This Valkyrae Skin Care Clone Is Causing An Uproar

Imagine if there was a line of skin care products just for the ultra-online population. After all, having all of the blue light from TVs, computers, and smartphones blasting at one's face all day can't be good for the skin, can it? TikTok superstar Addison Rae recently launched a new product in her Item skin care line called Screen Break, which claims to be "a botanical blend clinically proven to protect skin from screen-emitted HEV blue light and daily pollution."

This pitch might sound familiar to Valkyrae fans who remember her short-lived RFLCT line, which was announced in October 2021. The internet immediately lashed out at Valkyrae, insisting that there's no scientific evidence proving that blue light had damaging effects on the skin. Valkyrae herself said the hate aimed at RFLCT was warranted, and that the site should provide more information to back up its claims.

After the company she'd partnered with failed to provide studies to prove the product's effectiveness, fans had to say goodbye to RFLCT as it shuttered its metaphorical doors. After going through intense scrutiny for such a similar product, it's only natural that Valkyrae might have some thoughts on Addison Rae's new product. In fact, Valkyrae has already spoken out on the issue, weighing in with some very specific guesses as to who's really behind Screen Break.

Valkyrae retweeted a trailer for Screen Break, which showed Addison Rae posing and discussing her product's benefits. "IM REBRANDING TO JUST VALKY LOL HOW IS THIS REAL?!" Valkyrae asked, incredulous. The streamer then changed her Twitter bio to "Just Valky" in a tongue-in-cheek attempt to separate herself from Addison Rae, who shares a similar name with Valkyrae and also often goes simply by "Rae."

The similarity in name wasn't the only thing Valkyrae noticed. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same company," she said, including an upside-down smiley face to emphasize her confused feelings about the scandal. Since Valkyrae partnered with a skin care company to launch RFLCT, she suspected that the company may have simply packed up its wares and moved on to pitch to a different "Rae."

Importantly, Addison Rae's Item line existed before the introduction of Screen Break, and offers more products that don't tout the benefits of protecting against blue light. That being said, the age of the line doesn't protect Addison Rae from the internet's scrutiny, and Valkyrae's fans are already gearing up to launch criticism at Item.

Some of viewers' early complaints focused on the validity of the product, with one writing, "I'm interested to see the clinical trial and how they were ran cause there is no way someone felt a difference." The insistence on seeing scientific results to prove the value of the product follows a similar path to RFLCT, which ultimately failed to provide evidence that satisfied buyers. However, with RFLCT so close in the past, prospective purchasers already feel predisposed to question Addison Rae's blue light-blocking product.

Like Valkyrae herself, fans were suspicious of Addison Rae's new product and its potential connection to RFLCT. One Redditor wrote, "I'm willing to place a large bet on it being the exact same product Valkyrae pushed, just rebranded for Addison Rae." They noted that the manufacturer behind RFLCT likely didn't want to sacrifice its product simply because Valkyrae decided to leave the project. With a new face of the item, it's possible that the developer of RFLCT could still turn a profit.

Others questioned Screen Break's claims, with some believing that it's highly unlikely that the product actually conducted a clinical trial as its ad claims. Some fans commented that Addison Rae should be held responsible in the same way that Valkyrae was, but the reaction from the TikToker's fans seems neutral or positive. One commenter pondered the difference between Addison Rae and Valkyrae's fanbases, writing that while Addison Rae is a more influential creator in the larger scheme of entertainment, her fans don't "expect honesty" from her, so they wouldn't be shocked if she misled them to purchase a new product. On the other hand, Valkyrae's intimate format of streaming, which includes her directly engaging with fans via chat, invites more criticism from viewers who feel they know her personally. The commenter added that Valkyrae herself seemed to have been duped in the RFLCT scandal, while Addison Rae – who already had a skin care line – should in theory be more informed about products and marketing.

It's unclear if TikTok fans will react with the same outrage gamers did, but Valkyrae seems to be staying out of the controversy for now.