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After Outcry From Actual Witches, Sephora's "Starter Witch Kit" Is Cancelled

StrawberryShake

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Last week, the news that the perfume brand Pinrose planned to launch a “Starter Witch Kit” in Sephora this October caused a backlash among practitioners of witchcraft and others. The nine-piece set was to retail for $42, and include an array of witch-related items, including tarot cards, sage, and a rose quartz crystal (paywall).

Critics had accused the brand of trivializing the religions of those who practice witchcraft. Some self-identified members of the witch community took to social media and YouTube to urge a boycott of Sephora.







Yesterday Pinrose backtracked, announcing in a statement that it planned to halt manufacturing of the kit, and would no longer be selling it in Sephora stores:

First and foremost, to those who have shared their disappointment or taken offense to this product, we apologize profoundly. This was not our intent. We thank you for communicating with us and expressing your feelings. We hear you; we will not be manufacturing or making this product available for sale. Our intention for the product was to create something that celebrates wellness, personal ceremony, and intention setting with a focus on using fragrance as a beauty ritual.

Some also accused Pinrose and Sephora of conflating Native American sacred practices with witchcraft, and objected to the sage bundles, which are used in “smudging,” a sacred practice in some Native American religions, that has been adopted by mainstream wellness culture.

Pinrose, for its part, pointed out that the sage in its kit is not classified by the US government as threatened, and would have been “sustainably harvested and sold by Native American owned and operated businesses…” they also noted that the kit did not reference “ceremonial smudging or ceremony circles.”

Some also accused the brand of stealing Prince’s trademarked love symbol. (Pinrose noted in its statement that it had purchased the artwork, including the symbol, and linked to an image from a stock photo site.)



The superstar soul singer SZA even chimed in to suggest untrained witches should probably stay away from the dark arts (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!):




After outcry from actual witches, Sephora’s “Starter Witch Kit” is canceled
 

MsDriven

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I screamed out laughing when I saw the price for this "kit". I buy my sage and crystals for a tiny fraction of that.
 

GummyBearJuice

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Well everyone has a right to what they believe in & if you're not a familiar with magick then you shouldn't play with it . And for one thing you don't just do something to be cool . They have a right to be offended ; what would ppl say if they had a Christianity themed kit , with a bible , rosary , and some holy water ?
 

kettleballs

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This girl in the clip below said she was proud of shutting it down.
Didn't know singer SZA also tweeted in support.:eyeroll

 
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Morticia A

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Y'all whores all gonna burn in hell for eternity anyways.
Might as well go with a beat face & your broomstick ...
 
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StrawberryShake

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Well everyone has a right to what they believe in & if you're not a familiar with magick then you shouldn't play with it . And for one thing you don't just do something to be cool . They have a right to be offended ; what would ppl say if they had a Christianity themed kit , with a bible , rosary , and some holy water ?

Someone did point that out:

 

KissMeHerione

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The first time a thread was made on this I knew it would be problematic but I’m a little surprised at who is upset by it.
 

DominaHW

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I honestly don't see the big deal about the kit. I feel like a lot of witches are just worried that it's going to take business away from them, lol. Like, yeah it's jumping on the witch trend, but so what?
 

Swiss Miss

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Wth when I saw this it was only in writing, I thought it was costume grade Halloween makeup. Who the hell ok'd this? Probably some hipster, first avocados now white sage isn't safe either.
 

Lyra

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I honestly don't see the big deal about the kit. I feel like a lot of witches are just worried that it's going to take business away from them, lol. Like, yeah it's jumping on the witch trend, but so what?

Same. I just don’t see the big deal and don’t care if there was a Christianity starter kit either. Maybe there’s someone out there looking for that.
 

ladyluxe

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Well everyone has a right to what they believe in & if you're not a familiar with magick then you shouldn't play with it . And for one thing you don't just do something to be cool . They have a right to be offended ; what would ppl say if they had a Christianity themed kit , with a bible , rosary , and some holy water ?
Uh Magick isn't real nothing will happen if someone plays with this. I really dont see what the big deal here is, as you don't have to be part of some fake religion to use a bunch of crystals and sage and sh!t. Pagans don't "own" any of that.

If they had a starter christian set sold in secular stores most devout christians would probably be happy and would see it as "spreading the gospel". The ONLY people complaining about that would be dumb ass atheists who whine and play victim any time they see something christian or god related (except their money or days off of course)
 

GummyBearJuice

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Uh Magick isn't real nothing will happen if someone plays with this. I really dont see what the big deal here is, as you don't have to be part of some fake religion to use a bunch of crystals and sage and sh!t. Pagans don't "own" any of that.

