YouTuber and makeup artist Jeffree Star is being slammed as insensitive and tone-deaf for releasing a cremation-themed eyeshadow palette during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 34-year-old announce the new product this weekend, sharing several images of the black, white, and gray palette on Instagram and uploading an introductory video on YouTube.
But while many of his fans are filled with excitement over the impending release, critics are piling on, too, calling Star a ‘capitalist a**hole’ and ‘f***ed up’ for selling a makeup that makes light of death when thousands of people are dying every day from COVID-19.
Uh-oh: YouTuber and makeup artist Jeffree Star is being slammed as insensitive and tone-deaf for releasing a cremation-themed eyeshadow palette during the coronavirus pandemic
New stuff: The 34-year-old announce the new product this weekend, sharing several images of the black, white, and gray palette on Instagram
Theme: It includes a $58 24-shade palette with black, white, and gray eyeshadows with names like R.I.P., Pallbearer, and Last Look
Dark: He also posed for a dark cemetery photoshoot
Jeffree’s May 22 launch includes a collection of several products, most notably a $58 palette with 24 shades of eyeshadow.
The shades are all cremation-themed, meaning they’re shades of gray, black, and white — and have names like R.I.P., Pallbearer, Last Look, Eulogy, Goodbye, Life Insurance, Angel of Death, Grave Digger, Death Certificate, Burial Gown, Hearse, and Diamond Ashes.
The packaging also has a marble look like an urn, and features urn artwork, and Jeffree posed for a graveside photoshoot to promote the new makeup.
In a video discussing the palette, Jeffree said he picked the name and theme because he liked how goth it was, but also that it’s a term he uses with friends.
‘You know when you are really blown away by something, you’re mesmerized, and it’s so sickening? Me and my friends love to say, “B****, I’m cremated. Baby, I’m deceased!” he said.
Details: The packaging also has a marble look like an urn, and features urn artwork
Excited: Jeffree said he picked the name and theme because he liked how goth it was, but also that it’s a term he uses with friends
All about death: Shades have names like Eulogy, Goodbye, Life Insurance, Angel of Death, and Grave Digger
Making light: Some of the shadows are called Death Certificate, Burial Gown, Hearse, and Diamond Ashes
Many of his fans quickly came on board and expressed excitement over the upcoming release — but critics chimed in too, sharing their horror and disgust over the ill-timed launch.
‘Jeffree star rly released a CREMATION themed palette in the middle of a global pandemic in which the bodies of thousands killed by covid are being cremated. and STILL his deranged lil fans will eat it up lmao. i’m so tired when will that voldemort nosferatu looking c*** just ***.’ wrote one.
‘Jeffree Star releasing a palette called CREMATED during a global pandemic is peak capitalist a**hole,’ wrote another.
‘So ur gonna tell me Jeffree star is releasing a palette called “cremated” during a global pandemic where thousands are dying. pls who are his PR team ALSO these shades are so nasty…tell me they aren’t all dupes of themselves….’ a third chimed in.
Not impressed: Critics shared their horror and disgust over the ill-timed launch
‘Ok hear me out.,’ tweeted another. ‘I know Jeffree Star had this palette name trademarked in September but to drop a line called “cremated” during a pandemic while thousands are dying and given no option but to be cremated…. it’s kinda f***ed up.’
Yet another made it personal, tweeting: ‘My grandma had to be cremated after she died from Covid. This seems like bad timing for such a product.’
One more said that releasing the palette ‘during a pandemic where 308k+ people have DIED is so freaking tonedeaf. Had no idea dying was so quirky would’ve died sooner.’
Jeffree has responded to the backlash, but doesn’t appear to think much of it.
‘There’s a lot of people talking about it, it’s trending on Twitter and b**** it might be the talk of the town right now,’ he said on Instagram.
‘There’s a lot of positives, a few negatives because everyone’s allowed to have their opinion.
Whatever: Jeffree has responded to the backlash, but doesn’t appear to think much of it
T’here’s always so many meanings with my art and that’s what it is, it’s mine. I created it for the world, it is allowed to be interpreted any way that anyone wants to take it, but I always come from a good place and this palette is f***ing sickening
‘I’m so proud of it and on a real level guys, my father was cremated, my two dogs that passed away last year were cremated, so nothing ever comes from a negative place in my life. So if you take it that way, that’s how you articulate things, but b****, not me.’
Star also spoke to fellow YouTuber Sebastian Williams, explaining that the launch has already been delayed because of the pandemic, and he didn’t want to delay further.
‘With how production is going after months of delays, some things we decided to cancel and others just didn’t make sense to wait when we already have a very packed year!!
‘I have three more eyeshadow palettes launching in 2020 and several new products launching and Cremated would’ve been moved to 2021, way later in the year and I never want to risk makeup becoming expired, that’s not the best for the customer experience. I want my customers to get the best quality product.’
Following the rules? Jeffree was called out on social media for ignoring social distancing practices back in April
Having friends over? On the 15th, he shared a photo of himself at home with his social media manager. It’s unclear if she is living at his house
New wheels: Just days before California’s shelter order, he went out to pick up a custom McLaren
This isn’t the first time the YouTuber has faced backlash since the pandemic began. In April, he was called out on social media for ignoring social distancing practices.
The 34-year-old YouTuber and makeup artist spent $14.6 million on a 25,000 square-foot house in Hidden Hills, California in December, but since quarantine began, he’s left his home to run non-essential errands, like picking up a new luxury car.
