Lady Gaga is addressing the Haus Labs controversy that began after beauty creator Golloria criticized one of the brand’s upcoming products earlier this year.
On Thursday (Oct. 1), Gaga shared a statement through Haus Labs’ Instagram addressing the situation surrounding the Sun Dipped Bronzing Veil, acknowledging that both the product’s original shade range and the way the brand responded to Golloria’s criticism fell short.
The issue began in May, when Golloria tested the bronzer and posted her reaction online. After swatching three of the darkest shades on her complexion, the creator questioned the product’s range and said she was disappointed given her past appreciation for Haus Labs’ complexion offerings. She later said that the brand had asked her to remove the review because the product was under embargo.
Months later, Gaga is taking responsibility for how the situation unfolded.
In her statement, the singer confirmed that Haus Labs had asked Golloria to remove her post on the grounds that she had received the product under embargo. Gaga said that, in retrospect, “the way the company initially handled that feedback was wrong,” adding that the brand wanted to take responsibility for its mistakes.
Gaga also acknowledged that the decision to move forward with the bronzer’s original six-shade lineup was not the right one. Instead of just proceeding with the launch, Haus Labs paused the release and returned to development in order to expand the range.
The Sun Dipped Bronzing Veil is now set to launch with 11 shades, according to Gaga. Haus Labs’ website currently lists the product in 11 shades, including Mirage, Oasis, Mahogany, Rich, Playa, Sienna, Suede, Dune, Golden, Sand and Rise.
Gaga said the brand also used the situation as an opportunity to have internal conversations about what went wrong and how to prevent similar issues from happening again. She also specifically apologized to Golloria and to the broader community, crediting the creator’s willingness to speak up with prompting the brand to reconsider the launch.
Billboard has reached out to Lady Gaga’s representatives for additional comment.
Read the full statement from Haus Labs below.
