The Final Fallout: 5 Shocking Facts About The Jaclyn Hill Lipstick Drama And The Brand's Ultimate Closure

The Jaclyn Hill lipstick drama stands as one of the most infamous and consequential product launches in the history of the beauty influencer industry. What began as a highly anticipated debut for her namesake brand, Jaclyn Cosmetics, in May 2019 quickly devolved into a full-scale public relations disaster when customers reported receiving defective products contaminated with foreign materials, including hair, fibers, and what appeared to be mold. This controversy, which resulted in a complete product recall and millions in refunds, has had a permanent, career-defining impact on the YouTube star, and as of late 2024, the final chapter of the brand has been written.

The scandal’s long shadow has now culminated in a major, recent development: the official closure of Jaclyn Cosmetics. After a tumultuous five-year run, including a brief comeback and retail presence in Ulta, the brand ultimately succumbed to financial pressures and the fallout from its parent company’s bankruptcy. This article provides a comprehensive look at the scandal, the subsequent trauma, and the definitive, up-to-the-minute status of the brand that was meant to be Jaclyn Hill’s empire.

Jaclyn Hill: Biography and Professional Profile

Jaclyn Hill, born Jaclyn Roxanne Eilers, is an American entrepreneur and internet personality who rose to prominence through her YouTube channel, becoming one of the most influential figures in the beauty community.

• 5 Shocking Facts About Anna Congdon Penn State Sweetheart To Nfl Fiances Social Media Firestorm Cc90e

• Full Name: Jaclyn Roxanne Eilers (now Torrey).
• Date of Birth: July 20, 1990.
• Place of Birth: Illinois, U.S.
• Primary Profession: YouTuber, Professional Makeup Artist, Entrepreneur.
• YouTube Career Start: Began posting videos around 2010.
• Major Collaborations: Most notably, the highly successful "Champagne Pop" highlighter with Becca Cosmetics.
• First Marriage: Married Jon Hill in 2009; divorced in 2018.
• Second Marriage: Married Jordan Torrey.
• Brand Launch: Launched Jaclyn Cosmetics in May 2019.
• Recent Ventures: Attempted to launch other brands, including a jewelry line (Jaclyn Roxanne) and a comfort brand, both of which were later closed.

The Detailed Timeline of the "So Rich" Scandal (2019)

The infamous "So Rich Lipstick Collection" was intended to be the crowning achievement of Jaclyn Hill’s career, capitalizing on her massive following and reputation for quality. Instead, it became a textbook example of a catastrophic product launch due to a complete failure in quality control and manufacturing.

The Hype and the Launch: May 30, 2019

Jaclyn Cosmetics debuted with the "So Rich Lipstick Collection," featuring 20 nude shades priced at $18 each. The launch was met with immediate, overwhelming demand, generating millions of dollars in sales almost instantly.

Customer Complaints Begin to Flood Social Media

Within days of customers receiving their orders, social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit exploded with photographic and video evidence of defective products. The complaints detailed a shocking array of contamination issues.

• The Facts Of Life Cast Where Are Eastlands Girls Now 2024 Updates 2tx8p

• Foreign Objects: Customers reported finding white hairs, black fibers, and unidentified black spots embedded in the lipstick bullet.
• "Mold-Like" Appearance: Some lipsticks appeared to have a grainy, bumpy, or melted texture, with some users describing a "mold-like" or "fuzzy" surface.
• Uneven Texture: The product itself was criticized for being inconsistent, with some batches feeling gritty or broken.

The Manufacturing and Quality Control Breakdown

The core of the issue was a fundamental breakdown in the manufacturing and quality control process. Investigative reports later suggested that the lipsticks were produced at a facility known as Oxygen Labs. Documents presented by other beauty commentators suggested the lipsticks were produced for as low as $0.96 per piece, raising serious questions about the cost-cutting measures that may have compromised hygiene and quality.

Jaclyn Hill’s Initial and Final Responses

Initially, Jaclyn Hill and a spokesperson for Jaclyn Cosmetics attempted to downplay the severity, suggesting the issues were due to "heat" or "packaging," or that the fibers were from "cotton gloves" used in the lab. However, the sheer volume and severity of the evidence quickly made this position untenable.

On June 12, 2019, Hill posted a highly emotional video titled "My Lipsticks," where she apologized, took full responsibility, and announced a full refund for every single customer who purchased a lipstick, regardless of whether they complained or returned the product. She also stated that she would never work with the lab again and that "many people" had been fired over the incident.

• The Chilling True Story 5 Key Facts About Richard Evonitz The Serial Killer Who Kidnapped Kara Robinson Chamberlain Xpjje

The Lasting Trauma and The Final Closure of Jaclyn Cosmetics

The 2019 scandal was not just a business setback; it was a profound personal and professional crisis for Jaclyn Hill, one that she continues to address years later. The drama serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the perils of poor quality control in a brand built entirely on personal trust and reputation.

The Emotional and Financial Fallout

The financial cost of the recall and refund process was staggering, costing the brand millions of dollars. More importantly, the damage to her credibility was immense. Hill has repeatedly opened up about the lasting psychological impact, calling the launch the "biggest mistake of my career" and admitting to still having "trauma" from the experience almost six years later.

The pressure led to a significant period of withdrawal from social media and a public struggle with her mental health, demonstrating the immense toll that public scrutiny and business failure can take on a major influencer.

The Brand’s Second Chapter and Ultimate Demise (2025 Update)

Following the recall, Jaclyn Cosmetics did attempt a comeback. The brand eventually re-launched and secured a major retail partnership with Ulta, suggesting a path toward long-term recovery and stability.

However, the brand’s stability was short-lived. In a major and final development, Jaclyn Cosmetics officially announced its closure in late 2024/early 2025. The brand became a casualty of the bankruptcy of its parent company, Forma Brands, which also owned other major influencer-driven beauty companies.

Hill confirmed the closure, stating the brand would be "closing for the foreseeable future." This final shuttering of her namesake cosmetics line marks the definitive end of the Jaclyn Cosmetics chapter, confirming that the brand never fully recovered from the catastrophic damage inflicted by the 2019 lipstick scandal. The closure followed her earlier decisions to close her jewelry and comfort brands, further signaling a major shift and retrenchment in her entrepreneurial endeavors.

Key Takeaways: A Cautionary Tale of Quality Control

The Jaclyn Hill lipstick drama remains a critical case study in the intersection of celebrity, business, and consumer trust. The scandal’s legacy is defined by several key lessons for the modern beauty industry and for influencers looking to monetize their personal brand:

• Trust is Fragile: An influencer’s brand is built on years of trust with their audience. A single, catastrophic failure in product quality can destroy that trust almost instantly.
• Due Diligence is Paramount: The alleged outsourcing to a low-cost manufacturer like Oxygen Labs without rigorous oversight highlights the necessity of thorough quality control and vetting of all supply chain partners.
• The Cost of a Recall: The financial and reputational cost of a full product recall and mass refunds far outweighs the initial savings from cutting corners on manufacturing.
• The Long Tail of Controversy: Even years after the event, the scandal continued to overshadow all of Jaclyn Hill's subsequent projects, ultimately contributing to the final demise of Jaclyn Cosmetics.

While Jaclyn Hill remains a prominent figure in the beauty community, frequently posting on social media and discussing her life, the story of Jaclyn Cosmetics is now complete. It began with the promise of a "So Rich" empire and ended with a definitive closure, forever linked to the controversy that exposed the vulnerability of a brand built on the shaky foundation of contaminated lipsticks.