Beauty: Problematic Brands and Products to Use Instead

By Margot Riddle

Before I really got invested into the makeup world, I just bought what looked pretty. I really only considered the power of my dollar recently, especially after listening to beauty commentary channels about the skeevy behavior of some of the most popular makeup gurus and their brands. Remember, money talks, and we have more power than we realize. Just recently, Kat Von D sold her problematic brand Kat Von D Cosmetics, which has since been rebranded as KVD Vegan Beauty, though its reputation still struggles. 

So if you've been following the events of "Karmageddon 3", then you'll know about how many people are disturbed and disgusted by the bad behavior of the people who run their favorite brands. While many people have known which brands to avoid for a while, there are always going to be people who go into the beauty world without any idea of how wicked things can be behind the scenes. 

Since so many people were duped by problematic influencers, here are some dupes of products to replace their equally problematic brands. To address their branding problems, some companies may take advantage of some effective branding and marketing strategies. One of them is the use of beauty products or lifestyle photography. It’s a type of photography that captures cosmetic products in a manner that consumers will want to buy them. In short, the primary objective of this type of photography is to present beauty products in the most marketable way possible. 
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It is important to get as much good photography tips to achieve more desirable outcomes. Thankfully, there are many professionals out there who can help obtain the best photos possible. For instance, an experienced photographer can show what the target audience can see, use the brand motto in the images, show every important detail of the product, and capture the product in action. Whatever techniques they’re going to use, beauty products and lifestyle photography may mitigate the adverse effects of having problematic brands. 

Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick

Jeffree Star Cosmetics comes out with some cool products for those looking for bold, alternative looks. Before I knew anything about who Starr really was, I enjoyed using his products. His Velour Liquid Lipsticks include both everyday shades as well as wild colors that retail for $18 each. Each tube has a deeply pigmented, vegan formula. But if you're not familiar with Jeffree Star and his deeply troubling past (and let's be honest, so is his present), tread carefully.

It would probably be easier to tell you what things he hasn't done, but to keep things simple, Starr has a history of manipulative behavior, dragging both beauty gurus and fans he disagrees with on Twitter, and so, so many instances of racism, especially towards Black women. Recently, he (allegedly) withheld information and stayed silent about the Blood on the Dance Floor lead singer Dahvie Vanity, who is accused of sexual assault by 21 women and allegedly acted inappropriately towards his young fans. 

While I do admit that the formula is incredibly long-lasting, the amount of times Starr has been able to get away with terrible behavior with no consequences shouldn't be.   

​Use This Instead: Menagerie Cosmetics' Velvet Liquid Lipsticks

An adorable indie brand owned by the same people who made Makeup Monsters, Menagerie Cosmetics donates a portion of their sales to causes that help animals. Their Velvet Liquid Lipsticks are some of the best I've tried and their vegan formula means you can use them guilt-free. Their pigment is intense without the crusty, dried-up feeling you get with many liquid lipstick formulas. They can also be used as liquid eyeliner, making it a versatile product purchase totally worth the money. A bonus? They retail for only $14.95 each and occasionally go on sale for special events like Black Friday. 

So, that means the company, price, and formula are better than Jeffree Star Cosmetics. There's no excuse to NOT make the switch! 
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Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes

I hate how adorable these palettes are, because the brand owner, Huda Kattan, has a bad history in the makeup community. For one thing, her brand has been accused of copying the designs of Black women not once, but twice. 

In 2017, Huda Beauty was accused of copying Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r foundation with their own line of foundations called #FauxFilter. The second time was in 2018 when Huda debuted the "Huda Easy Bake" collection, reminding many fans of Beauty Bakerie's products. 

​Use This Instead: Ciaté London's Nine Piece Eyeshadow Palettes

There are tons of different nine pan options when it comes to eyeshadow palettes, but I want to keep up the trend of supporting indies. Ciaté London has affordable and cute options like the Trend Edit Palette or their special edition Jessica Rabbit palette. They are also certified cruelty-free and offer free shipping on orders $35 or more. 

While their options are on the more neutral side, you can always buy single shadows and put them together in an empty palette if you're looking for more variety. 

Problematic: Morphe...Anything

Morphe is known for their brushes, large starter palettes, and their 10% off affiliate codes. They're also known for selling products purchased from private labeling, which isn't bad within itself, but isn't very transparent with their customers. It also paints their collaborative projects in a bad light. If that's not enough, according to rumors, the company may be partially owned by Jeffree Star. In conclusion: NAH. 

I get why Morphe is appealing though. Their products are affordable and have a lot of product for the price. Their palettes alone could probably last you the rest of your life if makeup didn't expire. So what is an alternative to the cheap prices of Morphe's products? 

​Use This Instead: BH Cosmetics

If you like colorful palettes and brushes to match, BH Cosmetics is a great alternative to Morphe! Many of their products embrace travel-inspired and spacey themes. One of my personal favorite palettes is the Galaxy Chic palette, which is inspired by the planets. There are also a few other palettes keep with the outer space theme, such as the Solar Flare palette with warm and bronzy shades inspired by the Sun.

Not into shimmery, out-of-this world looks? They also have plenty of neutral options for those looking for a standard, work-friendly look. Many of their colorful palettes also include neutrals to help keep things tame. 

If you're a lover of makeup, remember that there are plenty of brands to choose from, so there's no need to go for the ones that put on a stain on the beauty community.