Sephora
- Sephora is facing backlash related to its partnership with Olivia Jade Giannulli, the daughter of "Full House" star Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli.
- Giannulli and Loughlin were accused on Tuesday of agreeing to pay $500,000 in bribes to facilitate Olivia Jade’s and her sister’s admission to the University of Southern California.
- In the aftermath of the bribery scandal, people are calling for Sephora to cut ties with Olivia Jade, flooding the webpage for her Sephora collaboration with negative reviews and threatening to boycott the beauty retailer.
People are threatening to boycott Sephora unless it cuts ties with YouTuber and Instagram influencer Olivia Jade Giannulli.
The daughter of the "Full House" star Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli — known for founding the Mossimo fashion brand — acted as a paid influencer for the beauty brand while attending the University of Southern California. She collaborated with Sephora to release a powder palette in December.
On Tuesday, the FBI accused Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli of agreeing to pay $500,000 in bribes in exchange for having Olivia Jade and her sister, Isabella Rose, designated as recruits to the USC crew team to facilitate their admission to USC; neither girl participates in crew.
An affidavit released by the Justice Department claims that in order to perpetuate the falsehood that Olivia Jade was an accomplished rower, Mossimo Giannulli photographed her on an indoor rowing machine and sent the photo to William "Rick" Singer, the accused ringleader of the scheme identified in filings as CW-1. An employee of Singer’s allegedly submitted Olivia Jade’s college applications for her, as she was "confused on how to do so," the affidavit says.
As news has spread of the FBI’s charges against Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, Olivia Jade — who has more than one million Instagram followers and close to two million YouTube subscribers — is facing some backlash.
The influencer highlighted her status as a USC student in sponsored Instagram posts paid for by Amazon Prime Student and Direct Smile Club. Comment sections on these Instagram posts have been flooded with criticisms of Olivia Jade.
Olivia Jade has worked with Sephora for months, posting sponsored Instagrams as well as collaborating on an exclusive product. Now, critics are calling for Sephora to cut ties.
The page for Olivia Jade’s collaboration with Sephora has been flooded with negative reviews, with 36 one-star reviews posted in the last 24 hours.
Olivia Jade x Sephora Collection
"This palette has such an intense highlight I thought it would blind others to my privilege and toxicity," reads one. "Unfortunately, it did not work and instead left me dusty AF."
"As a VIB rouge member who unnecessarily spends her hard earned money in Sephora is disgusted that this product is still being sold," reads another. "I’m tired of the beauty industry slapping on some 19 year old entitled rich kids names on products. I never buy these products and never would."
"I was a long time Sephora customer and will never buy anything from them again if they endorse this terrible unethical selfish lying brand," reads a third.
Sephora is also seeing backlash on social media.
Sephora and Olivia Jade did not reply to Business Insider’s request for comment.
- Read more about the college admissions scandal:
- A former CEO’s daughter was allegedly listed as co-captain of a Japanese national soccer team as part of a $25 million college admission scheme
- The FBI busted rich parents for allegedly bribing their kids into elite schools. Here’s the not-so-secret way the superrich game college admissions.
- Meet the alleged ringleader of the massive college-admissions scandal, William ‘Rick’ Singer, the owner of Edge College & Career Network
- Kellyanne Conway posts harsh tweet attacking 2 Hollywood actresses accused of paying bribes to get their kids into elite colleges
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See Also:
- Amazon and Sephora hired Lori Loughlin’s Instagram-famous daughter as an influencer before the FBI charged her parents in an explosive college-admissions bribery scandal
- More than 5,300 stores are closing in 2019 as the retail apocalypse drags on — here’s the full list
- Nike reveals its plan to focus on women athletes in 2019, including new high-tech products and a Women’s World Cup deal
Source: Business Insider – ktaylor@businessinsider.com (Kate Taylor)