Jeffree Star Faces Pushback Over 'Cremated' Palette Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

UPDATE 03/20/2020: Jeffree Star responds!

The longtime YouTuber took to the platform to explain the non-traditional name for his new collection in a 22-minute video:

“It takes months and months and months, and sometimes a year plus, to actually make a product. So, there were some people saying, ‘Jeffree, it’s a little weird timing. There’s a lot going on in the world.’ But, for me, this is art and I never come from a negative place, you guys. My own father who passed away and my two dogs who passed away last year are all cremated and it is a tradition in my family.”

The mogul continued:

“Now, nothing ever comes from a bad place. So, if you were thinking that, absolutely not. My brand is to, like—I created this to make people smile. I created a brand for all the weirdos and people that didn’t really feel like they fit in. So, in no way was this created to be offensive, ever.”

Star restated his earlier point that the name had been trademarked months ahead of the pandemic, and noted that the collection would have been released in 2021 if delayed further:

“I never want to give my customers a bad experience. I never want to sell expired makeup. So, as a business owner, I was like, ‘We gotta get this out.’ So, I made the executive decision to delay the collection over a month and a half. And before my real crazy ‘summer’ collection comes out, I wanted this to be here.”

Watch Jeffree’s full response HERE.

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Another day, another makeup guru controversy!

On Friday, Jeffree Star announced the launch of his latest palette via Instagram, and it definitely ruffled some feathers. The marble palette features the word CREMATED prominently across the front, with each of the 24 eyeshadows inside featuring an imprint of a hearse, grave, or urn. Shade names include: Grave Digger, Embalmed, Eulogy, and Life Insurance.

Given the current global coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 300,000 worldwide and nearly 90,000 in the United States alone, many were vocal in the comments section about feeling less than pleased with the palette, calling it out as insensitive:

“To launch this during a pandemic and people have died….idk but this name of this palette is….? don’t come for me! To each their own opinion. This one is mine!
I love Jeffree and his products but this name isn’t doing it for me ? considering how many families have lost their loved ones”

“My dad was creamated so hard pass for me but enjoy it folks”

“This is very inappropriate during a time when thousands of people are dying… My mom died last year and she was cremated I am disgusted you would even call a pallet is everything a joke to you since your a millionaire? There is a difference between stirring the pot for drama but this is such a low blow smh I absolutely loved your makeup but I’m not getting any more Jeffree products ever again…. You only care about money”

“Not the best marketing idea tbh”

However, Star clearly has a lot of fans in his corner who defended the decision to release the palette right now:

“I’m seriously in disbelief that y’all are getting offended over a MAKEUP PRODUCT. LMAO. He had this planned way before the pandemic and had to switch things around because of it. He has always said the word “cremated” it’s part of his vocab. My dad is cremated. It’s part of life like please stop being so MF sensitive. Our grandparents fought in an actual war and y’all are crying over a name that was named long befire[sp]”

“If you are upset by the name of this palette, you are probably a “Karen.””

“People say “I’m dead” “dying laughing” “deceased” but when Jeffree makes a pallet named cremated y’all wanna be offended all of a sudden?! You know damn well this is not a personal attack!”

In the collection reveal video description, the 34-year-old confirms he has been working on this palette since before the coronavirus pandemic began:

“This collection was created in September 2019 and was slated for a Spring ’20 release!”

The Jeffree Star Cosmetics founder confirmed in the vid his launch was actually set for April, but was pushed back because of COVID-19, and went into detail about naming this palette:

“Cremated is like my iconic catchphrase, I’m deceased. Cremated, as well as being, of course, very dark and gothic, it is also a term that I like to use, you know when you’re really blown away by something, you’re mesmerized and it’s so sickening? Me and my friends like to say, bitch, I’m cremated.”

Watch for more from Jeffree (below):