Instagram revolutionized the way companies market products to consumers. In fact, the social media platform changed how advertisements look overall. While celebrities often serve as the faces of brands, now, through the social media platform, they can make more money for less work. However, the lack of guidelines seems to empower celebs to hawk very questionable, if not completely bogus products.
And the widespread promotion of weight loss products is especially prevalent on IG. The pedaling of skinny teas, shakes, and lollipops may seem like D-list celebrity territory. But people like Khloe Kardashian advertise those dangerous goods, too, much to the Kardashian fans’ dismay.
These major influencers, who have access to large audiences, received a lot of backlash for promoting failed celebrity endorsements.
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Regulations that require celebs to mark that posts as ads do exist. But recent events revealed that lots of influencers and stars don’t follow the rules.
For example, in April 2017, the FTC sent notices to over 90 celebrities, brands, and influencers reminding them of the regulations. MediaKix found that only 7% complied with the FTC’s guidelines and regulations. Yikes!
We rounded up the worst failed celebrity endorsements and break down why they’re a load of bull.
Kim Kardashian
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These lollipops sent a bad message to her fans.
While we’re used to Kim Kardashian pushing dieting products on her Instagram, this one went a little too far.
Last year, Kim felt the wrath of the internet after uploading an endorsement for appetite suppressant lollipops. “You guys… @flattummyco just dropped a new product,” Kim wrote in the caption of the now-deleted post. “They’re Appetite Suppressant Lollipops and they’re literally unreal. They’re giving the first 500 people on their website 15% OFF so if you want to get your hands on some… you need to do it quick! #suckit.”
#suckit ?
People quickly called out her post’s promotion of unhealthy habits. Additionally, they suggested that Kim’s words triggered people with disordered eating and targeted children. The entrepreneur quickly deleted the post, but she couldn’t save herself from being roasted.
Blac Chyna
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Skinny tea is one thing, but skin bleaching products take the cake.
The controversial star isn’t a stranger to Instagram endorsements.
But this one shocked everyone from Blac Chyna’s haters to her biggest fans. In a campaign for a company aptly titled Whitenicious, Chyna modeled for the $250 cream and even made a trip to Nigeria for a press tour.
Not cool, Chyna.
Her endorsement of the controversial product delt a huge blow to people of color, especially to Black individuals who experience colorism.
Khloé Kardashian
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Can gummies really make your hair grow?
SugarBearHair gummy vitamins are all over Instagram.
And Khloé Kardashian loves to advocate for the brand with cute photos. Supposedly the gummies promote healthy hair, hair growth, and even better sleep.
The gummies are not regulated or even approved by the FDA, though.
So there aren’t any guarantees that all the ingredients on the label are even in the small candies. In fact, the main ingredient, biotin, which appears in most hair growth products, has zero evidence of increasing hair growth according to ConsumerLab.com. Lots of people also reported an increase in acne after taking the gummies.
Scott Disick
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This is not a mistake a Kardashian would make.
Scott Disick is in great company when it comes to creating endorsements.
But it looks like he didn’t go to his extended family for advice when dabbling in this particular sponsored content. He posted a photo of himself posed against a table with a bottle of BooteaUK, a workout protein shake.
Things went wrong when Disick tried to take a shortcut with the caption.
Seemingly, the brand gave him instructions on how to caption the supposedly authentic photo. And Lord Disick posted the actual instructions as the caption. What was he thinking?
Tori Spelling
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She missed the mark when it came to these muffins.
She apparently thought they were healthy, but…
When Tori Spelling posted an ad for what she thought were healthy snacks for her kids (and others), she probably couldn’t have predicted what happened next. Underneath a photo of her kids enjoying Little Bites mini muffins, Tori wrote:
This mama bear is grateful that #lovelittlebites has no high fructose or corn syrup and is made with real ingredients like strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.
But commentators quickly pointed out that the products contained a lot of sugar, artificial flavors, and vegetable oils.
Kylie Jenner
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Tummy tea made tummy wraps, and Kylie started promoting them immediately.
A body tea wrap? Really?
When the young billionaire posted a photo of herself using and promoting FitTea Body Wraps, some people may have felt confused. In the caption, the Jenner wrote, “They’re keeping my tummy toned & lean as it gets closer to summer.”
But apparently the wraps don’t do anything at all.
