Last week went by entirely too quickly, here’s a recap of a couple things that happened.
matilda djerf controversy
I was just talking about the collaboration between rhode and matilda djerf for the holidays and now it is gone from the rhode website, replaced by a 404 message. Djerf, the influencer behind Djerf Avenue was exposed by a Swedish publication called Aftonbladet.
Employees talked about the unsatisfactory work conditions at Djerf Avenue, including allegations of Matilda causing individuals to have panic attacks, with employees regularly crying because of their unfortunate interactions.
Matilda said she was “deeply sorry” about the situation. Rhode has removed the collaboration from the website, which is now prominently featuring Yoonji Bae.
blake lively + blake brown
I remember when the news came out about Blake Lively’s new hair care line. I don’t particularly follow her recent projects, but I was quite the fan of the original Gossip Girl. I was intrigued.
Unfortunately, I did hear (from TikTok, of course) about how she handled the press surrounding It Ends With Us. The movie was based on Colleen Hoover’s book with the same name.
The book talked about serious issues such as domestic violence and emotional abuse. The promotion didn’t quite reflect the graveness of the themes explored. Not just that, but there seemed to be some tension between the cast and Justin Baldoni, who didn’t appear on the press tour as much despite being the director and main character.
Lively also seemed to be more concerned about her subsequent hair care launch rather than the movie. I haven’t tested the line out yet but they do have aesthetically pleasing packaging, so I cannot say that I didn’t look for it the last time I was at Target. It did garner interest in my area since the whole line was sold out at my local Target.
Blake Lively’s Blake Brown was honored during the Beauty Inc Awards as the Newcomer of the Year. The line “outperformed” what was forecasted during the first week and sustained interest months after launch.
Not really sure if I would pick it up since I wasn’t happy about the press that came out on Blake Lively, with many believing that she was projecting mean girl energy, especially as past interviews resurfaced.
new releases and limited drops
Gucci Beauty released limited edition shades of their Blush De Beauté in a red compact. I am so tempted to pick one of these blushes up. I have one shade from this line and I do enjoy it. The packaging is great quality as well.
LoveShackFancy released mini sizes of their perfume mists. I haven’t really used any of their products. I remember when the brand got introduced to me with their Stanley collaboration. The brand is very much girly, coquette, and feminine. I want either Sugar Bliss or Berry Kiss.
Tatcha has a limited edition of their The Kissu Lip Mask in Kiku. It is a beautiful orange color, reminiscent of fall, pumpkins, and all the cozies. This formula has been on my wishlist for a while. I haven’t checked out primarily because of the price, but the original formula does have pretty good reviews on Sephora.
A few Sol de Janeiro scents are released for a limited time. Summer E Amor is a favorite when it comes to florals, though I don’t reach for it as much in the colder weather. I think it is perfect for the warmer months though or for random days when you want to get in the summer mood.
Lastly, I saw a few releases from Truly Beauty. They just released a new Golden Glaze that just screams goddess complex, very fitting of one of the Pinterest Predicts Trends for 2025.
last thoughts
I think I should have picked some stuff up during the last 20% Sephora sale. Not sure why I feel this need every time the sale is completed, but I have been interested in trying out one of those LoveShackFancy scents for a minute now. At least I don’t feel buyers remorse from Djerf Avenue, which I have been eyeing for almost a year. Those robes have been haunting me since I saw the selection on Tiktok.
