Haus Labs encounters backlash from beauty influencer over inadequate bronzer shades for consumers with deeper skin tones and inclusivity concerns.
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Haus Labs, an online beauty brand established by singer and entertainer Lady Gaga, has received criticism once again over its alleged lack of commitment to creating inclusive shades within its new liquid bronzer collection after well-known beauty influencer Golloria George posted a video testing what she believes to be the three darkest shades from the unreleased bronzers. George tests out how the bronzer will perform on deeper skin tones, and in her video, she questions if Haus Labs has accomplished this or if they have failed to create an adequate product for deeper complexion consumers. Given that Haus Labs is known as a leader in creating inclusive shades, this criticism is warranted. Additionally, George has previously stated that Haus Labs's foundation range is a quintessential example of product inclusivity. At that time, Haus Labs stated publicly that its dedication to diversity was integral to their product development and that they have validated their Product Shades on 350+ Faces while also validating both depth of shade and undertone of all of their products.
In her video review of Haus Labs’ bronzer product lineup, George noted her disappointment with it because of how well she felt that the brand had done historically. George wondered aloud if anything had changed on the Haus Labs team when she stated, “Gaga/Haus Labs you guys never miss” and then stated her confusion by saying, “usually I like Haus Labs products so it’s really odd that this bronzer is disappointing me.” In her review George made an objective observation on how Haus Labs’ mission and values do not seem to line up with the way they executed this (the bronzer) line of products. The controversy surrounding George’s negative review became more intense when there was an additional argument about George’s original review being removed. According to George, when her team spoke to Haus Labs they claimed George’s original review had been taken down because of a product embargo. Haus Labs further stated that the embargo information had been included with the products. George, however, disagreed and provided what she said was the note from the brand to back up her disagreement; additionally, she claimed that the bronzer had already been displayed elsewhere before she posted her review (her review was simply discussing the product after having seen it displaying earlier in the week). According to George, “the product was not in dispute but rather the conversation surrounding the product was what Haus Labs was concerned with.”
The critics of Haus Labs have a history of being critical of the brand since their initial launch in 2019. Their criticism arose with regard to numerous issues associated with the brand's brand launch including their complaints about Haus Labs selling exclusively on Amazon. Criticism of their 'self-harm' advertisements that were pulled from the market after their release due to numerous complaints from viewers that they were similar to self-harm imagery, and a civil lawsuit against the company for not providing proper disclosures regarding titanium dioxide under the California Proposition 65 regulations. Haus Labs has denied any wrongful actions in connection with the lawsuit. Haus Labs has also publicly stated that the bronzing controversy has highlighted some of the difficulties they encounter with fulfilling the high level of expectations from both consumers and influencers that hold the Haus Labs brand accountable to the company's self-established standards.
Business Honor is of the view that Golloria George's public criticism of Haus Labs' bronzer shade range represents a significant credibility challenge to the brand's established inclusivity positioning and product development standards.
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