Beauty Fix with Naomi Shimada - Inclusive Make-up with The Plastic Boy

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Model Naomi Shimada speaks to a pioneering blogger about beauty without boundaries.

Gary Thompson AKA The Plastic Boy first fell in love with make-up as a teenager in Birmingham, even though shades to suit his skin tone were hard to find. Later, when he couldn't find black male beauty bloggers to inspire him in the UK, he decided to start his own channel. Since breaking into the mainstream with an appearance in a landmark make-up advert in 2016, he's been using his platform to speak out.

In a conversation recorded in the months following the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, Gary tells Naomi about the inequalities he still sees within the beauty industry, from advertising campaigns to board rooms and from cosmetics counters to social media.

Presenter: Naomi Shimada
Producer: Kirsty McQuire
Editor: Rebecca Stratford

If you are affected by issues raised in this episode you can get more information at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Photo: Gary Thompson/ Naomi Shimada Credit: Jade Keshia Gordon/ BBC

Published on Friday, 26th March 2021.

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