Talk about bad timing.
On Friday, YouTube star and makeup artist Jeffree Star introduced his latest product: a eyeshadow palette with the currently unfortunate name “Cremated.”
While during any other time, beauty and makeup fans would probably chuckle at the “edgy goth” vibe. But right now, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to destroy lives—and bodies are piling up in morgues and funeral homes—the name “cremated” seems like a very poor marketing move.
“Get ready to be deceased,” Star wrote in the Instagram post accompanying a photo of the product.
On Saturday, Star released a YouTube video teasing the new product as well. In the video, Star tells viewers that the palette of metallic shades had been scheduled for an April release, but the coronavirus pandemic “had the whole entire beauty industry, of course, as well as the entire planet, SHOOK.”
“We were supposed to have a very gothic and dark spring,” Star added, “but, of course, things did not go according to plan, but that’s okay.”
While some fans are excited for the release of the eyeshadow palate and additional products, others were critical of the name and of Star’s tone-deaf marketing and promotional strategy.
“Absolutely losing my mind over the fact that jefree star decided to release a death/funeral themes palette during a pandemic. Tone deaf celebs continue to astound me,” wrote one Twitter user.
Star responded to the criticism in his Instagram stories, saying that he’s “proud” of his work and that the name was not intended to be “negative.”
“My own father was cremated, my two dogs that passed away last year were cremated, so nothing ever comes from a negative place in my life,” he said. “So if you take it that way, that’s how you articulate things, but b****, not me.”