Your Fave is Problematic: Beauty Edition

Many beauty companies, icons, and bloggers have begun calling attention to the faults of others in the makeup industry. There is the obvious and recent conflict between Jeffree Star and Kat Von D, as well as many people boycotting Lime Crime. This drama brings to light an important question: who is really innocent? Who can you confidently support in the makeup industry?

Lime Crime is a company widely known simply for being hated. There is even an FAQ page on their website dedicated to clearing up the controversy surrounding their brand (although, it is a difficult page to find). Though they claim to be a fully vegan company, they have a history of misleading and mislabeling their products. Their notorious Velvetines, a line of liquid lipsticks, were labeled as vegan after a “formula change” that rid the product of beeswax. However, the ingredients list on the website was changed before the actual formula, so customers ordering vegan lipsticks received products containing beeswax. Their website was also hacked for several months and caused many customers to lose thousands of dollars. Yes, this could happen to any company, but the website was left vulnerable for more than four months. An apologetic letter was sent out, but customers were bothered that the letter was not signed by Doe Deere herself. The owner, Doe Deere, is known for deleting any criticism or negativity (even going so far as to file lawsuits against anyone speaking out against her company) and claiming that she is protecting her company from “harassment and bullying.” You may also know her from her Adolf Hitler Halloween costume, the cultural appropriation of the China Doll Palette, and constant unprofessional behavior.

This website already features a wonderful article about Jeffree Star’s issues, as well as one about him being cut off by Kat Von D, but what about the issues of Kat Von D herself? Kat is another makeup artist turned entrepreneur who produces cruelty-free products and is widely popular for her liquid eyeliner, contour palette, and liquid lipsticks. Her products are in fact cruelty-free, but have been given offensive names in the past. One was an ableist slur, “Celebut*rd,” which Sephora pulled and apologized for. Kat Von D herself tweeted that it was just a lipstick, but deleted the tweet soon after. She also continues to sell the shade “Underage Red,” which people find disgusting and uncomfortable. Her comment on the issue was that anyone who took it to be encouraging rape culture was twisted themselves, as she considers herself a strong feminist. There are many anti-Semitic accusations as well, including a hateful gift given to a former coworker featuring a swastika signature and referring to them as a “jewbag.” Kat claims this was forged, but others say they witnessed her handing it to the owner of Miami Ink.

The chairman of Clinique Industries, Ronald Lauder, is the former president and current Chairman of the Board for the Jewish National Fund, which is “committed to building Israel’s future.” Though they have made positive efforts towards protecting Israel’s environment, they only present a one state solution towards the Israel-Palestine conflict. Their main mission is to remove native Palestinians from their land and give it to Jewish Israelis.

Giving your money to a company makes you a vital part of that company. You are a consumer, and without you they are nothing. By supporting corrupt companies who offend, mislead, and lie to their customers, you are encouraging them to continue their problematic behavior without any consequences. Knowing who you are supporting is an essential part of being a good consumer.

So, what stores? Here are some wonderful beauty and cosmetic companies that are highly recommended for cruelty-free and guilt-free shopping.

1. Beauty Bakerie is an adorable black-owned company that sells lip, eye, and eyebrow products.
2. Black Up is a high-end company that specializes in makeup for women of color. They provide a full range of cosmetics with a large variety of shades for diverse skin tones.
3. Gold Label Cosmetics is a lip company focused on female empowerment and unique, personal beauty.
4. LUSH Cosmetics is a well-known company specializing in bath and skin care products as well as contributing to many charities and activism through their blog posts.
5. There is also Foxie Cosmetics, a company similar to LUSH but black-owned and completely vegan. Their products are in high demand, but you can follow them on instagram for updates regarding restocks.