Blog 1: Sephora "Starter Witch Kit"
In the late summer of 2018, the beauty giant Sephora made headlines by unveiling a collaboration with fragrance company Pinrose—a "Starter Witch Kit." However, the excitement surrounding this announcement quickly turned into a controversy, prompting the cancellation of the product by September due to extensive backlash on social media, particularly from the Modern Witch community. People took to Twitter in uproar with multifaceted debates sparked by Sephora's ill-fated foray into the world of witchcraft.
The discourse on Twitter during this period was marked by passionate expressions of dissent from the Witch community, specifically those who identified as Modern Witches. These individuals took issue with what they perceived as the appropriation and commodification of their sacred traditions. Simultaneously, outsiders entered the conversation, questioning whether Witches had the right to voice concerns about spiritual theft. The ensuing Twitter debate became a pivotal moment for Modern Witches to affirm and validate their identities as practitioners of the craft. Witches engaged in the debate employed various strategies to distinguish their identities as "authentic." Importantly, in accusing Sephora of spiritual theft, Witches often sidestepped their own potential involvement in appropriating elements from religious traditions.
The controversial Starter Witch Kit, priced at $42, comprises nine pieces, including perfume fragrances and an assortment of paraphernalia: tarot cards, a bundle of sage, and a rose quartz crystal. Positioned as an all-encompassing introduction to the world of witchcraft, it was pitched as the ideal slumber party accessory for the modern Sephora shopper. In response to the backlash, Pinrose issued a statement expressing regret and acknowledging the disappointment felt by those who found the product offensive. The company clarified that the intent behind the product was to celebrate wellness, personal ceremony, and intention-setting, with a particular emphasis on using fragrance as a beauty ritual. Despite this explanation, the collaboration was abandoned, leaving behind a social media storm that underscored the complexities of navigating the intersection of commercialization, spirituality, and cultural sensitivity.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting concept; specifically exploring the realm of cultural appropriation of Modern Witches. It was very intriguing to explore the dichotomy between the pride of modern day witches and the shame and hiding that was thrust upon witches of earlier times, such as those of the witch trial eras. I think this shows the biggest difference between depictions of modern day witches versus those of older popular media pieces. Witches are now seen in a greater light, with promotional
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$42 for a starter kit does seem a bit steep, but what's ironic to me is that the witch community protested. I can understand the issues of commodification and commercialization, but there are still dozens of witch starter kits on Amazon that do not seem to cause controversy. Maybe the fundamentalists have not discovered their existence. I just went into Amazon and searched for "witch starter kits," and there are far too many to count, priced modestly from $15 to $100. Thanks for this blog post.
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