YouTube makeup guru’s sponsors flee after resurfacing of racist and fat-shaming tweets from 2012-13

Beauty blogger Laura Lee’s cosmetic products lines have disappeared from major retailers as racist and fat-shaming tweets up to six years old resurfaced.

Laura Lee and Laura Lee Los Angeles products are no longer listed on ColourPop, Ulta, or BoxyCharm, and show as sold out on Morphe, according to Revelist.

‘We have decided not to move forward with the launch of Laura Lee Los Angeles. Ulta Beauty values equality and inclusivity in all that we do,’ an Ulta spokesperson told People in an official statement on Friday.

Beauty subscription service Boxycharm has also cut ties with 29-year-old Lee, after collaborating with her in the past.

‘We do not, we do not understand how someone can tweet something like this,’ CEO Yosef Martin said in video shared on social media. ‘This is a very disturbing tweet. We are against anything like that.’ 

Lee apologized for the racist tweets she posted in 2012 in a nearly five-minute long Youtube video, published on Sunday.

She called filming the apology video ‘one of the hardest things she’s ever done.,’ and begged her viewers not to take their ‘hate’ for her out on her family.

About two-thirds of the way through the video, Lee shares that her mother had received death threats and her 14-year-old niece had been targeted by angry individuals.

‘Please, if you hate me, please just hate me,’ she said.

‘People have called my mother and threatened to kill her. They have gotten her phone number. They attacked a child, my 14-year-old niece, attacked her. And I ask you this please, just let this be me. Let this be about me. It’s not about my family. It’s about me. It is not about anyone else. This is my sorry.’

Lee posted the video following intense social media backlash that continued against the YouTube star, even after she shared an initial apology of Twitter on August 13.

About two-thirds of the way through an apology video Lee shared on Sunday, she said that her mother had received death threats and her fourteen-year-old niece had been attacked

In 2012, one tweet posted by Lee improperly used the possessive ‘your’ instead of the contraction for ‘you’ and ‘are’ as she wrote: ‘Tip for all black people if you pull ur pants up you can run from the police faster.. #yourwelcome’

She apologizes for disappointing her fans over and over, saying that she’s ‘a better person now’

She apologizes for disappointing her fans over and over, saying that she’s ‘a better person now.’

‘I, six years ago, decided to retweet things that were so vile and hurtful. I was so stupid and ignorant and I have no excuses here today,’ she said. I’m not here to give you an excuse.’

Lee repeatedly refers to what she wrote as a ‘retweet’ but at least one tweet was a reply.

She wrote, improperly using the possessive ‘your’ instead of the contraction for ‘you’ and ‘are:’

‘Tip for all black people if you pull ur pants up you can run from the police faster.. #yourwelcome.’

Despite this apparent oversight, Lee went on to apologize profusely for her posts, calling them ‘retweets.’ 

‘I’m only here to say that I’m so sorry and that I hope one day that you guys can see me for the woman that I am and that I can prove to you guys that I’m not that girl. I love you guys so much and whenever I see that I’ve disappointed you it just breaks my heart into a million pieces. I’m so sorry for anyone that’s been hurt through this, anyone.’

Again only referencing retweets, she continued: 

‘I feel so disappointed that I cant even look at myself, because like I can’t even believe that I would retweet ugly things and things that would hurt people.

‘I can’t believe I didn’t see the pain behind that kind of tweet and that kind of behavior.’ 

In the video, Lee suggests she had no idea a photo she took with fellow beauty bloggers Gabriel Zimora, Nikita Dragun and ‘Manny MUA’ Gutierrez with their middle fingers raised would be used to throw shade at a former friend Jeffree Star.; From left to right: Jeffree Star; Manny Gutierrez; Laura Lee; James Charles and Amanda Ensing celebrate The Launch Of KKW Beauty on June 20, 2017 in Los Angeles

Manny MUA, Star and Laura Lee attend the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Forum on March 5, 2017 in Inglewood, California; The trio are apparently no longer friendly

In the video, she suggests she had no idea a photo she took with fellow beauty bloggers Gabriel Zimora, Nikita Dragun and ‘Manny MUA’ Gutierrez with their middle fingers raised would be used to throw shade at a former friend Jeffree Star. 

