Juvia’s Place: Time for a Change!

Disclaimer: I love everything that Juvia’s Place represents and what the brand is all about. I love their quality, hands down. I love their price (disliked the shipping, though). However, nothing is perfect. Therefore, I may or may not have a problem with the colourstory. But that is not what this post is about today. The point being that makeup is NOT essential, you may feel that way, but it does not change the fact that makeup does not equate survival. MU is always a want and never a need. If you are sensitive to constructive critique, please leave.

OK, let's start out with how Juvia’s Place defines themselves...

Juvia’s is a cosmetic brand providing you with the most rich, vibrant and highly pigmented essential colors of life that takes you from the office to the Caribbean Islands and everywhere in between! We created Juvia’s as a way to provide beauty enthusiast an affordable collection of colourful eye shadows, makeup tools and beauty essentials.

We strive to provide you with the most perfectly balanced rich and luscious colors with incredible wearability power every beauty enthusiasts can afford.”

(Fromjuviasplace.com)

Read the "about us" paragraph one more time. Did you notice something? The brand does not explicitly state the inspiration for its theme. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that it’s obvious. And they most likely have promoted or stated their design inspiration on social media. I am not aware of this point; it’s simply an assumption because, as much as I love JP, I refuse to follow them on social media. It’s an incentive my bank account most assuredly does not need.

The theme obviously is beautiful black women in various African cultures’ attire. The packaging design on each and every single palette, simply put, is beautiful, no one can deny that.

But my question is why only African culture? Again, hear me out before you blow a gasket.

The owner Chichi Eburu is the Nigerian-born owner of Juvia’s Place who’s extremely proud of her African heritage, and she should be. She’s an inspiration to WOC. But, correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t the brand itself born in the US of A?

I love their African culture-inspired packaging, each and every one of them, but there are two things that bug me.

1. That, if the brand is doing the same African inspirational theme now, going on to their palette (notwithstanding the limited edition/discontinued ones) without a break, it loses its original appeal and uniqueness that started it all to begin with.
2. What about some designs inspired by black women's’ (and men's) culture, history, and fashion in America?

This really hit me when JP came out with the warrior palette. I think they played it really safe on that one. But, honestly, when it comes to a palette inspired by Wakandian female warriors, I want to see their whole body and the power they carry on the package design. But perhaps that’s just me.

I feel like WOC and especially black women (and men) have a, to be noted, worthwhile, rich story in the realm that is the USA. All I am saying is that black people, men and women, have given us something very inspirational and beautiful in the fashion and entertainment history of the USA. And I would just like to see that one day on Juvia’s packaging design.

I am also not saying that they should stop with the African-inspired packaging. All I am saying is that they need to start considering black people’s culture in other regions, primarily the USA and perhaps even the Caribbeans Islands, now and then. And, at the moment, I feel like it is the time for now, five palettes ago. Just saying.

Palettes that are inspired by people or characters like:

The Storm

The King of Pop

Prince

Whitney Houston

John Stewart/Green Lantern

Princess Tiana

Jazz Music

Hip-Hop

You get the drift. Unless I absolutely don’t know what I am talking about. If that’s the case, forgive me, and let’s move on.

Au revoir mon ami.

XOXO

IG: heeta.joshi ;)