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Jeffree Star released a YouTube video addressing the criticism surrounding his new 'Cremated' palette after some said its branding was insensitive amid the pandemic

May 21, 2020, 02:03 IST
Insider
In his newest video, Star addressed the controversy surrounding the new palette.Jeffree Star/YouTube
  • Beauty and makeup guru Jeffree Star took to his YouTube channel to address the backlash surrounding the release of his newest product — an eyeshadow palette called "Cremated."
  • Star teased the release of the palette, which is available for purchase on May 22, in an Instagram post and YouTube video unveiling over the weekend.
  • While some fans called the product "iconic," Star's critics described the branding as "insensitive" and "tone-deaf" in the context of a pandemic where thousands are dying.
  • In the 20-minute response video, Star told viewers that his brand was designed for "weirdos" and people who don't "really fit in," adding that his work always comes from "a good place."
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Beauty Guru Jeffree Star is, once again, addressing the backlash he received after releasing an eyeshadow palette called "Cremated" — a choice that his critics called "tone-deaf" and "insensitive" amid a pandemic that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands across the globe.

Last week, Star teased the new product on his Instagram before unveiling the full palette in a YouTube video in which he revealed an array of metallic shades called "Hearse," "Angel of Death," "Grave-Digger," "Death Certificate," "R.I.P.," "Pallbearer," "Inheritance," and "Mortuary beautician," among others.

The video reached the coveted number one trending spot on YouTube and Star trended on Twitter over the weekend, largely thanks to the discussion surrounding the palette's controversial name.

While the comments sections of the Instagram post and video were flooded with support from Star's fans — many of whom called the product "iconic" and "a goth dream" — Starr received intense backlash on Twitter from critics who called the branding "tone-deaf" and "deranged."

In an Instagram story posted over the weekend, the beauty guru addressed some of the initial criticism, noting that he was "so proud" of his work and insisting that the palette name was never intended to be "negative."

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"It's allowed to be interpreted any way that anyone wants to take it, but I always come from a good place," he said in the video.

Now Star has taken the discussion to his YouTube channel, where he boasts over 18 million subscribers.

On Wednesday, he posted a video titled "Responding to the Backlash Over My Cremated Palette," in which he appeared in greyscale makeup featuring the new eyeshadow palette and discussed the online attention the palette received over the last few days.

"Baby, it was number one trending on YouTube, it was trending on Twitter for a couple of days, and it's the talk of the town," Star said of the controversy, gesturing to multiple news stories covering the palette and resultant backlash.

Star reiterated several of the points he made in an Instagram story posted over the weekend, reminding viewers that his father and recently-deceased dogs had been cremated.

"For me, this is art, and I never come from a negative place, you guys," he said. "I created this to make people smile. I created a brand for all the weirdos and people that really didn't feel like they fit in, so no way was this created to be offensive, ever."

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The beauty YouTuber went on to explain that he came up with the 'Cremated' collection idea over a year ago and the palette had been trademarked in September of 2019 — well before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the collection had already been delayed due to "everything going on," and he didn't want to delay distribution any further, so as not to sell expired makeup (a faux pas that fellow YouTuber Jaclyn Hill was accused of after releasing her "Jaclyn Cosmetics" line in 2019).

Ultimately, Star said, viewers and consumers are free to draw their own conclusions about the product.

"I'm never discrediting anyone's feelings, everyone's allowed to feel how they want and interpret things how they do," he said. "So just know that I only come from a good place."

In the remainder of the video, Star collaborated with his friend, makeup artist Nicole Faulkner, to create a greyscale makeup look.

In just a few hours, the video has racked up nearly 500,000 views and comments from fans who seem to support the beauty Guru.

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"I love that Jeffree addressed this issue like a professional," one commenter wrote. "He wasn't rude or mad or upset, he just said basic facts about his feelings and his brand."

"This is the calmest 'addressing drama' i have ever seen," another said.

Read more:

Jeffree Star responds to online backlash he received after releasing an eyeshadow palette called 'Cremated' amid the pandemic

Jeffree Star had planned a career doing 'makeup for dead people' before he became famous on MySpace

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