- Jaclyn Hill has been dealing with the aftermath of her failed lipstick launch since 2019.
- After years of apologizing to fans, the influencer joked about the controversy on TikTok last month.
- She also announced the closure of two businesses last week, citing her lipsticks as a major factor.
Jaclyn Hill announced her namesake beauty brand via a YouTube video on May 23, 2019.
In the video, Hill detailed her longtime dream of creating a cosmetics brand and showed the sole product her company would launch with: cream lipsticks.
She also swatched each lipstick and shared the inspiration behind every shade name.
"Hang on tight you guys, because there's a lot coming," Hill said at the end of her video. "I was not going to launch a brand, over my dead body, that had one launch, and then just faded away. I am not going to be a one-hit wonder."
"I have so many things coming — so many lab samples that I'm wearing on my face right now — I can't even begin to tell you," she continued.
The company was set to start selling the lipsticks seven days after the release of the video.
Hill's announcement video — particularly her definition of "nude lipstick" — didn't sit well with everyone.
Former beauty blog Revelist reported at the time that some people were upset by Hill's description of her lipstick in the shade "Nude AF," which Hill described in her video as being the "nudest nude" in the collection.
"This shade is a very nude-nude, with a neutral undertone," Hill said in her video. "It's not super pink-y, it's not super cool, it's not super warm, it's not taupe-y, it's not caramel, it's not brown, it's nude — and it is amazing."
Hill also reassured fans that the product could be used by everyone.
"I developed this because I figured this is a shade that everybody needs no matter what color skin tone you have, because it's perfect to pop on the center of any neutral lip color," she continued.
But by describing a lighter-toned lipstick as being a true nude shade, according to Revelist, beauty fans argued that Hill ignored the fact that caramel and brown shades can be nude for people with darker skin tones.
Beauty fans also weren't convinced by swatches of lipsticks from Jaclyn Cosmetics.
Ahead of its launch, the Jaclyn Cosmetics website advertised its 20 lipsticks with a photo showing them swatched on three different skin tones. There, the makeup appeared to be pigmented and creamy.
But when Hill posted a different, now-deleted swatch photo of her lipsticks on Instagram, fans argued that the lipsticks looked less pigmented and more orange in tone.
Because Hill's snapshot was taken causally, beauty fans on Reddit quickly accused the makeup mogul of having her brand's professional images edited to look more impressive.
And as Revelist reported at the time, some questioned if the swatches in the promotional photo were superimposed onto the three arms entirely.
As people began to receive their orders, many said their lipsticks arrived broken, damaged, and melted.
While some people said their lipsticks were damaged upon opening, others said their products broke after a single use. People also said the lipstick they ordered appeared to be melted when they were delivered.
Still, some people defended the brand and said that summer temperatures could melt, and therefore break, the lipsticks while being shipped.
Others claimed their Jaclyn Cosmetics lipsticks appeared to be covered in white fuzz and black dots.
Photos of the "contaminated" lipsticks began circulating on Twitter, with people saying the products were coated with small white fuzz and hair when it arrived. Others said they experienced small black dots on their lipstick that created a gritty texture when applied.
In response to the latter claim, Hill said in a now-deleted tweet that she hadn't "seen one other person complain" about damaged lipstick. The beauty mogul also said the fan may have ruined their lipstick by wearing it on top of another product, which could potentially create bumps.
Still, she urged her followers to alert her if they had received a damaged product or had any other problems with their lipsticks.
As the controversy grew, some fans questioned why influencers hadn't posted reviews of the lipsticks before they went on sale.
Beauty influencers often receive makeup before it's released so that they can publish early reviews and encourage sales. But in the case of Jaclyn Cosmetics, influencers did not receive their lipsticks until after the products became available to the public.
YouTuber Shane Dawson, for example, seemingly received his PR box during the second week of June 2019. His video, as well as clips from other social-media stars, led some people to ask Hill why she seemingly waited to share her products with friends.
"Is that the reason consumers got their lipsticks before the PR boxes went out so they wouldn't say how terrible the product was?" one person wrote on Twitter.
Hill eventually responded to the concerns on Twitter, saying in a since-deleted post that PR boxes were "supposed to be delivered to influencers several days before" her launch, but "there was an issue that delayed them."
Hill initially defended herself and her lipsticks as various claims were made by customers.