Australian doctor Dr. Sam said he’s “flabbergasted that people are stupid enough to believe in this.” The doctor went on, claiming, “There’s just no science behind it whatsoever. People are being hoodwinked.”
Lisa Vanderpump
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The Real Housewives star loves a bit of spon-con, but at what cost?
The British TV personality and restauranter loves endorsing products.
But one of her most-featured brands, Slender TeaTox, has a slew of problems. While Vanderpump hasn’t personally received much backlash, the issues with diet teas have been revealed extensively – and some of it is serious.
Bowel issues, diarrhea, and cramps accompany many diet teas.
Plus, long term effects can include heart problems, liver damage, and muscle weakness.
Ashley Tisdale
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The High School Musical star apparently swears by these hair growth pills.
Hair growth fad? More like fraud.
A lot of other celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, and Stephanie Pratt, swear by them, too. But that’s not necessarily a case for their viability. Some reviewers who took the plunge and invested in a bottle of the Hairburst product reported on their very pungent smell.
Oh, and it can get worse.
One user even left a terrifying review, claiming it gave them an increase in body hair, but then a dramatic thinning of head hair after four years of use. Four years of luscious hair in exchange for a lifetime of balding doesn’t really seem to be a good exchange.
Kaitlyn Bristowe
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Whipped cream goes well with just about everything, right?
Nothing like a two-ingredient homemade dessert.
When Bachelor star, Kaitlyn Bristowe posted an advertisement for Reddi Wip on her Instagram, people didn’t know how the product matched her brand. It seemed out of character, but the check was probably nice. No stranger to an endorsement, Bristowe doubled down, using the post to promote an episode of The Bachelor teasing a Reddi Wip dessert. We think she could have tried a little harder than just strawberries and whipped cream, though.
Mario Lopez
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Celebrities like Mario Lopez and Lindsay Lohan really pushing this $490 blood test.
This $490 blood test is just another scam.
The creators claim it reveals your food intolerances. But scientific researchers claim the Pinner Test is a big fat dud.
Long story short, save your money.
The Californian-based company that makes the test allegedly detects intolerances to 200 food items. However, there’s no evidence that biomarkers in the blood can determine much at all.
Shay Mitchell
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Shay Mitchell is incredibly beautiful, and her skin looks stunningly clear.
She may look relaxed, but one of her little strips could ruin the skin.
The actress’s campaign for Bioré pore strips is a little iffy. While there’s nothing wrong with a face mask, there’s evidence that suggests blackhead-removing pore strips may cause damage.
So we’ll be opting out of these, Shay.
According to Marie Clare, strips can rupture pores, strip skin of natural oils, scar facial tissue, and exacerbate other skin disorders. They might even cause spider veins.
JWoww
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JWoww is one of Jersey Shore’s reigning beauties. And her bangin’ body is the result of hard work and waist trainers, or so she’d like us to think.
The Jersey Shore star loves her waist trainers, but should we?
With multiple posts dedicated to Girly Curves waist trainers, JWoww seems to suggest the corsette-like trainer is her workout secret.
Current research, however, revealed some disturbing side effects.
Not only do waist trainers harm your organs, but they can also cause atrophy of abdominal muscles. Consequently, you may lose ab definition as a result of them. In some cases, people the restraining fabric causes dehydration.
Amber Rose
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The 35-year-old model shared a paid advertisement for Flat Tummy Co’s “organic pregnancy tea” on Instagram.
The model caught a lot of heart for promoting this tea during her pregnancy.
In the post, Amber Rose is pregnant and glowing with her second child. But many naysayers were worried. According to Rose’s post, the tea allegedly helps mothers on those “bloated, nauseous, blah feeling days” and it’s totally “safe.”
The commentators, unsurprisingly, didn’t agree.
One person wrote, “That bloating is called a baby.” Rose eventually deleted the photo.
Farrah Abraham
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Farrah Abraham endorses a lot. But her latest promotion for Miko Beauty 1 Shot is a little unconvincing.
Would you have a shot of collagen in your morning coffee?
The soluble collagen promises to deliver a slew of skin-firming vitamins with just 15 calories. Drinking collagen seems to be a bubbling fad, but does it work?
Are supplements even regulated?
“Supplements are the Wild West,” Dendy Engelman, a NYC dermatologist told Self. “They are not well regulated, so you can pretty much claim a lot of things that aren’t substantiated in science or in proof.” And apparently drinkable collagen isn’t any different.
