Mexican makeup brand Pai Pai pulled its 'A la mexicana' palette over racism accusations

On October 29, 2020, anti-racist writer and essayist Jumko Ogata called out Mexican cosmetics brand Pai Pai's 'A la mexicana' eyeshadow palette as racist. The palette's shade names mapped Mexico's regions onto colors — 'Norteña' (northern) paired with a white shadow, 'Sureña' (southern) with a dark brown — reproducing the country's regional and color hierarchies as a product feature. Ogata also flagged that Pai Pai had taken its name from the Paipai, an indigenous people of northern Baja California, without giving the community ongoing recognition or credit.

The founders capitulated within days. In an Instagram video on November 2, Andrea and Karen — who noted they had once traveled to the Paipai community to ask permission to use the name — announced the palette was being withdrawn from the website and social media 'assuming the costs that this implies. For us it is more important to operate under principles that add and don't subtract.' 'Now we see that it was an error and we assume it fully,' Karen said.

They also announced an advisory council of activists and consumers to guide inclusive, ethical messaging, a working relationship with CONAPRED, Mexico's National Council to Prevent Discrimination, and a dedicated feedback address — while thanking the activists who had reached out to help them understand racism and classism in Mexico.

Mapping Norteña to white and Sureña to dark brown reproduced Mexico's regional and color hierarchies as a product feature.

The brand's own name came from the Paipai people, and critics said recognition and credit had not followed the borrowing.

A named, credible critic — anti-racist essayist Jumko Ogata — turned a palette's shade names into a national racism story.

The founders' customer base was exactly the audience the critique reached, making a fast retreat commercially rational.

Naming a shade after a region is naming a people by their skin tone unless you can prove otherwise — and the community whose name you borrowed is owed more than a palette.

The 'A la mexicana' palette came off the website and social channels with the brand absorbing the costs. The founders committed to an advisory council of activists and users, began working with CONAPRED, and opened a dedicated social-feedback email address. In their video they accepted the criticism in full and thanked the activists who had contacted them to help them understand racism and classism in the country.