If they had a starter christian set sold in secular stores most devout christians would probably be happy and would see it as "spreading the gospel". The ONLY people complaining about that would be dumb ass atheists who whine and play victim any time they see something christian or god related (except their money or days off of course)

Uh , k . Like I stated about everyone has their beliefs . So if you don’t believe in magick , cool . And ppl made it into something about religion . Do you know what a pagan is ? Obviously you don’t . Pagans aren’t all witches and witches aren’t all pagans . And some witches don’t go by the term witches . The point was they are making a product that is in relation to people who are witches , are into paganism , or root work , etc . And please , Christians will complain if they feel something is a mockery towards their faith . You sound biased .
 

Lyra

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Uh Magick isn't real nothing will happen if someone plays with this. I really dont see what the big deal here is, as you don't have to be part of some fake religion to use a bunch of crystals and sage and sh!t. Pagans don't "own" any of that.

If they had a starter christian set sold in secular stores most devout christians would probably be happy and would see it as "spreading the gospel". The ONLY people complaining about that would be dumb ass atheists who whine and play victim any time they see something christian or god related (except their money or days off of course)

I thought the same thing lol. I don’t see how anyone would think a Christian would be offended by that. They’d more than likely think oh great, more people are coming back to religion.
 

N A M E

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Someone did point that out:

It really doesn't drive the point home. Christians evangelize and witches don't. No Christian is going to get mad because one more person got access to a bible. Don't they call that a blessing?:laugh2 Bibles (and crosses) get sold all of the time . If a major denomination could strike a deal with Sephora to kit out some bibles with shelf space and reach a new audience to convert them they'd do so in a heartbeat. Christians aren't above reaching people "where they are" through consumerism. Remember those WWJD bracelets?
 
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Many people jump on the witch bandwagon. Magick is not to be played with, but to get in an uproar over this? Unnecessary.
 

mrsmw

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Wait until they see this in Conspiracy Alley

200.gif
 
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HOW!?!?!?

LSA is the first and only place i've seen anybody even mention spells and witchery. I'm trippin out. Never knew it was a trend....

Well I'm a dancer and I know in one particular style, the community is filled with wannabe witches. Don't trip. Just keep your space filled with positive energy.
 

jd007

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Whats more powerful and effective? Lana Stevens Pussy Whip method or witchcraft when it comes to making a guy like you? Has anyone tried both at the same time?

Pussy Whipped is law of attraction type stuff...is witchcraft more effective?
 

spoiledwater

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I would have never pulled it. "Witchy" stuff is trending, period.

Someone posted this on reddit a few weeks ago:


[–]
lumenphosphor 2 points 22 minutes ago*

It seems largely that "witches" are powerful women who don't have to co-opt or wear or buy into masculinity to be powerful. The strength and the femininity are one and the same rather than having to be feminine yet strong, or strong yet feminine.

It feels like a lot of the old archetypes of western Power are masculine. Especially in fairy tales and myths. The Hunter, the Soldier, the Prince or the Knight or the King are all powerful figures. And their daughters and lovers and sisters are all kind of moved about or married off or eaten or creeped on. The central female powerful characters that are also women tend to be witches. And they're portrayed as evil. Back then, it was evil to subvert the norm and want power in this way if you were a woman.

Gosh I've read a lot of different anthropological things about witches in myth and folklore. I can talk a lot a lot about this but I'll try to sum up. From Circe to the stepmom-witch. Ambition or really desire in a lot of western myths, Greek or English really, is not allowed if you are female. Wanting to be powerful or beautiful, or wanting a man to love you. You need to submit to others' desires, and you need to bruise easily.

This was not always so. Before Hades and the Zeus pantheon got real popular, Persephone (which has a root in the word 'slayer') didn't get 'kidnapped' (variations of even that story of course tend to imply that this wasn't even kidnapping). Instead she went down to the where the dead were running rampant and took the mantle of ruler on for herself. There's Astarte who's the goddess of love/xes and war and death. And don't get me started on Freya.

But as times changed their position in pantheons changed and women who were once the protagonists with power, who talked to the dead and healed the sickly, became cast out in stories as crazy witches.

I think of this witch obsession as really natural. Within the western context, and within western culture and history, it used to be wrong for women to want power or to chase after their desires or take control of their lives or not marry or marry as they pleased. We were supposed to look to the quiet maids, and bruise as easily and delicately as the princess and the pea. But we don't want to anymore! We want to have jobs! We want to do things and be powerful and take vengeance if we want to. All women are witches now because power is no longer forbidden for us. So when we look at what image of power we want to project, here's an easy and obvious one. One that is still feminine, still sensual/xesual but not for consumption. It's not inherently delicate or subservient and it never implies that it is meant to be consumed by or that it works to support another. It is feminine strength in and of itself and to benefit only oneself. I like it. I am so happy more women are learning to be ambitious, to stop thinking of emphasizing their sensuality/sexuality/beauty/hotness as vanity, to fµck!ng own their sh!t and slay.

