Kylie Jenner branded 'tone deaf' for promoting new lip gloss range right after sending prayers to Ukraine

Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Kylie Jenner has been branded "tone deaf" after she "insensitively" decided to promote her new range of lip glosses on social media, directly after sending her prayers to the people of Ukraine suffering under the Russian invasion.

The faux pas has her fans up in arms, with many claiming the poor timing appears to trivialise the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military operation against the eastern European democracy, targeting the nation's military bases, airfields and cities with devastating airstrikes and missiles. The full-scale invasion by air, land and sea has led to mass evacuations, with desperate Ukrainians fleeing their homes to seek refuge at the country's borders. Many have also left their families to fight the Russian forces.

At least 352 Ukrainians, including 14 children, have been killed so far, with more than 1600 wounded.

Russia's onslaught, which Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has likened to Nazi Germany's invasion in World War Two, has prompted celebrities around the world to use their platforms to spread information, resources and awareness, with many launching fundraisers to help those affected by the conflict. 

Actress Blake Lively and her husband, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, are among the high-profile names who have pledged their support to the people of Ukraine, vowing to match donations up to US$1 million that are made to the United Nations Refugee Agency to fund critical aid for displaced Ukrainians.

Friends star Jennifer Aniston is among those who have drawn attention to the couple's initiative, revealing in a post to her almost 40 million Instagram followers that she had personally donated money to the cause.

Meanwhile, former Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenn Frankel is providing support via her nonprofit disaster relief charity BStrong. Two days after the conflict escalated, Frankel announced that US$10 million in initial aid was en route and almost $3 million in additional funding had already been raised. According to BStrong, the funds will be used to facilitate travel for refugees by establishing different stations along the Poland-Ukraine border to provide water and hygiene products. 

But among the high-profile individuals rallying behind war-torn Ukraine with their support, not all are being applauded for their efforts. 

Over the weekend, reality television royalty Kylie Jenner took the time to address the war with a simple message shared to her Instagram, which is followed by more than 314 million people.

"God protect the people of Ukraine," the 24-year-old wrote in a post to her Instagram Story, followed by a white heart. "My thoughts and prayers are with you."

Yet just two hours after the tribute, the makeup mogul shared a promotional video for her cosmetic company's new range of lip-shine lacquers, encouraging her fans to purchase the product online.

"My new @KylieCosmetics lip shine lacquers are here!" she wrote, including a link to shop the new range.

Kylie Jenner branded 'tone deaf' for promoting new lip gloss range right after sending prayers to Ukraine
Photo credit: Kylie Jenner / Instagram

But Jenner's business-as-usual mentality quickly put people's backs up, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment in her behaviour. 

TikTok user @browneyed_babyyy was quick to condemn the 24-year-old, sharing a recording of Jenner's Instagram Story to the video-sharing platform with the caption: "Kylie cannot be f**king serious [right now]."

"'I'm so sad for Ukraine! Anyways my new lip shiners'," the user mockingly captioned the clip, which has amassed more than 555,000 likes and 5.3 million views in two days.

Many agreed that Jenner could have kept the tribute as a standalone post in recognition of its significance and waited at least another 24 hours before advertising her new range of products.

"It's like they're just ticking a checklist," one said. "Like 'yeah, I've shown I support it. Anyways!'"

"Literally could have waited 24 hours," another wrote, while a third added: "She cannot read the room."

"It's the fact she's being insensitive and not genuine for those of you asking what her lip line & [Ukraine] have to do with each other," another chipped in.

Others were more sympathetic to Jenner, arguing that she had every right to continue promoting her business despite the atrocities happening in eastern Europe.

"So because Russia invades Ukraine Kylie Jenner has to stop promoting her businesses? Makes sense," one wrote.

Meanwhile, ohers pointed out that the post may have been scheduled on Jenner's account to go live at a specific time, with one acknowledging: "To be fair she probably has certain posts scheduled and it was bad timing."

But @browneyed_babyyy was not having a bar of it, doubling-down on her stance while also taking a jab at Jenner's defenders.

"All I'm gonna say is - look up the words 'tone deaf' for those of you who are defending someone who will never know you exist," she wrote in a later comment.

Kylie Jenner (L) and her sister Kendall Jenner at the 2019 Met Gala.
Kylie Jenner (L) and her sister Kendall Jenner at the 2019 Met Gala. Photo credit: Getty Images

It didn't take long for the war of words to spill into other social media platforms, with one Twitter user posting: "The fact that Kylie Jenner, a billionaire, mother and the most followed woman on Instagram, posted ONE Insta story about Ukraine and then posted her shitty lipliners is very telling."

"@KylieJenner girl [you're] so out of touch the least you could have done is keep a whole story for Ukraine then a day later post promotions for your makeup products," another vented.

"The fact Kylie Jenner posts saying how her heart is with Ukraine and then two hours later promoted her products really shows she doesn't give a f**k. With her big ass platform, the least she can do is share links to help Ukrainians," a third pitched in.

Jenner has yet to respond to the backlash and has made no further posts about the invasion of Ukraine.

The 24-year-old, who shares two children with rapper Travis Scott, gave birth to their son Wolf Webster on February 2, 2022.