Jeffree Star has faced backlash after responding to reports that his cosmetics were being sold at Dollar Tree stores in the US, with the beauty mogul appearing to flash a black credit card while addressing the controversy in a video posted on 23 September.
The discussion began after shoppers shared images online showing Jeffree Star Cosmetics single eyeshadows at selected Dollar Tree locations. The products were reportedly sold through the discount retailer after surplus stock was acquired by a liquidator.
@jeffreestar Addressing the Dollar Tree controversy and Jeffree Star Cosmetics eyeshadows! #jeffreestar #dollartree #affordablemakeup #eyeshadow Duet w. @🦋AshleyT🦋 ♬ original sound - Jeffree Star
Jeffree Says It Was 'AI Generated?'
Star addressed the controversy in a video posted on 23 September, saying he initially believed photographs of the products at Dollar Tree could have been AI-generated because he had never seen the packaging and had never negotiated directly with the retailer.
According to Star, Jeffree Star Cosmetics had accumulated substantial excess inventory of single eyeshadows after ordering around two million units several years earlier, when the category was more popular. The company subsequently sold the surplus stock to a California-based liquidator.
Star said he was told the liquidator intended to sell the products overseas. However, the liquidator later arranged a deal with Dollar Tree and repackaged the eyeshadows in different boxes.
Striking a Deal With Dollar Tree
'Did Jeffree Star Cosmetics do a deal with Dollar Tree? No,' Star said in the video. He added that the arrangement happened 'unbeknownst' to him.
The packaging used for the Dollar Tree products reportedly identifies Brand Central Marketing LLC as the owner of the repackaged products and states that it is not affiliated with Jeffree Star Cosmetics.
Despite Star's explanation, the controversy continued to spread across social media, with Reddit users particularly focused on his apparent decision to display a black credit card while discussing the situation.
Black Credit Card Privilege
A discussion on Reddit's r/BeautyGuruChatter received more than 1,700 upvotes, with one commenter calling the moment the 'best part' of the video because Star 'pulled his black credit card'.
Another user criticised the emphasis on wealth, writing: 'Imagine money being your whole personality. So empty.'
The Reddit discussion also revived criticism of Star's treatment of a woman who posted about finding his cosmetics at Dollar Tree. Users accused the influencer of mocking her appearance after she shared her discovery online.
The Dollar Tree Controversy
The Dollar Tree controversy has also prompted renewed discussion of Star's previous comments about discount retailers. He previously mocked the appearance of other prestige beauty products at retailers such as TJ Maxx and Marshalls. In 2018, he publicly commented on Kat Von D Beauty products being sold at TJ Maxx, including a post in which he joked about the brand becoming a TJ Maxx exclusive.
The resurfacing of those comments has fuelled criticism that Star is now facing the same situation he previously mocked. However, Star has rejected the suggestion that Jeffree Star Cosmetics directly entered into a Dollar Tree partnership. He has instead maintained that the products reached the retailer through the liquidator after his company sold the excess stock.
He said the liquidation transaction was financially beneficial to his company because it allowed the business to recover money from inventory that had remained in storage. 'I did make a lot of money from the liquidator,' Star said.
The beauty mogul described the resulting attention as 'free promotion' for his brand, arguing that the controversy had introduced Jeffree Star Cosmetics to consumers who may not otherwise have encountered it.
For Star, the dispute has become another highly publicised chapter in his long-running relationship with the beauty community, with his own comments about discount retailers now being revisited alongside the latest Dollar Tree sightings.