Even more brazenly, though, he has also invited friends over, sharing a photo of himself and and his social media manager posing after doing their makeup together.
Jeffree has referenced ‘quarantine’ several times across Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, but the beauty vlogger doesn’t seem to actually be adhering to any sort of quarantine or self-isolation.
On March 20, he uploaded a YouTube video called ‘Never Leaving My House Again’ — in which he does, in fact, leave his house.
At the end of the clip, Jeffree went to pick up a custom-made pink McLaren, visiting a busy garage to see the car and drive it home.
Post COVID-19 world: On March 20, he uploaded a YouTube video called ‘Never Leaving My House Again’ — in which he does, in fact, leave his house
Glam squad: He has a hair stylist do his hair, but also heads out to get Botox
Errands: He also goes out to pick up a brand new car that he had customized
Meet and greet: Jeffree walked through a busy garage and met with several people
And while the rest of the video was filmed at his house, several other people were there, despite calls for individuals to stay at home.
‘We’re going to get ready today. We’re going to get ready in this quarantine environment,’ Jeffree said near the top of the clip, after greeting his hair stylist in his home
‘Everyone out there watching, I think the world is in a really weird state now,’ he said.
‘I looked at my last makeup review that was at the end of February, and then things really got serious in March,’ he explained as his hair stylist intently looked on.
‘The fact that there’s real cities on full lockdown. There’s so much happening, it’s just really overwhelming.’
In addition to getting glammed up at home, he also appeared to visit a dermatologist’s office to get Botox.
In the video’s description, Jeffree explains that the video was ‘filmed a few days ago before California went on full lock down’ — though even before that official order went into place, residents has been encouraged to practice social distancing.
Out and about: Jeffree said the video was shot before California’s shelter order — but social distancing was still recommended at the time
Look at me! The makeup artist posed with the new hot pink car
Collection! Shockingly, Jeffree actually has several pink McLarens
Puppers: He also has two new dogs brought over to his home
‘Right now we are not allowed to leave our homes unless to get food or medicine,’ he wrote. ‘It’s been hard to sit down and film with all of this craziness happening.’
But if that video was filmed before California’s shelter order went into effect, Jeffree’s Twitter photo from April 15 was not.
‘Quarantine and do our makeup,’ he captioned the image of himself and Kammi.
Jeffree has also shared photos of his two new pet dogs, who were delivered this month.
Commenters on Twitter have been quick to call the makeup artist out for not following the rules.
‘I think Jeffree Star needs to address why he’s having people over at his house. You need to self quarantine!’ wrote a woman named Bianca.
Stop it! Commenters on Twitter called him out for not socially distancing
‘That’s literally the opposite of quarantine btw,’ a man named Zachary commented on the picture of Jeffree and Kammi.
‘Your deff not taking social distancing seriously at all.. but ya cool glad you go to do your makeup,’ added a user name Kristen.
‘Newsflash, its not quarantine when you have someone over, also, you are in the high risk category with your asthma, so risky for you to have anyone over,’ chided another commenter.
‘That doesn’t look like social distancing to me Jeffree… I love you, your makeup, and your content, but you have a LARGE audience and you should be setting a better example,’ added someone named Alex.
Some have speculated that Jeffree may not be having guests over, but rather, that he may have invited some people to stay with him at his house.
New digs: In December, he dropped $14.6 million on a new home in Hidden Hills, California
Stunning: The home boasts eight bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, two guest houses, and a two-floor gym
Space to relax: Star, 34, first announced in October on Twitter that he and boyfriend Nathan Schwandt were house hunting. They have since split up
Spacious: The backyard includes a large pool, an outdoor kitchen, a built-in BBQ area, and an unfinished barn
Fancy: The home also comes equipped with an elevator to transport Star between the three floors
Jeffree had initially bought the home with his ex, skateboarder Nathan Schwandt, before the pair split in January after five years together.
The home boasts eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, and was an upgrade from his $3.6 million home that he’d lived in for three years.
The new house is one of the more extravagant mansions in the community of nearly 700 homes, all of which is guarded by three main gated entrances.
Upon entering the more than 25,000 square-foot home, visitors are greeted in a large entryway and a double staircase leading up to the second floor.
There are also two separate guest houses on the property, a 4,700 square-foot garage to park Star’s luxury vehicles, a ballroom, a master bathroom complete with a sauna, a spa room, a two-story gym, and a wine cellar.
Brand new: The Hidden Hills mansion was built in 2007, according to Variety
Lots to do: There’s also a 4,700 square-foot garage to park Star’s luxury vehicles, a ballroom, a master bathroom complete with a sauna, a spa room, and a wine cellar
All the amenities: The gym spreads out over two floors
Amenities: It wouldn’t be a California mega-mansion with out a built-in home theater
Time to play: The home comes equipped with a game room
The backyard includes a large pool, an outdoor kitchen, a built-in BBQ area, and an unfinished barn that could be converted into a third guesthouse or even a studio space for Star to film his many YouTube videos.
The Hidden Hills mansion was built in 2007, according to Variety, and then acquired by financier Jeff Feinberg and part-time actress Stacey Feinberg in May 2010 for $13 million. The couple briefly lived in the mansion before moving out during their divorce.
Neighbors will Kris Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Drake, The Weeknd, and John Stamos.