Help My Nude Shade Reach More People of Color
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Hey, there!
Did you know performers of color often have to dye their tights or improvise with “nude” products that don’t match their skin tone? At My Nude Shade, we’re here to change that.
I’m Ebony, founder of My Nude Shade, a Cleveland-based startup dedicated to empowering performers of color by providing skin-tone apparel and essentials. This October, we celebrated three incredible years of making performers feel seen and supported.
Our Mission
My Nude Shade simplifies shopping for skin-tone apparel, with a special focus on darker skin tones. From tights to bandages, we provide everything performers need to shine confidently under the spotlight.
Why This Matters
As a dark-skinned Black woman in fashion and acting, I know firsthand how frustrating it is to find something as basic as underwear in my skin tone. I’m not alone. Ballet icons like Misty Copeland and Cortney Taylor Key have spoken out about dyeing tights and pancaking pointe shoes because of the lack of options for performers of color.
Photo: Courtesy Cortney Taylor Key (found via a media network)
For too long, people of color have faced limited options when it comes to "nude" products. My Nude Shade is here to change that—one shade at a time.
What We've Done So Far
- Secured partnerships with inclusive brands like Blendz Dancewear, Mariia Dancewear, Browndages, and Black Girl Sunscreen.
- Grown sales by 592% through small-scale advertising and grassroots efforts.
The Impact
Our biggest success is seeing the difference we’re making for performers.
Don’t just take my word for it—here’s what our customers have to say:
*Mariia Dance Tights*
"Perfect shade! Finally found a perfect shade to match my daughters skin tone! What a relief! Thanks to Nude Shade in helping me find a perfect match!" ~Sofie C.
*My Nude Reusable Nipple Covers*
"Love the color. I like that the brown color matches my skin and doesn’t appear gray. I’ve tried another brand and their cocoa shade is gray. This one is actually brown against my skin tone!" ~Tynetta M.
It’s reviews like these that fuel our mission.
Why We Need Your Help
To reach more performers who need us, we must invest in larger, more targeted advertising campaigns. Now, we’re ready to scale up!
Our Goal
$20,000 will allow us to sustain a six-month campaign to:
- Attract 6,500 weekly site visitors.
- Increase returning customer rates by 150–200%.
- Capture 5% of weekly site visitors' emails and SMS signups.
Here’s how your donations will be used:
- $10,000: Instagram, Facebook, and Google ads (including YouTube).
- $6,000: Hiring expert marketers (Google Ads specialist and social media manager).
- $4,000: Creating high-quality content for ads (photoshoots, videos, etc.)
How You Can Help
Your donation isn’t just funding ads—it’s supporting inclusion, representation, and the confidence of performers of color.
Every dollar counts!
If 500 supporters each contribute $40, we’ll hit our goal and continue helping thousands of performers find their perfect match.
If we exceed our goal, we’ll use the extra funds to begin new product development with a local apparel manufacturer
Can’t donate? Sharing this campaign makes a big difference!
Thank you for believing in our mission. Together, we can ensure performers of color have access to the essentials they need to succeed.
Warmly,
Ebony Glass
Founder & CEO, My Nude Shade
Organizer
Ebony Glass
Organizer
Cleveland, OH