Jaclyn Hill faces backlash for contaminated lipsticks
Wednesday, June 12, 2019![]() |
Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics Instagram Image used under U.S. Fair Use |
On May 31, 2019, Jaclyn Hill finally launched her long-anticipated brand - Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics aka Jaclyn Cosmetics. Twenty beautiful shades in various sets and individual lipsticks were sold out within minutes. Individual lipsticks sold for $18 each, trio sets for $49, and the full collection for $295. Within a week of purchase, the first complaints about the products began to surface.
The first issues with Jaclyn's website came in how they were collecting taxes then came issues with those who paid for expedited shipping didn't get their products in a timely manner while those who paid for standard were getting their products. The first of the big issues with defective products soon came with people complaining of melted and broken lipsticks this quickly was followed up by people posting photos of their products contaminated with some type of hair or fiber embedded in their lipsticks, discoloration of the lipstick bullets, as well as blooming.
This is not right 😫 they keep breaking! I haven’t even used them more than once... I picked up 2 of them today to put them on it I noticed it felt lose. I went to twist it up and saw it was broken at the bottom! 😭 @Jaclynhill @jaclyncosmetics pic.twitter.com/INBU2fOn0i— Melody (@melodycgreen) June 2, 2019
Then on June 5, a young woman named Veronica posted to Twitter this to Jaclyn Hill.
Why is my @jaclyncosmetics Decaf lipstick lumpy?? @Jaclynhill This cant be ok right?? #jaclyncosmetics #jaclynhill pic.twitter.com/xjffA4fUF1— Veronica (@itsv_82) June 5, 2019
There shouldn’t be big gross bumps in a lipstick even after 2 days of use idc how dry your lips are. pic.twitter.com/6VGbgfssAq— Joyce ♡ (@joygonzaa) June 6, 2019
Jaclyn's response placed blame on her customer by essentially accusing her of having dry, chapped lips for which the young woman was viciously attacked by Jaclyn fans. Since Veronica's Tweet many other people began to come forward with similar contaminations including but not limited to noticeable holes, hair, unknown fibers, plastic particles, metal particles.
...and here is the swatch on my hand you can see the streaks or scratches it leaves. pic.twitter.com/MKSC1MVQvt— roxxynunezz (@roxynunez) June 6, 2019
All I can say is WTF pic.twitter.com/qZFGPYlOWc— RawBeautyKristi (@RawBeautyKristi) June 7, 2019
More established YouTubers spoke up about the issues with their own lipsticks - both PR and ones they purchased.
By this time, it became clear that there was something seriously wrong with the Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics lipsticks. All the lipsticks - both PR and ones customers purchased - contain the same batch/lot code on the bottom. This code - GC05A - should be unique per color. At this time no one knows for sure what that code means but using known methods of reading similar codes it's possible this code means these products were made in March 2017.
And I just noticed now WTF!! pic.twitter.com/y3wVPm27ID— jaky_carmen12 (@jakycber) June 10, 2019
Look this one up. pic.twitter.com/GWJCWdNVya— Nick “Messy Bottom” Snider (@itsNICKSNIDER) June 5, 2019
Before I go any further, typically in similar codes A = 1, B = 2, etc then 1 = January, 2 = February, etc. That would mean G = 7 or 2017 and C would be March. A could represent it coming from the 1st batch. Of course, this is not confirmed and does not hold true for the Morphe Vault palette codes.
Image from Temptalia. Image used under U.S. Fair Use |
Image from Jaclyn Cosmetics website. |
It is probable that this is the format which would indicate that these lipsticks are indeed expired as two of the ingredients - Shea Butter and Mango Butter - both have shelf lives of two years or less in it's raw, unrefined form. If there was an issue with the preservative itself that could lead to the Shea Butter and/or Mango Butter to become rancid which could lead to mold or fungal issues.
Another ingredient, radish root ferment filtrate is used as an anti-microbial but if there's not enough of it then it won't stop microbes from growing. It is near the end of the formulation, excluding the "may/may not contain" so that means the formulation does not have a high percentage of this natural preservative. If the lipsticks are older than a year then it's highly possible spoilage occurred due to a lack of preservative. We just don't know for sure at this point in time on what happened with these lipsticks. Spoilage though does not explain the hair/fibers and what appears to be plastic and metal particles now being reported.
