the ugly side of the beauty industry: brands that i no longer support.

Despite the name, the beauty industry is not always beautiful. In fact, it can be downright horrifying once you look past the glossy exteriors and smiling faces. It has become harder in recent years to consume products in a way that feels at least somewhat ethical. I don't know if this is because there is more information available than before or if there has been a shift in the way companies run their businesses. What I do know? There are many brands that I am no longer willing to support. This post will highlight some of those immoral brands specifically, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. If there are ones I have missed or might still be in the dark about, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. It is important that consumers are aware of what it means to spend money on certain beauty brands. In many cases, we deserve much better. 

Dior. At one point in my life, this brand sold my favourite mascara. I would buy multiple tubes at a time just to make sure I never ran out. I thought the brand was luxurious and aspirational. Unfortunately, over time, I learned that the brand represents everything I stand against. It is a hateful and cruel company that makes money off of misogyny and violence. Dior continues to employ a spokesperson who was found to be a wife beater in court, engaged in litigation abuse, and was mentioned multiple times in the Epstein emails. The brand blocked me on social media for sharing the misogynistic, violent, and hateful words of the spokesperson they continue to employ. The brand refused to adequately respond to formal complaints, instead ignoring, blocking, muting, and burying their head in the sand. Dior is anything but aspirational...it is a place where abuse is supported. 

Milani. This time, it is a drugstore brand that lacks morals. Though I was a customer at one time, this company will never see another dime from me. Milani Cosmetics inserted themselves into a domestic violence trial for attention on TikTok. The brand lied about a piece of demonstrative evidence for clicks and likes on the internet. The brand then blocked and muted many people on social media after they pushed back against obvious lies and cruelty. One plus? After posting on Twitter in 2023 for Women's Equality Day, there was so much pushback against the hypocritical and abusive brand that they shortly stopped using that social media platform altogether. Milani is an example of a beauty brand that sells products primarily geared towards women while actively making the world unsafe for women. The next time you are at the drugstore, avoid this brand.

e.l.f. Another drugstore letdown is e.l.f. which is a brand that has been featured many times on the creation of beauty is art. Unfortunately, the brand chose to include "comedian" Matt Rife in a more recent advertising campaign. Matt Rife makes "jokes" about domestic violence and special needs individuals. His misogyny and casual cruelty seemed extremely misaligned with the brand. Not only is this brand of "comedy" extremely offensive, but he has absolutely nothing to do with the beauty industry. e.l.f. decided to include someone harmful in a campaign, did not issue an adequate apology, and did not immediately remove the advertisement. There are many beauty brands to choose from, so it is fairly simple for me to avoid e.l.f. 

Fenty Beauty. The last brand on this list (as a reminder, this is not an exhaustive list and I am certainly open to learning about other brands that might need to be added) is one that many still love and support. Fenty Beauty has done some groundbreaking things in the beauty space and I am in no way trying to take away from that. However, it is not a brand that I feel comfortable supporting anymore. Despite being a survivor, Rihanna has a history of platforming and normalizing abusive men, from including a proven abuser in her 2022 Savage x Fenty fashion show to wearing t-shirts with R Kelly on them long after his abuse was known to the public. It is the person behind the Fenty Beauty brand that has made me steer clear. 

It is important to speak out about brands that intentionally cause harm. It is necessary to call out brands that attempt to normalize what should never be normal. Dior, Milani, e.l.f., and Fenty Beauty are all on my list of brands that I no longer support. Who is on your list? Be sure to share your own no-buy brands in the comment section below.

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