See Inside The Most Controversial Product Names
As William Shakespeare once posed, “What’s in a name?” And while it’s true that “that which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet,” in the beauty world, names are big business. When there are twenty thousand different peach blushes or bronze eyeshadows on the market, the product’s shade name may be a deciding factor in a purchase. And one way in which companies try to entice us to spend our cash? By being outrageous, of course! Here is a rundown of the top nine most controversial product names.
Product Names
Deepthroat
by Nars
Nars may be the pioneer of outrageously named beauty products – their best-selling product of all time is a blusher called Orgasm. It’s a fairly natural, pretty, peachy shade for those wondering. But that’s probably not what you were thinking about, right? But for the porno connotations and cringe factor, Deepthroat wins in terms of controversy.
Underage Red
by Kat Von D
I could have told you almost immediately this one was a bad idea. This lipstick, which conjures up pretty gross images of the sexualization of teenagers, received a ton of complaints when it launched in Sephora – but is still available to buy if you’re ok with it. As for the colour, it’s red, but I’m sure you already guessed that.
Bump
by Urban Decay
While you may initially think this name is pretty innocent, what if I told you it’s white? White like, say … cocaine? Weird choice, Urban Decay. The shade became prominent in their (now discontinued) Full Spectrum eyeshadow palette but still exists as an option for their Razor Sharp Liquid Eyeliner.
Bordertown
by MAC
MAC’s 2010 collaboration with Rodarte was a PR nightmare. Inspired by Juarez, Mexico, a factory town notorious for rape and violence, it features one particularly wince-inducing product. Bordertown eyeshadow was a grey and red marble, which looked horrifyingly like blood spilt on concrete. MAC apologised for the collection and donated some of its profits to relief efforts in Juarez.
Matt Kumar
by The Balm
The Balm’s Meet Matt(e) Trimony eyeshadow palette featured nine shades, all last-name variations on Matt. So far, pretty weird but not precisely offensive, right? Well, what if I told you Matt Lin was yellow, Matt Kumar a brick red, and Matt Ahmed a deep brown? Matt Thomas was, of course, a pale pink. This whole thing seems like an exercise in tone-deafness.
Barely Legal
by Kylie Cosmetics
Barely Legal is already a pretty dodgy name. But when you consider the source – i.e., a highly sexualized teenage girl – it just sets off alarm bells. The brand launched the blush during Kylie’s relationship with Tyga, which began when she was 17 and he was 25 – yikes. Oh, and it’s like a nude peach shade.
Iris I Was Thinner
by OPI
There are not enough messages to women telling them to hate their bodies! So thank god OPI squeezed one into a literal nail polish colour. Iris I Was Thinner is a pretty violet shade, but the tones of self-hatred make it pop. What do you think?
Abused
by Jeffree Star
Star is no stranger to controversy and courts them as a part of his “brand.” But this lipstick shade name is extreme, even for him. In their lifetime, 1 in 4 women will likely be a victim of domestic abuse. So shall we all collectively decide we don’t need to spend our hard-earned money on this vampy purple shade? Want to feel depressed?
