Sharon Chuter, Uoma Beauty Founder and Diversity Advocate, Dies at 38

Sharon Chuter, the Nigerian-born entrepreneur who reshaped the beauty industry with her unapologetic push for diversity, has died at the age of 38 in Los Angeles. Authorities say she was found on a patio on 14 August, and her cause of death remains under investigation.

Sharon Chuter was best known as the founder of Uoma Beauty, which she launched in 2019 at Ulta with more than 100 products, including a foundation range spanning 51 shades.

Before striking out on her own, she held senior roles at global beauty giants such as L’Oréal, LVMH, and Revlon, where she famously persuaded the brand to distribute products in Nigeria.

A Voice for Change in Beauty

In 2020, amid global protests over racial injustice, Sharon Chuter founded Pull Up for Change and the viral #PullUpOrShutUp campaign.

The initiative challenged beauty companies to reveal the number of Black employees in leadership within 72 hours of being called out, urging consumers to hold brands accountable with their spending power.

“I’ve always been the person who speaks up… I don’t have it in me to just sit it out,” she told The Drew Barrymore Show in 2022.

Her activism extended to the Make It BLACK campaign, which partnered with major beauty brands to repackage products in black and direct profits to Black-owned businesses and emerging founders.

Stepping Down and Legal Battle

In 2023, Sharon Chuter stepped down as Uoma’s CEO following a serious health scare that led to extended medical leave. While she initially cited the need for a healthier work-life balance, she later suggested her departure was not entirely voluntary.

Earlier this year, she filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against MacArthur Beauty, BrainTrust, and Settle Funding. The suit alleged that BrainTrust took control of Uoma’s operations during her leave, pushed her out of her role, and halted the brand’s activities.

She accused the defendants of fraudulent transfer, unjust enrichment, and the misappropriation of nearly $50 million in assets.

The companies denied her claims, stating she had resigned from the board after appointing an interim CEO who conducted a forensic accounting review.

Chuter’s death leaves unresolved legal disputes and a void in an industry she helped transform. Her work forced global beauty brands to confront uncomfortable truths about representation, and she inspired a generation of consumers and entrepreneurs to demand better.

No memorial details have been released, and the investigation into her death continues.