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What do you think of Frankel's makeup giveaway?
- A lovely gesture
- Tone deaf and offensive
The 52-year-old Skinnygirl founder, who owns a home on Long Island in the hamlet of Bridgehampton, drew the internet’s ire after posting a TikTok video of herself giving out bags of used makeup to a TJ Maxx store manager.
In the now-deleted clip, Frankel explains that the women who work at the store “are so nice” and are always complimenting her on what she buys.
“So, I wanted to bring them some of the leftover makeup that I just tried, like opened up and put in a giveaway pile. But it’s all brand-new.”
Frankel then approaches the manager, who she describes as her “friend who compliments my purchases.”
She presents the woman with a large bag containing smaller plastic bags of makeup.
“It’s got eyeshadow, brushes, lip, whatever, but I’m gonna give you the whole thing and you can give it out to your friends.”
The employee reluctantly accepts the gift while telling Frankel that she could “get in a lot of trouble for taking it.”
“Why would you get in trouble?” Frankel asks, to which the employee explains that it’s against company policy to accept any kind of gratuity or gifts.
“Oh my god,” Frankel tells her. “I’m gonna message TJ Maxx on the Instagram and they’re gonna make an exception. Don’t worry, they’ll come reach out to you because the people are gonna speak.”
To Frankel’s shock, the act did not go over well on social media, with many calling the move tone deaf and accusing her of exhibiting “white savior complex.”
One fan asked Frankel why she assumed that the employee “can’t afford” one of the items, to which Frankel replied,” Bc (because) she is a cashier at TJ Maxx.”
Not everyone was against the move, however.
“I for one would be grateful if someone gifted me like you did these ladies,” reads one comment. “I think what you did was kind with pure intention.”
In a follow-up video on Sunday, Sept. 17, Frankel told her fans that she was “in a lot of trouble,” adding “I think I’m being canceled.”
She went on to explain that she regularly receives “tons” of makeup from various brands and likes to give away the ones that she tries and doesn’t keep.
“So now we have a ripped box, so it’s not new, it's not used, but I don’t need it,” she said. “I always have bags in my car for random acts of kindness. If someone’s nice to me, I just hand them something.”
The Real Housewives of New York City alum said she ultimately had to take back the used makeup after the company did not make an exception. She ended up giving the unwanted cosmetics to employees at a Restoration Hardware store.
She went on to blast those on social media who called her a “white savior.”
“People like to use these really big woke words and terms like ‘narrative’ and ‘gaslighting’ just to act like they're really smart,” she said.
‘So, I may have white savior complex because I brought perfectly good unused but open makeup to people that I don't think would be able to buy this level of makeup on their own.
“So, I guess I’m being canceled. What shall we all do? Thoughts and prayers.”
What do you think of Frankel's "random act of kindness?" Sound off in our poll above.
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