A woman whose TikTok content focuses on how to present elegantly and be an “elite” woman is facing backlash after saying that “elegant ladies” don’t use dark lipliner in a recent video.
In a TikTok posted on Friday, Level Blue (@level_blue) posted a video about “makeup mistakes that elegant ladies never make,” including why one shouldn’t use dark lipliner. Her video shows photos of Black women with lips lined with dark lip pencil as an example of what not to do.
“It looks ridiculous, especially up close in person,” Level Blue says of women who wear dark lipliner. “I don’t understand the obsession with having massive lips.”
On Monday, Level Blue’s video had over a million views and had amassed many comments about how she used photos of Black women to call their makeup inelegant.
“NO MA’AM!” @misscwhite commented. “The pictures showed looked beautiful on those women!”
“All these ladies you show on these pics are so beautiful,” @user7010459944758 wrote. “Everything suits them.”
Jackie Aina, a Black beauty influencer with over 2.5 million followers on TikTok, posted a video on Sunday explaining the harm of Level Blue’s video.
“As a non-dark-skinned person, you are the wrong person to give this particular tip,” Aina says in her video. “That particular tip was not received well by people who look like me in your comment section on your video.”
Aina explains that dark lipliner helps “most lip colors” look flattering on darker complexions, and says that she’s made her career in showing women with darker skin on how to make makeup trends work for them.
“You need to be super careful about using blanket statements in the future,” Aina says in her TikTok. “Like ‘not elegant’ or ‘ridiculous’ when talking about beauty rituals that are specific to a particular culture.”
In her video’s caption, Aina wrote that “microaggressions are not very elegant or ladylike.” On Monday, Aina’s video had over 3 million views.
@jackieaina @level_blue microaggressions are not very elegant or ladylike. #elegantlady #classystyle #highsociety #elegance #levelup #howtobealady ♬ original sound – Jackie Aina
Aina also commented saying that Level Blue follows her on TikTok and Instagram.
“She should def know better!” Aina commented.
Many praised Aina for her comprehensive and generous explanation of why Level Blue’s video was a microaggression.
“This is a classy way of getting someone together,” @stephaniekatrel commented.
“The most polite drag I have EVER witnessed,” @lilliandesu wrote.
Others expressed their disdain for Level Blue’s video.
“We have two toned lips so why she sayin that?” @anisam.23 commented.
“Leave us ALONEEEEE,” @naylissah wrote.
