Jaclyn Hill slammed for emotional Instagram posts about lipstick scandal

Virginia Glaze

Makeup mogul and YouTube star Jaclyn Hill is facing backlash after posting a series of emotional statements to her Instagram Stories that appear to be about the fallout surrounding her lipstick scandal last year.

Jaclyn Hill is a bonafide beauty guru; boasting her very own makeup line and collaborations with such brands as Morphe, Hill has solidified her presence in YouTube’s beauty community — although not in the best way, at times.

In 2019, Hill received an avalanche of backlash after buyers claimed her lipsticks were cracked, covered in a fuzzy substance and even moldy, which critics still don’t feel that she has adequately made up for.

Shortly after the scandal went viral, Hill took a hiatus from social media and returned some time later to reveal that she had self-medicated her anxiety over the issue with alcohol, but has since been more active online and is taking steps toward recovery.

It seems that Hill is facing backlash over the incident yet again, after opening up to fans in a series of emotional posts via her Instagram Stories that appear to discuss the aftermath of the lipstick drama.

In her posts, Hill claimed that she was “trying so hard to fake a happy life for social media” during that time, stating that it is “hard for me to even look at pictures from this period” in her life.

Jaclyn Hill poses on the beach with a caption on her Instagram story.
Jaclyn Hill opened up about the difficulties she faced in her mental health during the aftermath of her lipstick scandal in summer 2019.

“I felt so undeserving of this award,” Hill said of her win at the American Influencer Awards. “I was ashamed of who I had let myself become and still believe 1,000 other influencers deserve recognition more than me.”

Jaclyn Hill poses with her trophy at the Influencer Awards.
Jaclyn Hill won Makeup Tutorialist of the year at the 2019 Influencer Awards – an honor she said she was “ashamed” to receive.

Despite her seemingly genuine remorse over the matter, critics aren’t letting her live the scandal down, with many finding her Instagram posts performative and attention-seeking, even speculating that she could be ramping up to sell another product to fans.

“Whenever she posts emotional stuff, its ‘cause she’s about to sell something big,” one user wrote over Twitter. “She psychologically manipulates people a lot before a big drop. She does this days, weeks or a month before.”

“I mean, I’m glad she’s doing better mentally, but a large part of the backlash against her, and what added to her mental health struggles, wasn’t just the fact that the lipsticks were defective, but that she took zero responsibility or accountability for it,” another wrote.

Hill has since responded to the criticism surrounding her latest Instagram stories, claiming that she is not intending to sell another product until 2021.

While it’s clear that Hill has tried to remain positive, last year’s lipstick drama just isn’t going away despite her efforts to rise above a scandal that has become synonymous with her image.

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About The Author

Virginia is Dexerto's Entertainment Editor and an expert in all things TikTok, YouTube, and influencer-related. Boasting a background in esports, she's been tackling the social media space for over five years. You can reach Virginia at: virginia.glaze@dexerto.com.