Valkyrae streams, says she wants out after RFLCT controversy
Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter has finally made an official statement about her skincare line RFLCT as controversy continues over the validity of its blue light pollution claims.
Valkyrae recently revealed a new skincare line called RFLCT that claims to protect gamers’ skin against blue light pollution from their monitors and phones. It was immediately met with skepticism from the streaming and gaming communities at large, with many accusing her of potentially scamming fans by creating an issue where there was none. Even her former roommate, Imane “Pokimane” Anys, said she was a bit wary of RFLCT.
In response, Valkyrae initially claimed that she was hurt and confused by the negative feedback. But she deleted that brief statement and hadn’t made any further comments, until now.
Valkyrae responds to RFLCT backlash on stream
Valkyrae decided to open up about her emotions and experiences with RFLCT to her fans. She said that she saw RFLCT’s research and “thought it was so [great].” She became involved with the company for over a year, receiving product samples for her to smell and test. While she admitted that she is not a chemist herself, she saw all of the research that was put into the product.
Valkyrae claimed to her fans that RFLCT has run studies that prove blue light is dangerous. The company also allegedly had performed research that showed the RFLCT products protecting against this blue light pollution. But Valkyrae then admitted that those studies would not be available to the public, and the reasons for this withholding left fans asking more questions.
“When RFLCT dropped it was critical and crucial for there to be information and there was nothing but a WebMD link,” Valkryae said of the initial website launch. “I was confused. I had meetings with [the skincare company] after that for the next few days. That is when I learned that their studies can’t be publicized.”
According to Valkyrae, the research can’t be shared because it might be “stolen” by other companies. This didn’t sit well with many observers, who pointed out that this would hardly be typical for clinical research. The secretive nature of the supposed research is especially concerning given that there has been rigorous public research conducted on blue light which has shown little danger, if any at all, even after prolonged exposure.
Valkyrae admitted that she no longer wants to be involved with RFLCT due to the complication of the company behind it supposedly not being able to show its research. This has put a lot of pressure and stress on Valkyrae, who feels she is in a “pickle.”
Valkyrae said she will continue to stand by the product due to her contractual obligation to it, though the backlash has caused her to want “out” of the situation.
The streaming community largely responded negatively to the broadcast, with many feeling that it made the situation even worse for Valkyrae. League of Legends streamer Christian “IWillDominate” Rivera was among those who had initially defended Valkyrae, assuming that she’d been taken advantage of by the company behind RFLCT. But Valkyrae’s comments on her stream left little doubt that she had been central to RFLCT’s development.
Many feel that Valkyrae shouldn’t continue to stand by the product while repeating her claims that blue light pollution is harmful. Instead, she should have simply apologized and admitted her misunderstanding. The backlash to RFLCT has only gotten worse after Valkyrae’s stream as the creators of RFLCT doubled down on their position. A member of the RFLCT team even suggested that the product would have been launched without such backlash had a male streamer been behind it rather than Valkyrae.
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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