When one person asked Hill on Twitter why she received a lipstick with "lumps" in it, Hill responded with a now-deleted message. According to a screenshot, Hill said she was confused by the customer, who previously described the lipsticks on Twitter as being "so creamy, so comfortable, and so nude."
When fans asked why Hill deleted her tweet, the beauty mogul said she's "not afraid of anything," but that her message "seemed much more harsh" than she intended.
But then some people said they experienced irritation on their lips — including swelling, bumps, and cold sores — after using the lipsticks.
A customer named Kristy Lynn previously told Insider that she attempted to purchase the entire range of Jaclyn Cosmetics lipsticks when it launched but was able to buy only 10 shades, as the rest sold out quickly.
Lynn said that once her package arrived, she noticed the shade "That Girl" appeared to be packaged "a little sideways," though the other nine appeared to be fine. Lynn added that when she swatched the lipstick, it broke in half.
Lynn said that, once she applied the shade and wore it for a few hours, she experienced her chin "breaking out," and noticed that her arm "broke out in a rash and became itchy and red." Lynn also said her bottom lip was "itchy, burning, and extremely swollen" after wearing it.
In a statement previously sent to Insider, a representative for Jaclyn Cosmetics said "less than half of one percent of orders were impacted by compromised product" and that the overall response to Jaclyn Cosmetics had been "incredible."
A petition was created by beauty fans to urge Jaclyn Cosmetics to recall its lipsticks, garnering thousands of signatures.
The petition, which was created on June 10, 2019, reached over 29,000 signatures.
"After countless complaints and a compiled number of photographic evidence, it is safe to say the chances of receiving a 'normal' Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics So Rich Lipstick is incredibly slim," the petition's description read. "Action needs to be taken before someone is harmed by the unknown substance affecting the products."
Days later, Hill apologized to her fans and customers in a YouTube video called "My Lipsticks."
Throughout the video, Hill said she was "so sorry" to anyone who received products that were "less than perfect" from Jaclyn Cosmetics. She also assured fans that her lipsticks were safe to use, and promised to refund and replace any damaged products.
"I am so, so sorry that any of you are experiencing anything less than absolute perfection from my first launch," Hill said in her video. "I will do whatever it takes to make it up for you. I will send you a brand new lipstick. I will pay for it myself. I will give you a full refund."
In response to concerns raised by customers, Hill said her lipsticks were not "expired, moldy, or hazardous," despite circulating rumors.
According to Hill, the black dots found by some customers were "oxygen bubbles" that are "100% safe," while the gritty textured experienced by others is the result of lab vats not thoroughly mixing ingredients. The beauty mogul also said that white lint is the result of laboratory gloves.
Customers were immediately skeptical of the YouTuber's promise to replace the lipsticks.
In her apology video, Hill said Jaclyn Cosmetics would be halting its future productions and switching to a new lab. She also promised to refund and replace any damaged lipsticks purchased by customers.
But on Twitter, people were immediately skeptical of Hill's claims, with some fans questioning when and how she could replaced the damaged lipsticks when they were sold out.
There were also a few beauty fans who said they received replacements that arrived damaged and were seemingly contaminated with black dots.
Representatives for Jaclyn Cosmetics did not reply to Insider's request for comment at the time.
By the end of June 2019, Hill had deleted her Twitter and Instagram pages.
While some beauty fans felt Hill simply needed a break from the internet, others argued that a YouTube video posted by Marlena Stell, the former CEO of cosmetics brand Makeup Geek, led her to delete her accounts.
In the video, which has since been made private, Stell said she had been working with a laboratory to create concealers, but never released them because they were delivered to her with shards of plastic, fingerprints, hair, and other contaminants embedded inside.
So when she ran into Hill at that laboratory while handling the issue, Stell said, she warned the influencer against working with them.
"I cannot say for sure if [Hill's] lipsticks are made at that same lab," Stell said in her former video. "I'm not there on the production line to see it physically. I'm just saying that if I see you at this lab, and then I see that these products are here — like, I gave you recommendations for other labs to work with."
Jaclyn Cosmetics then released a 15-page document to purportedly show the results of safety tests it said were conducted on its lipsticks.
"We want to assure everyone that So Rich Lipsticks are safe," Jaclyn Cosmetics wrote in a tweet on July 3, 2019. "If you would like to review the results of our recent safety tests, you can view the PDFs here."