The photo was tweeted by Zimora with a reference to the friend-group breakup, followed by a reply referring to a past racist scandal involving Star is apparently what prompted the investigative work that brought Lee’s terrible tweets to light.

Lee said, for her part, she only meant to recreate Kylie Jenner’s birthday photo, shared on August 10 by her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, where every Kardashian-Jenner sister, except Khloe, who was in the photo but had her hands occupied by holding her drink and the camera, along with momager Kris Jenner held up their middle fingers to the camera.

In the video, Lee suggests she had no idea a photo (left) she took with fellow beauty bloggers Gabriel Zimora, Nikita Dragun and ‘Manny MUA’ Gutierrez with their middle fingers raised would be used to throw shade at a former friend Jeffree Star; The photo was tweeted by Zimora with a reference to the friend-group breakup, followed by a reply referring to a past racist scandal involving Star is apparently what prompted the investigative work that brought Lee’s terrible tweets to light

Lee said, for her part, she only meant to recreate Kylie Jenner’s birthday photo, shared on August 10 by her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, where every Kardashian-Jenner sister, except Khloe, who was in the photo but had her hands occupied by holding her drink and the camera, along with momager Kris Jenner held up their middle fingers to the camera

‘Theres another part ofthis story that I dont know if you all know, but me and Gabriel [Zimora] and Nikita [Dragun] and Manny [MUA] took a picture with our middle fingers up and we were trying to mimick Kylie Jenner’s birthday picture and the picture was taken out of context, and it ended up causing pain for other people,’ Lee said.

‘And I just want to say I’m sorry to Jeffree for the pain we may have caused you in this. I didn’t know that this picture was going to be taken out of context and that anything was going to be said to you, but at the end of the day, it was done, so I need to owe you an apology for this. And I know were not friends anymore but I want to apologize to you.’

Lee then thanked her viewers for giving her time to explain herself. 

‘I hope you guys understand that I just need some time now,’ she said. ‘I love you guys so much and I’m sorry.

Lee shared the video several days after posting a tweet containing screenshots of her first apology, which includes a reference to original tweets she posted, as well as retweets.

Lee shared the video several days after posting a tweet containing screenshots of her first apology, which includes a reference to original tweets she posted, as well as retweets

The screenshots read: 

‘I want to deeply apologize for comments of mine that recently surfaced from six years ago. The insensitive retweet and tweets I made are inexcusable and I apologize from the bottom of my heart to anyone affected by them,’ she wrote.

‘I deactivated my Twitter [on August 12] because I was mad at myself for the ignorant tweets that I made back in 2012. That girl who tweeted that isn’t who I am today. I now understand the seriousness behind those tweets.

‘Those tweets aren’t humorous in any way to me today and I am truly sorry to everyone I have hurt and offended. I feel so disgusted about this and want you to know from the bottom of my heart I am incredibly grateful for this community.

‘Social media has taught me so much about the injustice, bullying, and inequality people face daily. I’m at a place of more understanding now, but there’s always room for me to learn and grow. I’m thankful for my subscribers, this community and my husband who all continue to help me on that journey. 

‘With this all in mind, I want to make sure that I’m not only apologizing for my words but following up with action. I want to make sure ignorance like this is being left in the past not just for me, but for everyone. With that, I will be focusing on getting involved with foundations that focus on educating the importance of equality and social justice.

‘These “jokes” relate to awful realities so many people face and I want to work with organizations focusing on changing that. I have a few in mind, but if you all have any to recommend, I am all ears and would love to hear what organizations you all love and support.’

The final portion of her written apology read:

‘Personally, I will continue to work on myself. I am not perfect, but I know I am better than this. I’m holding myself and my actions accountable – to use this as a learning moment. I sincerely apologize to you all and I hope with time, I am able to earn your respect back.’

Her apology video has been viewed almost eight million times, to date.

Lee’s apology video, saying she now needs time, has been viewed almost eight million times