While most of you are dusting away the webs spun by spiders, we here have become engrossed in a few stories and can’t help but wonder how the monsters in makeup have become entangled in these webs of controversy. To add a spicy touch to your day, there is no need to wait until the weekends to browse through the gossip section of another newspaper, for we have listed below some of the most famous beauty brand controversies:
1. Lime Crime
It looks like the brand name was decided after much thought, because where does one even start with this brand? From stealing credit card information to putting across cultural insensitivity in the form of products, Lime Crime has done it all.
Starting with the founder, Doe Deere was dead set to defend the “ChinaDoll Eyeshadow Palette,” which was rather culturally appropriating, ignoring the Chinese cultural intensity. The advertisement and the campaign for the same were twisted in many ways, such as by using Japanese attire for the model and deeming Chinese and Japanese cultures interchangeable. Further, when bloggers and customers expressed their dissatisfaction and concerns, Doe filed a lawsuit against them (literally, a 13-year-old kid).
In 2014, when the customer’s credit card information got stolen due to broken site security, they did not receive reimbursement or a notification about the same. A few days later, the company took to Instagram to report the flaw in big blocks of color, to which the public reacted furiously.
They have also been using a formula that is not approved by the FDA. To nobody’s surprise, the chemicals have yet to be removed.
2. Kylie Cosmetics
After the evident and major setbacks suffered by the beauty brand owned by one of the youngest (and hottest) models in the industry, people are left to wonder whether Kylie should have stopped being an influencer! From strongly scented eyeshadow palettes to lumpy lip gloss applicators, the product quality did not match the hype. (Late and overpriced shipping was of no help either.) Well, the quality could be raised, but our concern is the allegations: Kylie has been caught with the allegation of stealing intellectual property from a well-known makeup artist.
Besides that, after the rebranding of Kylie Cosmetics, if you got confused between them and ColorPop, it’s not you, it’s them! With shared laboratories, similar product formulas, and the same owners, the rumors might be true that new Kylie Cosmetic products are old ColorPop repackaged.
3. MAC Cosmetics
It is quite likely that big names only function with the goal of profit since this social media user’s favorite brand is not fault-free or cruelty-free. This brand, known for its inclusivity and variety of product lines, is guilty of launching several items that offended cultural sentiments. On the basis of cultural cooperation, the brand had to pull out its collection “Native Tribe” as it “grossly played into the stereotype of tribal culture,” as mentioned by one of the activists on social media. The brand also turned a cold shoulder to social injustice in its collaboration with Rodarte. The Mexico-inspired collection was a hit until people came across one of its nail paints named ‘Juarez’. The act was distasteful, especially for an esteemed brand like MAC, because the name was after a border-town factory where many young girls are employed. The young woman reportedly went missing while returning from work, and the investigation is not as strong as expected in a case this serious since it is only about poor women whose lives are at stake.
4. L’Oreal
Another day, another encounter with a tone-deaf situation in the world of beauty! L’Oreal, a famous name among beauty enthusiasts, does not hold back from exploiting the legal loophole that allows product testing on animals. The brand, however, was a cruelty-free brand before it decided to weigh profits above consideration. Acting as a parent brand to the absolute drugstore favorites, Maybelline and Lancôm, all of them continue to test on animals under the Chinese guideline that states all foreign makeup products must undergo animal testing before launching in the market. We hope for better launches in the future.
5. ZPalette
To revolutionize the concept of buying and using cosmetics, the company launched a “game-changing” product, which they pushy called the ‘Z-Potter’. It was a product that would assist you in melting your existing beauty items, such as lipsticks or foundations, and repurposing them into personalized palettes that could be used later. The hype was all gone once the customers received this 85-dollar “hot plate”. The price we have to pay to dampen the fear of missing out is pretty hefty.
When customers filed complaints and reviews that revealed the truth, the company established itself as a bitter bully with a response that reinforced the idea that the company was not interested in retaining customers who were not worthy of their class. Two major beauty influencers bid the brand goodbye in lieu of their quality and mannerisms. Though, after the break-through, the prices of this makeup induction have been reduced, even so, the manner and methodology we are not very sure of!
See Also: 5 Things to Keep in Mind While Buying a Beauty Product