Also as someone who still likes the princess-aesthetic I'm not saying that one is inherently 'weaker'. There are some cool princesses who do sh!t, but this is just like the simple and easy, 'marketing' type of psycho-socio-analysis.
 

DominaHW

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I would have never pulled it. "Witchy" stuff is trending, period.

Someone posted this on reddit a few weeks ago:


[–]
lumenphosphor 2 points 22 minutes ago*

It seems largely that "witches" are powerful women who don't have to co-opt or wear or buy into masculinity to be powerful. The strength and the femininity are one and the same rather than having to be feminine yet strong, or strong yet feminine.

It feels like a lot of the old archetypes of western Power are masculine. Especially in fairy tales and myths. The Hunter, the Soldier, the Prince or the Knight or the King are all powerful figures. And their daughters and lovers and sisters are all kind of moved about or married off or eaten or creeped on. The central female powerful characters that are also women tend to be witches. And they're portrayed as evil. Back then, it was evil to subvert the norm and want power in this way if you were a woman.

Gosh I've read a lot of different anthropological things about witches in myth and folklore. I can talk a lot a lot about this but I'll try to sum up. From Circe to the stepmom-witch. Ambition or really desire in a lot of western myths, Greek or English really, is not allowed if you are female. Wanting to be powerful or beautiful, or wanting a man to love you. You need to submit to others' desires, and you need to bruise easily.

This was not always so. Before Hades and the Zeus pantheon got real popular, Persephone (which has a root in the word 'slayer') didn't get 'kidnapped' (variations of even that story of course tend to imply that this wasn't even kidnapping). Instead she went down to the where the dead were running rampant and took the mantle of ruler on for herself. There's Astarte who's the goddess of love/xes and war and death. And don't get me started on Freya.

But as times changed their position in pantheons changed and women who were once the protagonists with power, who talked to the dead and healed the sickly, became cast out in stories as crazy witches.

I think of this witch obsession as really natural. Within the western context, and within western culture and history, it used to be wrong for women to want power or to chase after their desires or take control of their lives or not marry or marry as they pleased. We were supposed to look to the quiet maids, and bruise as easily and delicately as the princess and the pea. But we don't want to anymore! We want to have jobs! We want to do things and be powerful and take vengeance if we want to. All women are witches now because power is no longer forbidden for us. So when we look at what image of power we want to project, here's an easy and obvious one. One that is still feminine, still sensual/xesual but not for consumption. It's not inherently delicate or subservient and it never implies that it is meant to be consumed by or that it works to support another. It is feminine strength in and of itself and to benefit only oneself. I like it. I am so happy more women are learning to be ambitious, to stop thinking of emphasizing their sensuality/sexuality/beauty/hotness as vanity, to fµck!ng own their sh!t and slay.

Also as someone who still likes the princess-aesthetic I'm not saying that one is inherently 'weaker'. There are some cool princesses who do sh!t, but this is just like the simple and easy, 'marketing' type of psycho-socio-analysis.

This is an amazing POV. And she highlighted a reason why I've always been confused about how to be strong AND feminine. It's like I could never make it make sense in my mind, but it's because I always thought of strength in male terms. But femininity has its own sort of strength -- the LOA, the creativity, the self-love, etc.

Also, it's super interesting what she said about Persephone! I didn't know that Persephone went to the Underworld willingly in the original myths. I was always drawn to the story of Persephone and Hades even though I saw myself as being 'better' than Persephone since she was kind of weak and passive. But if the truth is that she was an innocent maiden who went there willingly, then that makes a lot more sense. In fact, that sounds similar to the myth of Inanna's descent.
 

DominaHW

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The thing about witch kits and witch tools is that you just don't really need them. Witchcraft is mostly an internal process -- it's about getting in tune with various energies to produce a desired outcome. You technically don't need crystals, candles, incense, bowls, etc. unless they help you get into a particular state of mind. I know that for me that only things that really help are scents and lighting -- so candles, string lights, incense, and sage. Try as I might, I can't get into things like scrying mirrors, crystals, and even altars. They don't do it for me. Pictures of things that I want help if they have a vibe or produce some kind of feeling, but I think the key is that whatever you use has to resonate with you. But you really don't NEED any tools to do magick.
 

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