Sharon Chuter, the founder of Uoma Beauty, has died at the age of 38.
According to People, the Nigerian-born US-based beauty executive’s death was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The examiner said Chuter was found unresponsive in the outdoor area of a residence in Los Angeles on August 14.
The cause of death is listed as deferred, indicating it remains under investigation, with no further details provided.
Chuter was the founder and creative director of UOMA and its sister line, UOMA by Sharon C, launched in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
She worked with brands like L’Oréal and LVMH — and convinced Revlon to distribute its products in Nigeria.
UOMA earned recognition as an inclusive beauty brand, offering foundation in 51 shades.
Beyond her work as a beauty executive, Chuter was outspoken in challenging industry leaders to embrace genuine diversity.
In 2020, she launched the Pull Up For Change initiative, which gave companies 72 hours to disclose the percentage of Black employees in their corporate and leadership positions.
The campaign also urged consumers to withhold support from brands until they revealed their workforce.
In 2021, Chuter launched the Make It BLACK campaign with a petition calling upon all major dictionaries to add the current elevated and positive use of the word black while removing dangerous definition.
In 2023, Chuter stepped down as CEO of UOMA, citing health struggles and a lack of work-life balance.
