In August 2025, indie beauty brand Youthforia announced it was officially shutting down operations, months after facing intense backlash over the launch of its controversial “Jet Black” foundation shade. The closure marks a dramatic end for the once-viral brand that had positioned itself as innovative and inclusive within the cosmetics industry. The Product That Sparked Outrage Youthforia created controversy when they announced their latest addition, the new extended foundation line has an additional colour they refer to as ‘jet black’. This was advertised as a product being inclusive to all skin tones. After a few days of posting the product as available,…
Author: MariamS243
In early 2025, men’s grooming brand Dr. Squatch found itself at the center of a heated online debate after unveiling a limited-edition soap tied to actress Sydney Sweeney. Marketed with tongue-in-cheek humor as a “bath water–inspired” product, the campaign quickly went viral — but not without sparking accusations of poor taste and questionable marketing ethics. A Campaign Designed to Shock Dr. Squatch has created a unique brand personality based primarily on bold, meme-inspired marketing that attracts young men. The company is recognised for employing humour in its advertising campaigns through parodying current masculinity stereotypes, as well as creating advertisements associated…
Campaign Imagery Triggers Horror Comparisons Online In 2025, shapewear and apparel company Skims became embroiled in an unexpected backlash due to a new campaign for face masks, quickly dubbed by social media users as the “Hannibal Lecter aesthetic.” The controversy started shortly after the marketing of the brand’s new line of masks, which are structured full coverage compression masks designed to sculpt the jawline and neck. Though it was marketed as a chic sculpting beauty accessory, many online viewers felt that the way in which these products were styled (with dim lighting and close-up angles) was very similar to the…
Beauty Brand Faces Online Debate After Controversial Partnership Urban Decay, a cosmetic brand, faced intense scrutiny regarding The decision to create a partnership with a content creator mostly known for having an OnlyFans account in the year of 2025 and which led to a social media backlash across multiple platforms (Instagram, TikTok, X) as a result. Some users supported Urban Decay for embracing diverse and modern creator cultures; some users believed the partnership went against Urban Decay’s mass retail through an all-inclusive partnership and went against their past efforts to build an inclusive brand through mass retail channels. The Announcement…
Consumers Claim Shampoo Bottles Mislead Buyers A consumer lawsuit filed in November 2025 claims the hair care line OGX uses deceptive packaging methods (known as “slack fill”). In the lawsuit, plaintiffs contend that certain shampoo and conditioner bottles from the OGX brand are deceptively larger than the actual volume of product contained within them and that there is an excess of space within the bottle itself. Slack fill is defined as the space remaining in the container of a product that is not filled by the product. There are valid reasons for leaving slack fill in a container, such as…
Parents File Lawsuit Over Trace Metal Concerns Colgate-Palmolive Co., an international manufacturer of oral hygiene products, was sued in the federal district court this past November for allegedly failing to inform customers of trace levels of lead present in some of its children’s toothpaste. The plaintiffs are a group of parents claiming the company did not warn consumers of detectable levels of the heavy metal that were identified by an independent testing laboratory. Colgate is one of the most prominent names in the field of dental care, producing many varieties of children’s toothpaste, including those marketed as being safe for…
Jury Awards Damages in Ongoing Talc Litigation On January 22, 2026, a jury in the United States rendered a verdict requiring Johnson and Johnson to pay $65,500,000 (sixty-five million five hundred thousand dollars) in damages to an individual who claimed that long-term use of Johnson and Johnson’s talcum powder products caused her to develop ovarian cancer. This case is another essential milestone in a multi-year legal dispute regarding the safety of talc powder. This matter was brought before a jury in the state court venue by the plaintiff’s law firm. The plaintiff contended through her counsel that using Johnson and…
Labeling Controversy Sparks Consumer Backlash In January 2026, Dove, a leader in personal care products, found itself under scrutiny after consumers discovered that its ‘alcohol-free’ deodorant actually contains benzyl alcohol. Once this was made apparent, the online backlash against Dove’s alleged misrepresentation of product information grew tremendously. Dove is recognized as a household name by the global conglomerate Unilever, and consumers have become accustomed to using Dove products for their gentle, skin-friendly formulations. Many consumers purchase Dove’s ‘alcohol-free’ deodorants to avoid the dryness and/or irritation caused by certain types of alcohol. Dove’s customers, however, have reported increased levels of confusion…
Voluntary Recall Announced After Routine Testing Tom’s of Maine, a natural oral care company, recalled its products on a voluntary basis due to some of their toothpaste batches being contaminated with bacteria. The company stated that it initiated the recall as a precautionary measure and is currently working with regulatory authorities to resolve the contamination issue. The affected toothpaste was sold nationally in several large retail chains and online on multiple platforms. The toothpaste batch is included in the recall based on what are now being identified as contaminated product lots based on the company’s internal testing, confirming that these…
Lawsuit Raises Questions About Sun Protection Claims In February 2026, skincare brand Clinique was named in a class-action lawsuit alleging that one of its SPF 50 sunscreen products may not provide the level of protection advertised on its label. The complaint, filed in federal court, claims that independent testing suggested the sunscreen delivered significantly lower sun protection than the stated SPF 50 rating. Clinique, a long-established name in dermatologist-developed skincare, has built its reputation on safety, allergy-tested formulas, and clinical performance claims. The lawsuit has therefore drawn particular attention, as consumers often associate the brand with medical-grade reliability and trust.…