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Sharon Chuter, the founder and former CEO of Uoma Beauty, has died at the age of 38. According to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Chuter passed away on August 14. The cause of death is still under investigation. In her newsletter Ahead of the Kirb, Kirbie Johnson reported that a source with knowledge of the situation said that a former Uoma executive had first shared the news with former colleagues last week.
Chuter was the founder of makeup brand Uoma Beauty and its sister brand Uoma Beauty By Sharon C, which launched in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Uoma was celebrated for its inclusive shade ranges and its mission to champion underrepresented voices, especially the voices of Black women, in the beauty industry.
Chuter often referred to Uoma as a brand that sought to champion inclusivity through its products and social messaging. "I'm here to start a movement [and] to encourage people and make them know that they have a voice," Chuter told Allure in 2020. This was seen through products like the Best of Beauty-winning Say What!? Foundation, which launched with 51 shades. It was heralded at the time for being one of the few foundations that rivaled Fenty Beauty’s then-groundbreaking 40 shades. (Uoma also won a Best of Beauty Award for its Black Magic lipsticks.)
Uoma’s mission was also reflected in projects such as Pull Up For Change, an online initiative Chuter started in 2020 that challenged big companies, especially those in the beauty industry, to be transparent about the racial makeup of their employee bases and leadership teams.
In May 2023, Chuter announced via an Instagram post that she had stepped down from her role as Uoma’s CEO and resigned from its board of directors. A couple of months after her departure, the brand ceased operations and went silent on social media until it was later acquired by The MacArthur Companies, an offshoot of a venture capital brand, in December 2023. Uoma relaunched under its new ownership in December of 2024; the following February, Chuter filed a lawsuit against MacArthur and other involved parties for alleged fraudulent transfer of assets, among other allegations. The lawsuit was ongoing at the time of her death.
Even after Chuter left the brand, Uoma still bears her legacy. The founder’s Nigerian heritage was central to the brand’s identity—the name “Uoma” itself translates to "beautiful" in Igbo. Last December, the brand’s current owners told us that they plan to carry on Chuter’s intentions: “Our mission is to create a space by our community, for our community, where everyone feels valued and represented,” Uoma’s then-CEO Tony Bash said at the time.
Leaders and creatives across the beauty industry are sharing their condolences and sentiments on social media following the announcement of Chuter’s death. “Rest Well. Thank you for your courage and strength,” Melissa Butler, CEO and founder of The Lip Bar, wrote in the comment section of one Chuter’s last Instagram posts. Makeup artist and brand founder Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks wrote under the same post, “Thank you for your championship fight for diversity, equity, and to be valued as Black brand founders. Sad your light ended so soon.” Cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson also reflected on the luminosity that Chuter brought to her work: “You were such a bright light that broke so many barriers.”
Several remembrances of Chuter described her as a “force”—strong in her convictions and clear in her vision for a more inclusive beauty industry. It’s a vision that will hopefully live on.