UPDATE: I dont have insurance so I saw a doctor on baptist care on demand, used it before. you see a doctor through a web cam. She said NOT to use the lipstick, to throw it away because its contaminated! I have to take this medication now. @Jaclynhill @jaclyncosmetics pic.twitter.com/HLNpmY2tim— Greysis (@greysis_garcia) June 11, 2019
This is what happens when you try on lipstick without even looking at the lipstick first lesson learned b/c now my lips are swollen & I have to be on anabiotic’s AS IF, Amazeballs & fussy broken and gritty! @jaclyncosmetics @Jaclynhill I’m so disappointed pic.twitter.com/3XHCypZwdb— Megan torio (@MeganFitness77) June 10, 2019
Ended up using one then swatched it it broke so I left the swatch on my arm idky and decided to take my makeup off also not realizing I smudge it on my neck while in the process and it’s been like this burning and itching pic.twitter.com/zlExOp52H4— 𝓚𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝔂 (@kristylynnn_) June 11, 2019
Still have yet to hear from you guys?? (EMAILED BOTH OF YOUR EMAILS) Would still love to know what was in my lipstick? And I would really appreciate if I could get my refund already! #jaclyncosmetics @jaclyncosmetics @Jaclynhill pic.twitter.com/YgnNxEswpw— Krystal Duarte (@mizzgrizzlybee) June 9, 2019
My lips are completely swollen and dry as fuck! They've had a severe reaction to the damn lipsticks hence this brown line on my top lip! YOU SHOULD BE FUCKING ASHAMED OF YOURSELF JACLYN HILL. pic.twitter.com/Dgab8lvm55— Sahab (@billionbucks96) June 11, 2019
THIS is the lipstick that had METAL in it that cut this poor lady’s lip! @Jaclynhill @jaclyncosmetics @FDACosmetics @FDArecalls pic.twitter.com/6iVXXVTSYg— Amanda ✨ (@pandahobbs96) June 11, 2019
Look what arrived today in Germany!!!!— Mucki8177 (@Mucki81) June 12, 2019
🤢🤢🤢 That is not normal and the smell 🤮🤮🤮. @Jaclynhill @HereForTheTea2 @RawBeautyKristi
I spare you with the other two they do not look better. pic.twitter.com/Y2lHKxXX9f
On June 7, 2019, Jaclyn Cosmetics posted on Twitter that "in rare circumstances, some lipsticks were exposed to high temp" however that didn't explain other contaminants in the lipsticks which it seems as if they're ignoring by not issuing a recall.
In rare circumstances some lipsticks were exposed to high temperatures or the raw materials were not blended thoroughly and that is not acceptable to us - as of now we are seeing less 0.1% with issues – but we see your complaints on social and want to fix things!— Jaclyn Cosmetics (@jaclyncosmetics) June 7, 2019
I'm so confused. I just received my @jaclyncosmetics lipsticks today and after 1 use noticed all these lumps. I'm scared @Jaclynhill WTF is this!!! pic.twitter.com/PPiQg6I5oH— Meghan James (@MeghanJ99490226) June 7, 2019
Jaclyn did respond on her personal Twitter account that they were looking into the matter.
My team and I are working very hard on finding out EXACTLY what is causing the “grittiness & bumpy texture” on some of my lipsticks. I am so sorry to see some of you dissatisfied with my product. I will make it right for you & learn from this mistake! That’s a promise❤️— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) June 8, 2019
To make matters worse, Jaclyn's response over the fibers and other embedded material is that her lab had been using "white gloves" and switched to "rubber gloves" a couple days prior to her tweet. This angered many people who don't believe a lab would use a glove with loose fibers in an area that requires sterilization and sanitation due to the fact those types of gloves, often cotton or nylon, are not sanitary.
If any of you are receiving lipsticks like this.... please know that this is NOT hair! My factory used brand new white gloves to do quality control & they shed all over my product!😡 We switched to rubber gloves 2 days ago & will make sure this never happens again. https://t.co/qn6UTUJzRE— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) June 8, 2019
This contradicts her own video on her website that shows both she and lab workers wearing blue gloves (made from either nitrile, or poly, or vinyl).
She later claimed these products are 100% SAFE when the fact is no one knows for sure if these are toxic or safe.
They are 100% safe & made in one of the best labs in the USA. This is embarrassing & infuriating that you’re experiencing this. Email help@jaclyncosmetics.com & I’ll give you a refund and replace them for you❤️
— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) June 8, 2019
As of right now, Jaclyn has yet to release an official statement on her website while her cosmetic company has made statements to mainstream media stating that the issues affect less than 0.1% of sales. Many of us do not believe this statement as more and more people have spoken up on social media including Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
I plan on breaking my silence and addressing the issues regarding my lipsticks very soon. I have been working hard to gather all of the facts and details so I can give you accurate answers. I appreciate you allowing me time to wrap my head around all of this & investigate.— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) June 11, 2019
So what happened? The honest truth, no one knows. No one knows at this time if the hairs/fibers are mold or fungus or someone's hair, or something else. No one knows what the plastic-appearing balls are or what the metal pieces are. What we do know is there is the high chance these products were made between 2015 and 2017, most likely in 2017, based on Jaclyn's own tweets and screenshots people took and posted between those dates.
Note: The following is speculation based on emails and/or screenshots and/or her own postings. It includes screenshots and embedded Tweets/Instagram posts made by Jaclyn Hill and others.
In a leaked email between Jaclyn Hill and Makeup Geek, Jaclyn tells the folks at MUG, on August 19, 2015, that she ordered 300,000 lipstick tubes.
