Sharon Chuter, the Nigerian-born entrepreneur who challenged the beauty industry with her focus on inclusion and transparency, has died. She was 38.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed to People that Chuter was found on a patio on Aug. 14. The official cause of death has not yet been determined.
Chuter founded Uoma Beauty in 2019 with a debut collection of more than 100 products at Ulta, including a foundation line offering 51 shades. The launch signaled her intent to make diversity central to the brand.
Before building her own company, Chuter worked for global cosmetics firms including L’Oréal and LVMH. She also persuaded Revlon to expand operations in Nigeria.
Her work gained broader attention in 2020 when she created the Pull Up for Change movement, calling on beauty and fashion companies to disclose within 72 hours how many Black employees they had in leadership. Major brands including MAC, Glossier, and e.l.f. responded.
“The goal was to shine more light to the lack of economic opportunities for the Black community, especially within the beauty space,” Chuter said during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.
She later launched the Make It BLACK initiative in 2021, urging dictionaries to update the definition of the word “Black” and collaborating with beauty companies on limited-edition products packaged in black. Profits were donated to the Pull Up for Change Impact Fund, which supports Black founders and businesses.
In 2023, Chuter announced she was stepping down as CEO of Uoma Beauty after a health scare led to an extended medical leave. She revealed doctors initially feared cancer, and although she recovered, she said years of constant work had taken a toll. She remained a shareholder after her exit.
Earlier this year, she filed a lawsuit against MacArthur Beauty, BrainTrust, and Settle Funding, alleging she was pushed out of her leadership role while on leave and that the brand was shut down prematurely.
Her last public post came in May, when she shared a photo of herself onstage at a beauty event with the caption: “Doing what I do!”
The investigation into her death is ongoing.
