamlessly.
Step 3: The key is to use thin, targeted layers rather than applying lots of product all over. This gives you the coverage you want while keeping the finish looking natural and skin-like, rather than heavy or mask-like.
Step 4: Finally, set everything into place with a translucent loose powder to help lock the makeup in and keep your coverage looking fresh.
What would you say to someone who feels the need to hide their birthmark?
I would love to say, “You don’t need to cover it up, just be yourself,” but I know better than most: the societal pressure to look like everyone else, and sometimes covering your birthmark with makeup or clothing can feel like the easier choice.
My biggest piece of advice now would be to make sure you’re doing it for yourself, rather than for other people’s approval, and to talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling, as deciding to conceal such a visible part of yourself can be a really big decision.
Growing up, I never had a role model who looked like me or understood what I was going through, so being that person for someone else is incredibly important to me. I want people within the birthmark community to know that they don’t have to face these feelings alone, and if I can help one young person feel less alone, then I know I’ve done my job as an ambassador.
What do you want people to take away from your story?
I hope people take away the importance of kindness and acceptance. People with visible differences can face discrimination because of their appearance, something that can feel particularly difficult within the beauty and makeup industry, where unrealistic beauty standards are often portrayed.
Earlier this year, I experienced hurtful and abusive comments about my birthmark while visiting a store, which deeply affected my confidence and changed the way I saw myself. I hope sharing my story through this campaign can help others, especially younger people, embrace their differences and feel empowered rather than feeling they need to hide them.
I believe it’s time for beauty and makeup brands to represent visible differences more authentically, because everyone deserves to feel seen, heard and represented within the beauty industry.