Who was Sharon Chuter? Uoma beauty founder death under LA police investigation

Sharon Chuter, the founder and CEO of Uoma Beauty, has passed away at the age of 38. While the cause of her death has not yet been confirmed, she was reportedly found dead on a patio on August 14, and her case is currently under investigation, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner.

In her newsletter Ahead of the Kirb, Kirbie Johnson reported that it also remains unclear whether Chuter was found dead in her house. Johnson also cited a source with direct knowledge of the situation who claimed a former executive from Chuter's beauty brand informed other employees of her death.

No further details related to Sharon Chuter's passing have been released at this time.

Meanwhile, Uoma Beauty addressed the passing of their founder in an Instagram post, stating:

"Sharon Chuter's passing is deeply saddening news, and our thoughts and condolences go out to her family & loved ones during this difficult time."

"I've always felt excluded from the beauty conversation": Sharon Chuter reflects on her inspiration behind Uoma Beauty

Sharon Chuter founded Uoma Beauty in 2019. The inclusive beauty brand was stocked in Ulta Beauty stores across the United States and features a wide range of products, with its most standout offering being a foundation line in 51 shades.

Opening about the inspiration behind her brand, with Refinery29, Sharon stated:

"Uoma was born out of my personal experiences and frustrations in the beauty industry. I am a proud, Black, Nigerian woman, and I've always felt excluded from the beauty conversation," she told Refinery29 in November 2019.

During the interview, she explained that in Nigeria, despite being "a country with a majority Black population," individuals are still expected to exist by Western standards of beauty, like lighter skin and straight hair, which makes it difficult for other people to find makeup products that match their skin tones.

To address this issue, she launched Uoma, which means "beautiful" in her native Igbo language.

"Many brands try to sell to Black women, but do not know the Black woman. As a brand, Uoma celebrates and is conscious of our Afro-heritage. We are a brand by Black people for the world," she told the outlet.

Meanwhile, in an interview with WWD in 2019, Chuter, who had worked for major beauty brands like LVMH, Revlon, and L'Oréal before starting her own, also stated that diversity and inclusivity had become a "hot topic" for many brands, which they wanted to "tick off their list." As a person of color, she felt these efforts lacked depth and were simply "shallow."

"I understand how it feels to be born feeling different - not different good, but different bad. I’ve always been a misfit. It was important for me to give my own take on inclusivity and diversity, which is simply allowing people to be their ultimate selves, and something I don’t think the industry is understanding. I appreciate uniqueness and stories. Who is behind the shade? What is their origin story and what do they want? And how do we create a world that allows for these different views?" she said.

Apart from launching her inclusive beauty brand in June 2020, she also started the #PullUpOrShutUp movement, which challenged corporate workers to "go beyond posting black squares and making donations" and reveal the number of Black employees working in their firms.

"The Result? - The Birth of a movement which mobilized over 110k people in 7 days and a viral campaign that made a lasting impact within Corporate America with over 300 companies publicly releasing diversity reports for the first time, and going beyond that to set tangible and measurable goals publicly aimed at increasing Black representation in corporate, management and leadership roles," the website adds.

In 2023, Sharon Chuter stepped down as CEO of Uoma Beauty but remained a shareholder.