14 DAY TRIAL // As far as color names go, no other player on the market is more inventive than big cosmetic companies. From variations on pink (“pink” - “hot pink” - “hot hot pink”) to “after midnight blue” and “divine wine,” these companies use the silliest combinations in their attempt to come up with something that sticks.
Kat Von D, famous tattoo artist, musician, designer and reality star, is not a stranger to this struggle. However, in her desire to come up with a phrase that would best describe a color, she delivered “Underage Red,” which just got her and Sephora into a lot of trouble online.
Kat Von D’s makeup line, under the microscope again
One shopper at Sephora spotted the name of the color of Kat’s lipstick, which is basically a very vibrant, strong red, and posted about it online, on social media. It was picked up instantly and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.
Jezebel points out that this isn’t even the most offensive name in Kat’s makeup line, since she also has a color called “Lolita,” after the fictional character in Vladimir Nabokov’s novel of the same name.
“Underage Red,” apparently, is either supposed to make grown women putting it on look underage, or appeal only to underage girls wanting to pass for much older than they actually are.
Either way, it’s not an appropriate name, just like “Lolita” isn’t either, voices online are saying. No word yet if Sephora plans on taking any action to pull the offensive item or the line.
Kat Von D, a repeat offender
As it happens, this isn’t even the first time that Kat’s makeup line comes under fire. Sephora is said to own the collection, so whatever fault there is with it also falls on them.
A couple of years ago, one lipstick was named “Celebutard,” a pun between “celebrity” and “retard,” which drew considerable outrage from common sense people who simply didn’t get how a disability could ever be mocked and turned into the name of a lipstick.
At the time, following public pressure and way more controversy than it could have ever wanted, Sephora dropped the item. Kat remained unapologetic until the very end, even tweeting that all those speaking against her could go find a small space under a rock and crawl there to die - just, you know, in much harsher words.
!!!! RT @ParkerMolloy: Went shopping for some makeup. How on earth is this a lipstick color? pic.twitter.com/BZcKzQixDp
— Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) March 15, 2015
