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The global beauty and fashion community is mourning the loss of Sharon Chuter, the visionary entrepreneur and activist best known as the founder of Uoma Beauty and the Pull Up for Change initiative. Chuter, who passed away at the age of 38, leaves behind a legacy defined by innovation, advocacy and an unyielding commitment to inclusivity.
Born in Nigeria, Chuter built a career spanning nearly two decades with some of the world’s leading beauty corporations before striking out on her own. In 2019, she launched Uoma Beauty, a brand whose very name, drawn from the Igbo word for “beautiful people”, embodied its mission to celebrate diversity. Uoma quickly garnered international recognition for its groundbreaking foundation line, offering 51 shades across six formulations designed to honor the complexity of all skin tones.
Beyond her role as a brand founder, Chuter cemented her place as a formidable activist during the 2020 racial justice movement. She established Pull Up for Change, an initiative that challenged global corporations to reveal the representation of Black employees in leadership roles. Under the rallying cry of #PullUpOrShutUp, her campaign ushered in a new era of transparency and accountability within the beauty industry.
In 2021, she extended this mission with the Make It BLACK campaign, which invited brands to repackage products in black designs while channeling proceeds into the Pull Up for Change Impact Fund. The initiative helped provide capital to Black entrepreneurs and emerging founders, expanding her impact well beyond beauty retail.
In 2023, Chuter stepped down as chief executive of Uoma Beauty following a serious health scare, though she remained closely tied to the brand as a shareholder. Uoma later paused operations before being acquired, a transition that became the subject of legal disputes in which Chuter continued to defend her role and vision for the company.
Despite the challenges she faced, Chuter remained a beacon of courage and determination. Industry leaders, colleagues, and admirers have since paid tribute, remembering her as a force of change who married creativity with activism in ways that reshaped beauty culture worldwide.
Sharon Chuter’s passing marks the end of a remarkable journey, but her influence will endure. Through Uoma Beauty, Pull Up for Change and her tireless advocacy, she redefined what it means to be both a leader and a humanitarian in the modern beauty industry.
