How a Woman With Vitiligo Changed This Makeup Artist’s Outlook on Life
Brooklyn-based beauty influencer Tameeca Dieujuste, better known as Khloe Dosh, recognizes that beauty is within the eye of the beholder. So she tapped Carlene John, a model with vitiligo, to star in one of her Instagram makeup tutorial videos.
In the clip, Dieujuste demonstrates how to cover up the uneven skin tone caused by vitiligo by painting John’s face with makeup, including color correctors and foundation.
In just a few short days, the video has already gained 10 million views and lots of mixed opinions. While some people praised Dieujuste’s work, others disapproved, arguing that she shouldn’t have masked John’s vitiligo with makeup.
The beauty pro not only applies makeup to John’s face, but she also narrates with moving words to illustrate her primary purpose for creating the video.
“This makeup you wear isn’t meant to hide who you are or diminish your natural beauty. You’re a human. You’re allowed options. You’re allowed change,” says Dieujuste. “If there is any animal they should compare you to, it’s a chameleon because of your beauty’s range. When you look in the mirror, you should see how special you are. God decided to paint you in his own special design. He couldn’t choose one shade so he blessed you with both.”
Dieujuste tells Yahoo Beauty that after creating a video with a close friend on the meaning of friendship, she was inspired to help people through Instagram.
“There are so many people with large platforms that can inspire, or help someone out there who watches us and what we do. Although I love entertaining and I love doing my own makeup, I want my followers to know that they’re not alone and there are different kind of people out there. Not just what is praised on social media. I want them to know it’s OK being yourself,” she says.
This was Dieujuste’s first time applying makeup on someone with vitiligo, but she went mainly with her gut in terms of direction and technique. She explains, “Before starting her makeup, I asked Carlene whether her skin got irritated when applying makeup. We talked about the kind of makeup she used on herself and if any parts of her hurt or would act negatively towards certain makeup, but she assured me that she was fine.”
She uses a combination of L.A. Girl Cosmetics HD Pro Conceal in Peach Corrector, Fawn and Toast, Huda Beauty Liquid Matte lipstick in Showgirl, Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark, and Forever 21 Matte Eyeshadow palette to complete John’s transformation.
This incredible vitiligo makeup transformation has received lots of praise, and even caught the attention of popular model Winnie Harlow, who also has vitiligo.
She reposted the video and thanked Dieujuste for her heartfelt narration. “We live in a time of social media, where everyone with a keyboard thinks they have the right to a negative opinion or to judge each other when really the best use of our platforms are empathy, understanding and support. We all have insecurities, and we are different, yet so much alike,” Harlow wrote in the caption.
When speaking of John’s beauty, Dieujuste says, “To be honest, years ago, I wouldn’t have understood that kind of beauty, and that’s what intrigued me. Most of the stereotypes I speak about were things I would laugh or joke about when I was younger and ignorant. It wasn’t until I opened my mind and heart and got older that I realized that being different didn’t make you less beautiful.”
She continues, “I have family members with the same condition, and I use to stare and wonder what it was. I used Carlene not just for how beautiful she was, but because of how confident she was and to educate others the way many people such as herself have educated me.”
Ultimately, Diejuste says, she wants “people to start listening more, with their ears and not with their eyes.” She adds, “I want people to realize that makeup artists aren’t perfect, that models and artists don’t wear makeup because they hate themselves, that it’s OK to switch it up sometimes. If you have an opportunity to uplift someone or to make someone feel beautiful, you should always take it.”
Dieujuste’s message for makeup shamers? “It makes no sense to shame something you come and look for. … It’s much easier to stay away from things you don’t like than it is to take time and tell us how much you hate it.”
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