2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Why is ‘Boycott Ulta Beauty' trending on X? New 2025 campaign sparks backlash
Ulta Beauty is facing renewed backlash online after launching a new promotional campaign featuring non-binary influencer Jonathan Van Ness, the founder of JVN Hair. Following the release of a promotional video with Jonathan Van Ness, Ulta Beauty is experiencing renewed controversy, leading to calls for boycotts similar to those faced in 2022. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo(REUTERS)
The video, which highlights Van Ness's vision of inclusivity and self-expression through beauty, has sparked outrage among some internet users, leading to a resurgence of the hashtag #BoycottUltaBeauty on X (formerly Twitter).
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Ulta's Van Ness Ad lights up the internet
'TIME TO BOYCOTT ULTA BEAUTY,' one user posted.
'IF YOU ARE A REAL WOMAN , DO NOT MAKE THIS ULTRA WOKE COMPANY ANOTHER DIME,' another shared.
'I have never shopped at an @ultabeauty store. During Covid they required masks and would not allow entry posted on the door, and this advertising will ensure I forever will never shop there. This brand needs to fail once & for all,' one user wrote.
'This is Ulta. The huge beauty chain that women all across America shop at monthly. Is this what you want your wife, girlfriend, daughter to look like or aspire to? Are they promoting beards in women? Just boycott Ulta,' another X user piped in.
Ulta Beauty saw another boycott call in 2022
Interestingly, this huge backlash mirrors a similar wave of backlash the retailer encountered in 2022, when it aired an episode of its podcast, The Beauty Of..., featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney and gender-fluid host David Lopez.
While many applauded Ulta's effort to embrace diversity, others accused the brand of 'pushing an agenda' and called for a boycott. The current reaction to the Jonathan Van Ness campaign appears to follow the same pattern.
'We believe beauty is for everyone. And while we recognize some conversations we host will challenge perspectives and opinions, we believe constructive dialogue is one important way to move beauty forward,' Ulta Beauty previously addressed similar criticism in 2022, stating on X.
'The intersectionality of gender identity is nuanced, something David and Dylan acknowledge themselves within the episode. Regardless of how someone identifies, they deserve our respect.'
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Notably, just yesterday, a misdemeanour criminal case was brought by local prosecutors that asserted that the Ulta Beauty store in the Marina Pacifica shopping center had overpriced two of its products.
