Beauty News: An Eyelash and a Bleach Blonde, Bad Built, Butch Body, Apparently.
Plus: Johnson & Johnson and its billions, Mary J. Blige and her boots, Janet Jackson is still that girl, Glossier goes back, and Richard Christiansen is still one of my favorite people in "beauty."
Me this week:
I do not believe it is my job to gawk and then share that gawking with you. I believe it is my job to make you think. I believe part of the thinking is being in conversation with you. Any thoughts or reactions, feel free to speak your mind in the comments. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Studio Symoné newsletter – and I hope it makes you think. It’s got me thinking too…
Currently manifesting a boyfriend who plays an incredible set while I put on my makeup 😩
Beauty News
13 stories.
You know what happened:
During a congressional hearing on whether Attorney General Merrick Garland should be held in contempt, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene insulted Representative Jasmine Crockett by suggesting her "fake eyelashes" were interfering with her reading. This prompted Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “That is absolutely unacceptable. How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?” This confrontation escalated further when Crockett referenced Greene’s “bleach blonde, bad built, butch body.”
Now let me say this:
*Tosses head back, laughs to the sky” woooooooooooo! The thought of being in an exchange of this manner makes me see red. Provoked by way of your appearance, what would you have said or done?
On the insults: The fake lashes comment is so anti-Black coded, I am so sorry baby, but it is. Greene thought she could reference a lash look primarily seen among Black women, yet adopted by white women who cosplay as a version of a Black girl they’ve seen at school, online, or in their neighborhood, to insult a Black woman whose lashes are not even that dramatic. So the insult was racist and it was also a reach. Yet, it falls in line with Greene’s takes on anyone who is not on her side. “Bad built, butch body” is not coded at all. It is body shaming. Neither comment is funny nor interesting. I’m gonna need something stronger shot up my veins because I’m tired.
You don’t like Greene? Me neither! You chuckled at Crockett’s rebuttal? Me too! I think we should be clear about why we laughed, what’s really going on here, and how we respond to it.
Skipping over Youthforia drama because although horrifying, fixing my fingers to explain foundation-related news is not my bag any longer. The lesson is to follow Javon Ford on TikTok so we can all get our facts up, and learn something from this situation. This is not the first time, and it won’t be the last, that a brand messes up this badly.
I thought a proposed California bill would be a great entryway into the Sephora Tweens conversation. Bill 2491 seeks to prohibit the sale of skincare products containing retinoids, retinol, and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to children under 13 due to potential health risks. It wants to protect young folks from the adverse effects of ingredients often found in anti-aging and acne treatments. I would call this a “trend bill.” Let’s quickly break down how incredibly short-sighted it is:
Bill 2491 puts a lot of weight on retail stores and brands. What are sales associates supposed to have to do; request IDs at the front desk of Sephora like it’s the club? And are brands supposed to add warnings to their packaging? No to both questions.
The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) published a press release and called the bill "well-intentioned" but incredibly: "By proposing sales restrictions for a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products, including basic essentials like sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers, this bill threatens to overregulate products that are safe and essential for healthy skin care."
During a conversation about this bill with Arabelle, they brought up a point I don’t think is being considered nearly enough within this conversation – and quite frankly, it’s one of the reasons we should have a glimmer of compassion: Tweens barely have third spaces when they are not in afterschool activities. Where do we expect kids to hang out these days… the mall? The arcade? The soda shop? Places that no longer exist? Just like adults, few places exist outside of the home, bar, school, or cafe to simply be. Why wouldn't they resort to retail spaces glorified via TikTok algorithms?
I am realizing that I am a tween apologist. I am both joking and serious. Even if I believe these articles are written about a demographic of tweens who can take their parent's credit card to Sephora. Are we mad at tweens for their behaviour in these beauty stores, for the fact they're using these products at home, or both? I think it’s both. However, I’m having a hard time understanding how we can condemn children for displaying the same consumer behavior as us, just at a younger age. Makes me wonder who they learned it from. :( Children come out of the womb brilliant. It’s all of our job to keep them that way – without needing consumerism as a crutch to do so. I wonder how we can think differently about accomplishing this.
Johnson & Johnson is proposing a settlement to pay over $6 billion toward talc cancer lawsuits filed against them. This money will go to tens of thousands of current ovarian cancer claims and future claims. Tens of thousands of lawsuits have been filed.
