Articles by Rebekah Harding

Technology

“Genuinely a health concern”: JCPenney salon blasted after routine brow wax and tint goes wrong

A woman’s trip to JCPenney for a brow wax and tint didn’t go as planned—and social media viewers say the worst part wasn’t even how botched her eyebrows looked afterward. What happened during the brow tint and wax at JCPenney? In a video with over 3.2 million views, creator Chloe (@fake_chloe_mooney) shows a JCPenney salon worker applying thick layers of dark hair dye to eyebrows. After the appointment, Chloe shares a selfie revealing uneven, dark stains across her brows and skin. On-screen text reads: “She left hair dye on my brows for 40 minutes.” During the experience, she notices a container of all-purpose cleaner sitting on the table. She shows a shocked expression when the salon worker uses the all-purpose cleanser, meant for removing wax from the surfaces, on her face to try to remove the dye. All-purpose cleaner may not harm the skin if applied accidentally. However, most salons use products with ingredients that have been proven safe for the skin. Plus, aesthetic licensing boards have their own regulations for what products can be used on customers. As Chloe continued recording, she captured another bizarre moment: The salon worker began telling her a story about taking a bird home from the side of the road only for it to die the next day. By the end of the appointment, Chloe’s skin appeared bright red, likely from being rubbed with the cleaner. @fake_chloe_mooney I should have known better 💀💀 #fyp #browsgonewrong #jcpenney #eyebrows #sendhelp #onestarreviews #brexit ♬ wii – かざ What did shoppers think of her experience? In the comments, viewers tell Chloe to reach out to a manager about the use of all-purpose cleaner and permanent hair dye during the service. “Babe, you can definitely complain about this… she could’ve easily given you contact dermatitis and should NOT be allowed to do this to another person. It’s genuinely a health concern,” one suggests. “Girl, she needs to be reported using a commercial cleaner on your skin. Like all jokes aside, that is incredibly dangerous,” another says. “Hi! JCPenney Salon manager here! So sorry that happened, speak to their manager, they should be using Refectocil, NOT hair dye!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaa,” a third writes. The Daily Dot has reached out to Chloe for further comment. The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.

Technology

“Why are they mocking us?”: Mariah Carey’s “It’s Time” video with Sephora slammed as tone-deaf on social media

Mariah Carey’s annual “It’s Time” holiday video is back, but this year the singer’s collaboration with Sephora is facing backlash for being “out of touch.” The ad, posted across Carey’s official social media pages, quickly racked up over 100 million views on TikTok alone. In it, Carey catches a Christmas elf (Billy Eichner) sneaking off with her luxury makeup products from Sephora. “The elves are striking this year!” the elf announces. “This is elf revenge for putting us through holiday hell.” He adds that he plans to pawn off the products to afford “elf therapy.” Carey promptly turns the elf into a snowman before he can escape—ending, of course, with her classic “defrosting” meme moment. Carey then quickly dismisses the elf and turns him into a snowman before he can escape. It ends with Carey’s classic “defrosting meme.” Innocent enough, right? Not exactly. Viewers say the ad hits a nerve Several TikTokers pointed out uncomfortable parallels between the elf “strike” and real-world labor and economic struggles. Some said the video seemed to mock workers fighting for better wages and healthcare. “I don’t know about you, but the American people have been treated pretty badly this past year,” TikToker Raygina George (@raysrabbithole) said in her viral post. “It feels like there’s a direct correlation [with the ad].” She also noted the elf’s reference to “elf therapy,” comparing it to rising healthcare costs. ABC News recently reported that many Americans saw their health insurance premiums triple as Affordable Care Act (ACA) credits expired. @raysrabbithole Corporate America is waging war… I think this ad was the declaration …#discover #politics #influencer #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Raygina George Her caption read, “Corporate America is waging war… I think this ad was the declaration.” Another TikToker says the ad’s subtext didn’t resonate with her until later, but she was disturbed when she watched it again. @somethinginadictionary Corporations are playing in our face and are robbing us blind and laughing at our expense. They are laughing at our struggles and our suffering. Like this makes ma so angry honestly. People are going to starve and be homeless and jobless during the holiday season and corporations are mocking us?? #mariahcarey #commercial #holidaytiktok #fypシ ♬ original sound – Something witty “Do they think they’re being funny? If you have some sense and you watched that commercial, it is always that deep,” she says. “Why are they mocking us for going on strike?” Do other viewers agree? In the comments, many viewers agree with the TikTokers, saying the subtext was tone-deaf and calling for a boycott of Sephora. “Oh, so Sephora really wants to add themselves to the boycott,” one writes. “So unbelievably tone deaf. They’ve made it clear who they serve,” another says. “I fully believe it’s fully that deep. Do you believe it’s purposeful or unaware of what’s happening to the average American?” a third remarks. “Mind you, the song LITERALLY goes ‘I don’t need a lot for Christmas- all I want for Christmas is you!’ It’s supposed to be about being anti-materialistic, and she uses it for the exact opposite,” another added to the mix. “Mocking us while simultaneously asking for our money is so insane,” one said. However, others say they don’t believe the ad was meant to be “deep.” “Is it me, or is this like overreaching?” a commenter says. “I completely agree with that, and it’s a sad reality. I just thought this commercial was cute, but never thought it that way,” a second comments. “It was a cute/funny commercial, but I understand why people are upset with it,” a third viewer adds. The Daily Dot reached out to Raygina George and Sephora for further comment. The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.

