The controversial influencer Jeffree Star is defending his eponymous cosmetics brand's decision to sell products at Dollar Tree, after he had mocked other beauty brands for being sold at discount stores
TJ Maxx and Marshalls a few years prior.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Star made a video that has over 3 million views, addressing the comments and messages he received about single-color eyeshadow palettes from Jeffree Star Cosmetics that were on sale at the discount store, saying it was "news" to him and that he had "no idea."
He goes on to say in the video that during one of his most recent livestreams, he was receiving messages with pictures of his products at the Dollar Tree and initially thought it was AI because he'd never seen this packaging before and he'd never had a conversation with the store.
Star goes on to explain that he sold some of his excess inventory to a liquidator because they had ordered about two million units "a couple years ago" and they didn't sell because single eyeshadow palettes are not as popular as they used to be.
He adds that the liquidator told him they were planning to sell the extra product overseas. "Unbeknownst to me, the liquidator did a deal with Dollar Tree … and repackaged all of the single eyeshadows," Star explains in the video. "I had no idea this deal was going down."
@jeffreestar Addressing the Dollar Tree controversy and Jeffree Star Cosmetics eyeshadows! #jeffreestar #dollartree #affordablemakeup #eyeshadow Duet w. @🦋AshleyT🦋
♬ original sound - Jeffree Star
USA TODAY reached out to Star and the cosmetics company for comment but did not immediately hear back.
For years, Star has been a controversial figure in the YouTube beauty creator space because of his abrasive personality and multiple controversies, including allegations of racism (which he apologized for in two separate videos — one in 2017 and another in 2020), sexual and physical assault (his attorney denied these allegations and called them "false and defamatory") and hush money offers to his alleged victims (he didn't directly address these claims).
More recently, he's come under fire for transphobic comments that he made about nonbinary people and arguing that the LGBTQ+ acronym should no longer include the "Q" or the "T."
Still, he's maintained an audience of over 36 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
After Star's products were found at Dollar Tree, people on social media pointed back to when he mocked former friend reality-TV personality Kat Von D for selling their products in stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls, saying that her products being sold at these discount stores is "hilarious."
karma mocking kat von d's makeup being in tj maxx and now his is at the dollar tree https://t.co/Gq1qxDmuiw
— 𝔅𝔢𝔠 .𖥔 ݁ ˖🦇 (@grimesgoth) September 24, 2026
After he posted his response video, the comments under it were filled with people surmising that his decision to offload his excess inventory to a liquidator indicated the trajectory of his business. "Normally when you bring a liquidator in it means your brand is struggling," the top comment reads. "Excessive inventory cause no one is buying," another person wrote.
But he received support for his comments from some people who justified it as a good business decision that would make his products more accessible. "You made money and got free promo to people who might not have heard of [Jeffree Star Cosmetics]. Why are people acting like this is a bad thing???" a fan commented. Another reply reads, "Then if they’re put into the dumpster, people will complain; at least, … people who never get a chance to try the product can now."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeffree Star made fun of discount stores. Now his makeup is at Dollar Tree
