Selena Gomez has faced online criticism for promoting her beauty brand while travelling to the wedding of her best friend, Taylor Swift.
The pop superstar and her NFL partner Travis Kelce are set to officially tie the knot at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Friday, 3 July, with a massive crowd of more than 1,000 guests expected to look on.
However, the pre-wedding celebrations were hit with a wave of social media drama on Thursday evening when Gomez used a journey to the couple’s highly private rehearsal dinner to show off a new makeup item.
The controversy began when the actress took to social media on her way to the intimate gathering, which saw around 100 close friends and family members come together at the arena’s Infosys Theater.
In a short video clip filmed in the back of a car, Gomez could be seen applying a lipstick from her Rare Beauty cosmetics line while wearing a glamorous, strapless black gown.
She followed the footage with a close-up photograph clearly showcasing the lip product.
While the star happily flaunted her picture-perfect glam, complete with raven tresses slicked back into a neat style and matching diamond earrings and rings, the promotional nature of the post immediately raised eyebrows.
Fans quickly pointed out that the pop icon’s wedding has been heavily shrouded in secrecy, prompting warnings that using the highly anticipated family event for brand exposure could risk the secrecy.
Critics flooded the comments to call out the actress, with one disgruntled fan writing, “Using other women’s success for relevancy…. stay away from her.”
Another viewer added a sarcastic remark, writing, “Yesss use your best friends wedding to sell makeup.”
Other fans chose to see the funny side of the prompt business move, with one commentator quipping that Selena applying Rare Beauty lipstick in the car on the way to her bestie’s wedding rehearsal was simply the most on-brand thing ever.
Despite the minor online stir, the exclusive rehearsal dinner went ahead smoothly as a star-studded affair.
Alongside Gomez, Swift’s frequent musical collaborator Jack Antonoff, 42, and actor Adam Sandler, 59, were both spotted by onlookers heading into the Midtown venue to toast the couple before their massive Friday ceremony.