Technology

“It can brighten someone’s day”: Walmart customer encourages more people to smile at store greeters. Turns out, this was a controversial thing to say

A woman encourages other shoppers to smile at store workers after her Walmart greeter thanked her for acknowledging them. However, not all shoppers agree. Should shoppers smile more at Walmart store greeters? In a video with around 4,000 views, TikToker Kara (@karaandlife) sits in her car after shopping at Walmart. “Can we normalize smiling at the Walmart greeter?” she asks. “Cause mine just thanked me for smiling at him this morning. Doesn’t everybody do that?” @karaandlife #karaandl #walmart #walmartgreeter @Walmart #fypシ ♬ growth – Gede Yudis The suggestion sparked a round of discourse in the comments of her video, with some agreeing with the sentiment. Others took the opportunity to express their frustration with the position or complain about how the greeters act. For the unaware, Walmart greeters stand just inside the entrance of the store and are tasked with welcoming shoppers in as they enter. They also check receipts as shoppers leave to deter theft. (Being “friendly” is likely not a part of the job’s requirements.) What do viewers think of the TikToker’s suggestion? In the comments, many viewers agree with Kara’s suggestion. “My Walmart doesn’t have greeters anymore, but I have made friends with the lady at self checkout because I speak to her when I walk in and when I leave. It’s not hard at all to be nice,” a commenter writes. “I started smiling at people again because it can brighten someone’s day. Idk when we stopped, but we need to start again. I even make small talk with cashiers because those little acts of kindness matter,” another says. Despite the seemingly harmless suggestion, some shoppers push back against smiling at the greeters. “I get so overstimulated in Walmart, I’m in survival mode. I’m sorry,” one says. “I don’t cuz the greeters and I have beef,” another writes. “Yeah, I did it one time, and the RUDENESS of people,” a third adds. Posters on the subreddit r/Walmart suggest the title “Greeters” is a misnomer, as the workers are actually part of asset protection. Several point out that the greeters don’t seem friendly or open to polite social interaction. “Even when I say hello, I hope you’re having a great day, and then, upon exiting, oftentimes I will say, Have a great day and they stare at me like, perhaps they’ve taken an overdose of Quaaludes,” one writes. However, many Walmart workers in the comments say they would appreciate a smile and a quick “hello.” “I mean, I work for Walmart, and I always try to lock eyes with people to greet them and smile, and people always avoid eye contact. I’m just a happy girl, I wanna talk to people,” a worker shares. “I always give my biggest smile to workers. Also, I work at Walmart, so I understand. Never know if someone’s having a bad day,” a second writes. The Daily Dot reached out to Kara for further comment. The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.