Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Sharon Chuter, a trailblazer whose vision reshaped the beauty industry and inspired a generation. From her early days in Nigeria, daring to bring global brands to her home country as a teenager, to founding UOMA Beauty, Sharon showed us what it means to dream boldly and act courageously.
Her work went beyond makeup. She built a brand rooted in inclusion, where every skin tone, every story, and every identity had a place. She reminded the world that beauty is a celebration of individuality, creativity, and humanity.
Sharon challenged the norms. With campaigns like #PullUpForChange, she demanded transparency, accountability, and real change in an industry that often resisted it. Her legacy is not measured in sales or awards, but in the lives she touched, the conversations she started, and the doors she opened for others. Sharon showed us that one brave voice, one visionary dream, and one unwavering commitment to doing what’s right can spark movements that ripple across the globe.
Here are 7 Things Sharon Chuter has taught us:
Beauty is a space where everyone belongs
“For me as a Black woman, you learn from a very young age that everything about you is wrong… I wanted to create a community where everybody can feel included and welcome.”
Inclusion is more than shades
“Anybody who has worked with me knows if it doesn’t work on all skin tones, it won’t exist. Inclusivity is about more than just shades, it is about making everyone feel seen.”
Change happens when we challenge the industry
“Pull Up For Change was supposed to be brand suicide! But the work that needs to be done is more important than Sharon’s bank account.”
True beauty celebrates individuality
“The beauty industry is very exclusive. I couldn’t work in an industry and see that I was enabling a narrow definition of what beauty means.”
Courage is choosing what’s right
“Every brand should stand for something. If you don’t stand for something, then you really need to rethink your place in the world.”
Creativity with purpose sparks innovation
“I get an inspiration, I get a thought, I get an idea, and then I backfill the product… That’s how we create something meaningful.”
Legacy is leaving the world better
“I saw a problem and was brave enough to raise my hand and offer a solution… That’s what I want my legacy to be: the girl who tried.”
Today, we honor her not just as a beauty innovator, but as a changemaker, a mentor, and a true leader. Her spirit lives on in every act of inclusion, every challenge to the status quo, and every space where everyone is made to feel welcome.
