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Leslie Jones Slams Sephora Ban After Friends Left in Tears, Challenges the Store’s Inclusivity Training

Leslie Jones Sephora Slam
Leslie Jones attends the American Museum of Natural History's 2018 Gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. INSTARimages.com

Leslie Jones is disappointed in Sephora and she wants the whole world to know. On Tuesday, June 4, the comedian posted a tweet that took the makeup retailer to task for their treatment of her makeup artist, Lola Okanlawon, and a friend at a NYC store.

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“I sent my makeup artist @LolasBeautyMark and my best friends wife to @Sephora 2103 Broadway store. she needed makeup and to learn how to apply. my makeup artist just called in tears of how bad they treated her and my friends wife!! The salesperson and manager. SO NO MORE SEPHORA,” the Saturday Night Live cast member wrote.

Her tweet was posted on the eve of a company-wide inclusivity training. The retail giant shut down all of its stores, distribution centers and corporate offices for an hour-long inclusion workshop on Wednesday, June 5.

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Sephora announced it had scheduled the training session after SZA (real name: Solána Imani Rowe) revealed a Calabasas store employee had racially profiled her this past April. (The store has stated the training had already been planned.) The Grammy-nominated singer tweeted that the staff member called security to make sure she wasn’t stealing. “Can a b–ch cop her fenty in peace er whut,” SZA, who starred in a Fenty Beauty lipstick campaign in 2017 when Rihanna launched her uber-successful brand, added in a follow-up tweet. After the incident, Rihanna sent her a sweet surprise.

For Jones’ part, she made clear in a subsequent Instagram post that Sephora’s actions were not sufficient, slamming the store in a caption: “I am tired of the f–ery yo!! If we spend money in your store we deserve customer service too. SO F–K YOUR STORE @sephora you got to close your store to teach your employees sensitivity how about fire they ass and hire people who got sensitivity. Cause they exist!!! I’m tired of this s–t!!” The star added the hashtag, #NOMORESEPHORA.

Sephora responded to Jones, 51, on Twitter: “@Lesdoggg we’re very sorry to hear this. We have reached out via Instagram and hope to connect with you and your friends directly.”

Leslie Jones SNL
Leslie Jones and Colin Jost during SNL’s “Weekend Update” on May 18, 2019. Will Heath/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

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The company also gave a statement to Us regarding the incident: “As a company, we hold ourselves to a high, and public, set of standards around creating a welcoming space for each and every client. The information shared by Leslie Jones regarding Lola Okanlawon’s experience at Sephora is concerning, and the situation she describes does not reflect our values. We have reached out to Lola to gather more information. It is our priority to build an inclusive community and a place where all clients feel respected. Our journey has not been perfect and is by no means complete. We will continue to learn and work toward this goal.”

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