"I just put in my order for 300,000 lipstick tubes so I finally feel like we are making progress (after 18 months of work) and I would love to here what you have in mind for shipping, customer service, etc."
Thanks to @JaclynHill's email to the folks at MakeupGeek we now know that in 2015 Jaclyn ordered 300,000 lipstick tubes. We know that with 20 different shades that means 15,000 of each color was made. pic.twitter.com/j0tnQi8UdB— Zadidoll (@zadidoll) June 10, 2019
A Jaclyn Hill fan page on Instagram shared this photo of a lipstick prototype dated back in June 2015 which corresponds to Jaclyn's own email to Makeup Geek. Now this picture is of a prototype that did NOT become the finalized version. We see the finalized version in another photo dated in 2016 (see below).
The following year, on April 21, 2016 she responded to another fan question on when her brand would launch and she said it would launch in early 2017.
It's going to be an early 2017 launch. Trust me, I'm ridiculously anxious about this. You will be helping me with names very soon... 🙏🏼🎉😭— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) April 21, 2016
According to Jaclyn, her line was originally supposed to launch in 2015.
honestly, I've never really had a plan. Technically my cosmetic line was supposed to launch almost 2 years ago😫— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) January 29, 2017
A few months after that Tweet reply another fan page on Instagram shared this image which shows the 20 lipstick lab samples along with the finalized lipstick tube that was launched this year on May 31, 2019.
In a zoomed in the screenshot, you can see the finalized packaging with the stone on the top along with the several of the 20 lab samples.
As more time passes people on Twitter question her about her brand launch to which she replies to someone in March 2017 that it wasn't going to happen that March.
I'm sorry 😢 it's not going to launch in March! We are running tons of quality tests on it to make sure it's perfect!❤️😘 https://t.co/eGT1gctyZX— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) March 20, 2017
Another fan asked on September 25, 2017 again about when the lipsticks would launch and she stated to them that the lipsticks were "ready to go" at the lab.
50/50 it's not about me at this point. My lipsticks are at the lab and ready to go. There is A LOT that goes into starting a brand'— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) September 25, 2017
By November 2017 it was clear that her brand would not be launching that year and by the following year in February 2018 she responded to yet another fan asking about her lipsticks that the lipsticks would launch sometime in 2018.
Yes it’s still happening. And it’s happening this year. I’m not going to give you details until right before the launch💋— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) February 18, 2018
Now in her personal life, between 2016 and 2017 she was having marital problems which culminated with her divorce from her husband in mid-2018. Many people, self included, have speculated that the products were ready for sale by the end of September 2017 which means the products were made in late 2016 or early 2017. IF the batch code theory is accurate than the lipsticks were possibly made in March 2017. She may have held off from launching those lipsticks, based on her own emails to Makeup Geek, due to two reasons.
- Her contracts with BECCA and Morphe. In her dealing with Marlena and Makeup Geek it appears that contracts with BECCA and Morphe may have prevented her from launching her own lipsticks as she was working with slated to release collabs with both BECCA and Morphe in that time period.
- Her marriage was on the rocks which led to her and Jon Hill stating they would be divorcing in May 2018 with the divorce finalized later that year. It's possible she didn't launch the cosmetics at that point in time because of the divorce settlement.
Now, of course, all of that is speculation and theories based on her own posts but we do know for sure is that the products are contaminated with something and should be recalled ASAP with full refunds to all those who purchased her products regardless if the products look faulty/contaminated or not.
At this point in time, if you've purchased the lipsticks and have yet to receive the items or have yet to use her lipsticks I highly discourage you from trying the products on your skin or lips until we know for sure what's going on.
I have contact Diane Wilson of ABC 11 out of Durham, NC to see if she's interested in doing a report on this as she did for the makeup by Justice brands. If you're willing to contact her Ms. Wilson has said for people to email her at Diane.L.Wilson@abc.com.
So what can you do if you've purchased Jaclyn Hill lipsticks? Again, I highly suggest you do not use these lipsticks as it currently appears that product sent out all contain the same batch/lot code on the bottom so one must presume that 100% of the items are contaminated in some manner. As we do not know what the contamination is you can't take the risk that it's harmless or toxic.
You can contact Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics for a full refund based on the contamination. If they refuse to give you a full refund or are requesting you return the items on your own dime you can then contact your bank or credit card provider to initiate either a dispute or a chargeback.
If you've used the products and experienced any type of issue you can contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and report the contamination to them.
You can also contact the California Attorney General's office and file a complaint as well as the Florida Attorney General. If you're in the U.S. you can also consider filing on with your state's ATG and with the Federal Trade Commission.
I highly, highly encourage you to report it to as many authoritative agencies as possible so this issue isn't swept under the rug. You can STILL get a refund from Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics either directly or via your debit/credit card provider due to the fact these products NEVER should have been sold to the consumer if expired and/or contaminated.
2 comments
Thank you!! This article needs to go viral for everyone to see!!! These need to be recalled ASAP!!!
ReplyDeleteThese should definitely be recalled ASAP
ReplyDelete