“J&J has stopped selling talc-based baby powder in favor of cornstarch-based products, citing an increase in lawsuits and "misinformation" about the talc product's safety.” - Reuters
Additional read: As worries about Baby Powder's safety mounted, J&J focused its pitches on minority, overweight women — Reuters, 2019
There’s an update to a summer of 2018 incident, sparked by the diagnosis of Stage 1 HIV to a woman who contracted the virus after receiving a Vampire Facial (platelet-rich plasma microneedling facial) at a New Mexico spa, despite having no other known risk factors. This April, the CDC released a report on further findings of their investigation. The investigation revealed an HIV “cluster” among four spa clients and one sexual partner of a spa client linked to the spa’s unsterile practices. Up until this point, HIV transmission through cosmetic injection services has not been documented.
Ceylon Skincare is closing down. I will most certainly be archiving my perfume from the brand, which I love and keep in my makeup bag. I loved Ceylon for their interesting approach to IRL events and activations. They strove to engage with Black men and men of color, genuinely. I even remember the newspaper they released. Patrick Boateng is a friend of mine and a brilliant mind; I am interested to see where he’ll focus his efforts next.
Glossier is opening its 13th store in Las Vegas. WWD has the exclusive. Glossier also went back to its original balm dot com formula. Listen to Charlotte Palermino for a smart take on that.
PEOPLE
Figures who may or may not be beauty influencers, yet their careers and life choices intersect with the space in ways that influence beauty culture(s) and how they are portrayed in media. Or they released a product that intrigues me (lol).
Candace Parker, who just retired from the WNBA, will serve as president of Adidas women’s basketball.
This one’s for all my fellow Richard Christiansen stans: Flamingo Estate is gracing JW Hyatt properties world wide with its presence. “Scent. Sound. Taste.” The "Scent,” Expansion, is a candle inspired by the JW Garden's natural elements. The "Sound" element is four playlists nature-inspired for different times of day. "Taste" is a wildflower honey with adaptogenic herbs, which will be found in dishes and available for purchase.
Kelly Slater launched a sunscreen line inspired by his hours in the sun as a surfer. Mineral sunscreens. The site looks good, art direction and copy are nice, the packaging is solid, and all ingredients are explained… cool!
Miss Bella Hadid launched her fragrance brand Orabella with three scents. Here are some reviews via Reddit if you’re looking for ones from people who have bought the fragrance or smelled it in Ulta, where it is carried.
FINALLY: Mary J. Blige released a line of boots with Giuseppe, which sold out within 24 hours. Obviously. I’ll let Ms. @mariebustinmoved tell the rest:
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Sabrina Bahsoon is M.A.C.’s new global ambassador. You know her for sparking a global trend, seen on public transportation everywhere:
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A Workshop I’ll Be Joining
Fundraising Event: On Beauty, Care, and Acts Towards Liberation. An unrecorded talk on beauty and liberation on June 22nd hosted by Arabelle Sicardi.
LONG READS
My latest:
Janet Jackson’s Worn-In Braids Have the Most to Say in 'Poetic Justice'
I have to remind myself, often, that Poetic Justice is not a Black rom-com. Technically, it’s a romantic drama. An L.A. love story at that. It also fits into that collection of films based in L.A.; Set If Off, Boyz In the Hood, or Friday. Which is cool
Tony Nominee Jocelyn Bioh Puts Braiders Centerstage — Brittany Luse [podcast]
‘I Will Never Forget Any of It’: Brittney Griner Is Ready to Talk - J Wortham
She initiated our conversation by asking what hair products I used: Her curls, she confided, have been in recovery, too. When images of Griner were broadcast around the world with her long locs shorn, it seemed like an indication of the cruelty she was enduring. But Griner told me that cutting her hair was actually a rare moment of agency during her imprisonment. Her locs were always damp.
The Other Met Gala Dinner — Ama Kwarteng
How Lip Gloss Became The Answer To Gen Z’s Problems — Kyndall Cunningham // One of my favorite questions I like to ask is if you’d like to see my lip gloss collection
My Therapist Is A Tiktok Star – Kate Lindsay // The thought of this makes me nauseous :(
The Secret Sauce Behind Aesop’s Cult Status Hand Wash – Emma Sandler
What Ban? Brands Double Down On Tiktok Shop — Liz Flora
How Deep Sleep Became A Status Symbol — Laura Pitcher
The Dangers And Delusions Of The Veneer Tech — Phil Lewis
Why Gen X Is Beauty’s Most Valuable But Overlooked Demographic - Jenny B. Fine // I took five minutes to list the women I admire from a beauty perspective. I ran that through Chat GPT 🤭. Of 68, 17 are between the ages 44-57. In addition, 15 of these women are 57 or older or were 57 or older at the time of their death.
Peace,
Darian
So good and full of great information and things to ponder on. Thanks Darian!