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Kylie Jenner faces criticism for launching Kylie Skin-branded hand sanitiser: ‘This is gross’
Kylie Skin hand sanitiser was still in stock on Wednesday
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Your support makes all the difference.Kylie Jenner is facing criticism after launching a new Kylie Skin hand sanitiser, with some accusing the reality star of trying to “profit off a pandemic”.
The new product, which launched on 5 January, was first announced on 31 December, with the Kylie Skin Twitter account tweeting: “Introducing our NEW hand sanitiser! Our on-the-go hand sanitiser is a fast-drying, spray cleanser! 80 per cent alcohol purifies and sanitises hands without stickiness while glycerin helps soothe and protect skin from dryness.”
In a tweet on Tuesday, the beauty mogul shared a link to the hand sanitiser, which is sold in a light pink bottle with the Kyle Skin logo, on her skincare company’s website.
“My @kylieskin hand sanitiser is here! H80 per cent alcohol, fast drying, and formulated with glycerin to prevent dryness,” she wrote.
On the website, the hand sanitiser is described as able to keep you “safe and clean at all times,” while promising to protect skin from dryness “no matter how often you cleanse”.
However, unlike previous releases from the company, which has seen products sell-out within minutes after its launch in May 2019, the $7 hand sanitiser was still in stock as of Wednesday.
According to reactions on social media, the relative unpopularity of the hand sanitiser may be due to Jenner’s decision to launch the product amid the ongoing pandemic - or the more expensive price in comparison to other hand sanitisers on the market.
“Kylie really made Kylie Skin hand sanitiser… like ? Let’s profit off a pandemic,” one person tweeted.
Another said: “Cashing in on the pandemic, I’d expect no less.”
“Kylie Jenners's hand sanitiser is so expensive…” someone else wrote.
Despite the criticism, many of Jenner’s fans expressed excitement over the new branded product, while others defended the 23-year-old, with some pointing out that it’s not the first time she has produced hand sanitiser.
In April, Jenner and her mother Kris Jenner began using her companies Kylie Skin and Kylie Cosmetics to produce hand sanitiser to be donated to healthcare workers working on the frontlines in southern California.
Each product also included a supportive message for recipients that read: “Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities.”
The same month, the reality star also donated $1million to Los Angeles hospitals to help their fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
“Not that I am on Kylie's PR team or have any reason to defend her, but in the beginning of the pandemic she publicly donated $1,000,000 to frontline workers & used her factories to make over 6,000 pounds of free hand sanitiser. If you don't like it, don't buy it,” one person tweeted.
Jenner’s latest controversy comes just days after she faced backlash for posting photos to Instagram of her New Year’s vacation to Aspen, Colorado,.
“What a way to start the year,” Jenner captioned one album, which included photos of her snowmobiling and posing on a snow-covered mountain.
The post prompted one of her more than 208m followers to comment: “I guess Covid does not apply to the rich!”
The Independent has contacted Coty and Kylie Skin for comment.
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