Seattle-based Ari Kytsya has two profiles on the internet. On Instagram and Tiktok, where she has 4.6 million followers, Kytsya offers makeup and hair styling tips, while she on the subscription platform Onlyfans sells nude pictures and explicit sex videos.
Penny East, CEO of the British equality organization Fawcett Society, says that L'Oréal's collaboration violates the company's code of conduct that prohibits pornographic content. East also warns that Kytsya may lure young women into an industry where "most earn little and are pressured to become increasingly explicit".
L'Oréal defends the decision and highlights Ari Kytsya's "openness and honesty about both risks and pleasures" in her industry.
The advertisement, which has been seen over 18.7 million times on Tiktok, describes the makeup as "uncensored" and as something that works "on stage, in front of the camera and yes, in bed".
Farhad Divecha, CEO of the international digital marketing company AccuraCast sees an untapped potential in adult sites.
It may not hurt Urban Decay if the controversy leads to extra visibility, he says.
Kytsya herself thanks Urban Decay.
Most brands hesitate to collaborate with me because of the content I create, she says according to The Guardian.