A consulting group Jaclyn Cosmetics hired wrote in the documents that the lipsticks were "not considered to represent any undue hazard with respect to human health in normal use and under reasonable foreseeable use."
Beauty fans, however, were more intrigued by a customer name that was partially hidden on the documents, which seemingly spelled Morphe, a beauty brand Hill that worked with on numerous occasions — including other failed launches.
"The appearance of Morphe on the document was an error likely resulting from the fact that Jaclyn Cosmetics' strategic and financial partner Elevate Brand Partners also works with Morphe," a spokesperson for Jaclyn Cosmetics previously told Insider.
The spokesperson also said that "Jaclyn Hill owns Jaclyn Cosmetics."
Hill returned to YouTube on July 23, 2019, to announce that she was "working on new products."
In the 20-minute video titled "Where I've Been," Hill said she wanted to talk to her fans, despite those in her circle advising her to "let everything blow over."
"I just want to start off by saying this video might be the biggest mistake of my entire career, but that's OK," she said. "As Kurt Cobain said, 'I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not.' It's so silly, but I live by that quote. I think it's very powerful."
She also said she didn't want to seem like a victim and admitted her lipstick line "was a failure," but said she wouldn't address any of the rumors and claims surrounding the products.
Finally, Hill said every customer who purchased the lipsticks had been refunded, and said she had "several meetings" to create new beauty products at different labs.
A few months later, the influencer posed in fake blood and a dress printed with the phrase "Jaclyn Hill is Canceled" for Halloween.
"Over the last several years the internet has become more & more cruel & has developed what we now call 'cancel culture,'" she wrote as the caption of her controversial post. "Not one day has gone by in over 2 years where I have not seen 'you're canceled' online."
"I wanted to create a look showing the glam side of this industry & the ugly 💀" she continued. "So here is it. You want me canceled? You got it baby. And I know my 'haters' are going to HATE this costume. But that's okay, I love you anyway 💋."
In 2022, Hill told Insider during an interview that she had "moved on" from the scandal.
In an interview about her career and businesses, Hill noted that the lipstick incident was "devastating" and "life-shattering," but ultimately in the past.
"At this point, I can finally say for the first time that I'm genuinely over it," she said, adding that those who continue to mention it are "simply trolls."
"My lipstick did not hurt anybody. There was no lawsuit, you know what I'm saying?" she added. "The internet got very loud, and whoever didn't like me or thought I was a liar or whatever it may be, that was their opportunity to attack."
At the start of July, Hill created a TikTok video that poked fun at her lipstick launch.
Set to the tune of Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" — specifically the line where she sings "horrified looks from everyone in the room" — Hill filmed herself applying one of the lipsticks in a restaurant.
"POV: you're still using Jaclyn Hill's 'contaminated' lipsticks four years later," she wrote over the video.
In the caption, the influencer added: "I get a warm FUZZY feeling every time ☺️."
The video posted on July 7 has been viewed more than 2.4 million times as of Wednesday with mixed responses. Some people criticized the influencer for joking about the incident. and others have commented that they also use their lipsticks from the line.
This month, Hill announced that she's closing her jewelry lifestyle brands. She cited her failed lipstick launch as a major factor.
Her Jaclyn Roxanne line featured jewelry, while her brand Koze offered loungewear and blankets.
"This all goes back to Jaclyn Cosmetics, this all goes back to my love for makeup, and this all goes back to my lipstick launch," she said.
While Hill said she often jokes about her failed lipstick line, she feels "there's actually nothing funny about it whatsoever," and that the way she handled the scandal is the "biggest regret" of her life.
And it was that failure, she said, that led her to create two brands outside of makeup — ones that she wasn't necessarily passionate about.
"I was surrounded by yes men," she said. "I was surrounded by people who were telling me what to do, almost like robotic, and that's when I decided to create two new brands. Instead of pouring myself back into cosmetics, taking accountability, and not giving up on myself, I decided: 'Well, gotta create new brands. Gotta prove myself to my followers that I'm a bad bitch and I can do this.'"
"I don't want to be known as the blanket girl," she said later in the video. "I don't want to be known as the jewelry girl. That's not supposed to be my legacy. My legacy was supposed to be cosmetics."
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