Long gone are the days of Cindy Crawford, Christie Brinkley, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss. No longer do these faces grace the pages of every high fashion magazine.  Welcome to the new “IT” factor – we talking Beyonce, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong’o, Kim Kardashian- all of which have more voluptuous figures, filler lips and of course darker skin.

Over the past decade, African, Latin and Asian cultures have gained a far greater appreciation for their beauty resulting in Caucasian women also desiring this more “exotic” look. This shift in perception of beauty is certainly a sign of the times and ethnic women are now the centre of attention with companies earning billions each year in the US multi-cultural beauty market.

We see dark, thick eyebrows, mainly associated with Indian women, become the preferred eyebrow grooming methods and natural brown hair tones instead of platinum or bleached blonde colours. Also the practice of sewing in hair extensions, a technique popularly used for African-American hair, is being followed by Caucasian females.

Celebrities, the O Magazine, music and movies continuously help promote ethnic beauty and appeal to a more multicultural look instead of an overly Caucasian appearance. Ethnic women are not just embracing the trends- they are indeed setting them.  Yes, ethnic is the new “IT” factor.