An Instagram user named Rex is facing controversy after posting a makeup tutorial that replicated the appearance of vitiligo, a skin condition characterized by the loss of pigmentation. Vitiligo causes white patches, known as macules, to develop on the skin due to a lack of melanin. These patches can vary in size and can appear anywhere on the body.
In her video, Rex applied white makeup on portions of her face to mimic the look of vitiligo. She then demonstrated how to conceal these areas with makeup, emphasising that it makes the condition look “pretty.” The video included an on-screen conversation, starting with the text, “What’s that white thing on your skin?” and progressing to statements like, “It’s vitiligo” and “it’s pretty just like art,” as the video wrapped up.
After posting the video, Rex faced widespread criticism, with many accusing her of minimising the seriousness of vitiligo and lacking true understanding about it. In response to the criticism, Rex addressed the issue in her caption, “I got a lot of comments I’ve received regarding my recent post. I want to clarify that while I don’t have vitiligo myself, my intent was to create art inspired by those who do and normalise it . I drew it on my skin as I had seen it on Pinterest. I understand it wasn’t my best work, and it may not have resonated well with everyone as vitligo doesn’t look like this.”
She further clarified that her intention was never to offend or mock anyone with vitiligo. “I aim to celebrate and highlight unique features instead of concealing them. I would have literally used concealer or painted my face full. Wait, that leads you to feel that vitiligo doesn’t look pretty on its own. I was trying to normalize having it because it’s not under someone’s control, treating it as normal rather than something different,” Rex added.
Take a look at the post here:
Rex’s video has accumulated more than 8 million views so far but the comment section is filled with backlash. One user bluntly asked, “Why are you faking vitiligo if you don’t have it, it’s just weird.”
Another added, “Sometimes it is better not make content than make content like this.”
Expressing frustration, someone wrote, “This is so ridiculous and tone deaf,” while another user added, “i hate when people try to promote positivity by faking it, you are literally making it worse you aren’t helping.”
One user pointed out, “I don’t think it’s okay to make art of an illness you don’t suffer from :/ glorifying something others may really struggle with, I understand maybe you didn’t mean to offend but this isn’t how you show appreciation.”
A person with the condition also commented, “I have vitiligo and its a no for me. Its not a skin imperfections its a autoimmune disease.”
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