In 2018, we all know that makeup isn't JUST for people who identify as female. Beauty isn't limited to one gender — it's for everyone. We all deserve the flawless lashes and perfect lipstick of our dreams, if that's what we choose to do!
Nobody knows that better than Manny MUA. Manny has always been an outspoken advocate for beauty boys, saying that men who wear makeup should get just as much respect and recognition.
But apparently, some brands haven't caught up with that yet. Today, Manny and his followers have dragged a luxury lash brand whose founder had some particularly closed-minded things to say about him.
In his latest review, Manny MUA tested out "the most expensive lashes in the world" — Lashify's Control Kit, which costs $125.
"This has to be the most expensive lash kit ever," he said. "$130? I was floored."
The Lashify product that Manny purchased is, essentially, a do-it-yourself eyelash extension kit — not just a set of $$$ falsies. When applied correctly, the Lashify lashes will supposedly last between one and four days.
But, in Manny's opinion, it still wasn't good enough. He found the kit very expensive, not to mention hard to use.
"I don't know how much getting lash extensions are," he said in his review. "But this is $125 for this whole kit, you have to do it yourself, and it is so fucking hard." In Manny's opinion, it's easier to go an get lash extensions professionally done than to struggle with the Lashify $125 DIY kit.
Manny finished one eye with the Lashify kit, but was IMMEDIATELY over them.
"I need to take this ugly shit off," he said. "It's just not my thing. Maybe if you guys are into this… natural, kind of wispy look, maybe you would be down. But for me, I want it to be BOLD and DRAMATIC. And if I'm spending $125, I want my lashes to be cunty!"
Later in the video he said that, for him personally, this was "a flop situation." He didn't think the Lashify kit was worth it — in his opinion, $125 is a lot of money for two pairs of faux lashes, some gel, and an applicator.
He was quick to add, though, that if you're someone who enjoys getting lash extensions and wants to see how it works, the Lashify kit could be something you want to try out!
This wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for the Lashify Control Kit, but it also wasn't a particularly negative review — Manny's opinion was that the DIY lash extensions were hard to apply, and didn't give him the results he was after.
That's not especially harsh criticism. It's an opinion that Manny backed up with his experience using the product. And it's the kind of light criticism that brands, especially those that sell expensive products that require practice to get comfortable with, should expect.
Mere hours after Manny's review went live, the people behind the Lashify brand went absolutely nuclear.
Manny screengrabbed both of the Instagram posts from the official Lashify Instagram account, which has since been made private.
The first one shows a text post from the brand's Instagram Story. It reads "Thanks for the entertainment, @MannyMUA733! Now, can you please follow the directions, watch a tutorial or two, and apply Lashify without a full face of makeup on (just like you would lash extensions) so you can give a proper review of our product?"
And honestly, OK! Manny kind of winged the application in his review, saying that he wasn't going to seek out other tutorials, specifically so he could see how easy the instructions were to follow. Additionally, he did apply Lashify overtop of mascara and other makeup, which may have affected his experience.
But that's still not an excuse for the second post, posted to Lashify's official Instagram page. The text post says "Not everyone wants to look like a drag queen," which is already Not Great. The brand continues to drag his review — which again, was his opinion — by asking "What exactly is a cunty lash?"
Manny took it as a joke, asking if people were really SURE they didn't want to look like drag queens.
And that could have been the end of it. People probably still would have bought Lashify's eyelash kits — the set Manny tested is currently backordered — and everyone could have gone on with life.
Until Lashify's founder Sahara Lotti began an Instagram Live.
One of Manny's followers captured and tweeted this video. Streaming from the Lashify official account, it shows the brand founder applying the lashes and saying derogatory things about Manny... because he's a man who wears makeup.
Her exact words, as transcibed from this video:
"Honestly, I don't know what he thought they were," she says. "But I have to remember, at the end of the day, he can have all the makeup he wants. But he's still a dude."
She makes a face, then repeats herself while laughing. "He's still a dude. Manny, you still a dude, bro."
And he was NOT having it. "So you’re saying I can’t use it cause I’m a dude... okay cool and she’s sexist! I love it! Lashify, you’re officially cancelled."
First, the gender binary isn't real — it's a social construct.
Women are not inherently better at applying makeup than men. Women do not have any inbuilt knowledge or skills that makes them better at applying fake eyelashes. Implying that Manny didn't apply this particular product correctly because he's "a dude" is reductive and insulting.
This video, and Manny's response, got his community involved. Even Patrick Starrr, another "beauty boy" who has experienced a lot of bullshit for loving makeup, came to help his friend.
So did Mykie, who the YouTube world knows as Glam And Gore.
The controversy continued to swirl until Lashify issued an apology of sorts.
Right before making the brand's Instagram profile private, this was the statement posted:
"We truly apologise to anyone who was offended or mistook our comment about drag. At Lashify, we believe in total equality for everybody. Our product was and is meant to be androgynous and s designed to appeal to everyone. But we also believe in self-expression, humor, and defending ourselves. Our products are called Fluff, Blow, and Pinch. And our tagline is "Your stripping days are over." Let's save the drama for your lashes."
Unfortunately, based on the reaction from Twitter, that Lashify apology may be too little, too late.
Beauty Twitter is not here for this kind of negative behaviour, especially not from brand founders.
It's NOT OK — and people are making a stand on Manny's behalf.
Anyway, Manny isn't letting the ignorance get to him — he's hanging out with his best friends and living a great life.
Meanwhile, Lashify has locked down all it's social media profiles.
And so has Sahara Lotti, the brand founder and person in the now-infamous Instagram Live video.
Let's cleanse all this nastiness from our soul with a supercut of Manny giggling, shall we?
And remember that makeup and amazing lashes are for EVERYONE.
WATCH: We review Lip Bar and give you our honest thoughts.
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