Fenty Beauty removes "Geisha Chic" highlighter after backlash over inappropriate name

1 April 2019, 17:28 | Updated: 2 April 2019, 20:54

Jazmin Duribe

By Jazmin Duribe

"Asian targeted racism gets glossed over, it feels even worse when it’s from another marginalised group."

Whenever Fenty Beauty announces their latest makeup drop everyone's scrambling for their wallet, credit card and pocket money. However, Rihanna's new highlighter release has faced backlash online because of the "racist" name.

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Fenty announced three new shades of their cult Killawatt highlighter – "Afternoon Snack/Mo' Hunny", "Penny 4 u Thots" and… "Geisha Chic" – would be dropping.

Fenty Beauty is under fire over their "Geisha Chic" highlighter
Fenty Beauty is under fire over their "Geisha Chic" highlighter. Picture: Caroline McCredie / Stringer, Fenty Beauty

The shades were announced in an Instagram post, which has now been deleted, and people immediately took issue with the product name "Geisha Chic".

Geishas are Japanese women who entertain by performing traditional art forms, like singing and dancing. The ancient practice involves various rituals, including learning how to properly entertain and apply their distinctive makeup.

People argued that by Fenty Beauty naming their product after geisha's it ignored the history and significance of being a geisha to the Japanese community.

However, others insisted that Fenty Beauty was merely honouring Geishas and their makeup look.

Fenty Beauty has now removed the product and will rename it. The brand privately DM'd someone on Twitter who had complained about the name, and said: "We hear you, we have pulled the product until it can be renamed. We wanted to personally apologise. Thank you so much for educating us."

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