Valkyrae Explains What Really Went Wrong With RFLCT
Valkyrae finally opened up about her experience with RFLCT in a now-deleted stream. Last week, she agreed that the RFLCT hate is warranted. However, she wanted to wait to see how the company would update the website before speaking about it further. Her most recent stream explains her full thoughts on the situation after hashing out details with RFLCT representatives.
Valkyrae recently became the face of RFLCT, a skincare brand that claims its products protect skin from blue light emitted by technology like PC and mobile screens. Unfortunately, Valkyrae's new skincare product went viral because of how much consumers doubted its blue light protective properties. Both experts and average viewers have pointed out published studies that claim there isn't enough evidence that blue light from devices is harmful enough to warrant a skincare line.
Critics called it a "scam" and a "money grab" meant to profit off of a non-problem. Valkyrae said that she was skeptical at first, too. However, the company showed her studies and research to support their claims. "I saw [the research] with my own eyeballs, and I was really excited because I thought it was groundbreaking research," she said in the now-deleted video (via Esports Talk). "I was excited, I thought it was really going to help not just me but other people as well." Fom Rae's perspective, the evidence was there. She thought that the company would include the research on their website, but that ended up not being the case.
Where Rae felt RFLCT went wrong
On the official website, RFLCT listed studies that relate to the brand's mission and the products that supposedly counter the effects of blue light exposure. However, these studies are mostly abstracts without the definitive conclusions needed to clear up consumer doubts. According to Rae, RFLCT can't reveal its own findings because competitors would steal the research. "When RFLCT dropped, it was critical and crucial for there to be information, and there was nothing but a WebMD link," she asserted.
Rae admitted that it's hard being part of an agreement in which the company allegedly can't share the research it conducted. She acknowledged that her actions were "naïve" and that, if she could go back, she would've asked to be more aware of what was going to be shown. It bothers her enough that she doesn't want to be involved anymore. "I am in a bound contract. I do believe in the product but I do also wish to not be involved because the research can't be public," she said. "That's the hard part, and that's the honest truth."
It's unclear how much more Valkyrae can say on the subject, considering the stream and her tweet advertising it were deleted. At the very least, it looks like the evidence is iffy and not even the face of the RFLCT wants to be involved with it anymore. So, things aren't looking good for RFLCT, and Rae doesn't seem to be in a great spot either.