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Sephora’s new “Starter Witch Kit” by Pinrose

There’s been an uproar about this new product that Sephora will begin selling come October - a “starter witch kit” that includes perfume, a tarot deck, a sage stick, and a piece of tumbled rose quartz. 

I’ve been going through the hundreds of comments about this product and I feel the need to address the product, and these comments, myself. 

My two cents on some of the most common complaints and comments about this product:

Don’t give Sephora any money, support small business owners!

The folks shopping at Sephora who happen to stumble upon this and choose to buy it likely aren’t serious practitioners who care about buying legitimate products from brick and mortar shops.

Sage is endangered!

Sacred to some cultures? Yes. Protected in some areas? Yes. Overharvested? Yes. Actually endangered and on the endangered species list? No. 

$42 for some crappy deck, sage, and quartz?! That’s a rip off.

All of my tarot decks have been over $40, so that’s not too unrealistic. What you’re really paying for here is a box of travel sized perfumes, not the other stuff that comes with it. On Pinrose’s website, most of their full sized bottles of perfume are $42 and up, so a package of 9 travel sized perfumes plus some extra “goodies” for the same price isn’t that bad of a deal.

Products like this make witchcraft look like a gimmick/fad.

Sephora is not the first store to sell something like this. Spencer’s does it. Hot Topic does it. Zumiez does it. Nordstrom sells a ton of these types of products, from crystals to “smudge kits.” Dior came out with a “Tarot” collection. And, there’s probably a ton more that I’m not even aware of. The packaging and marketing for this kit is aesthetically pleasing and I am damn sure it will sell, and honestly that’s all they’re worried about. As a business, it makes sense to provide something that will sell and make a profit. 

Stop to think about why a company like Pinrose would think that a “starter witch kit” would sell in a cosmetics store - hint, it’s because of the modern witchcraft movement, and not in a good way. The idea that you can do the bare minimum with some sage and rose quartz and call it “witchcraft” spawned the creation of this product. The aesthetics of being a witch in this day and age have trumped the actual practice of witchcraft. Pinrose picked up on this little tidbit, and now they’ll be able to make a profit off of it.

Alternately, products like this will make witchcraft more accepted.

Maybe, but probably not. We have to consider why one would think this product would make the idea of witchcraft and paganism more acceptable: maybe because you got it at a large chain store in the mall, maybe because the packaging has a bubbly appeal to it, maybe because it doesn’t look inherently “dangerous.” 

So, who does this kit appeal to? It’s labeled as a “starter kit” which leads me to believe it caters to a younger inexperienced crowd, or maybe even an adult who has yet to discover the wonderful world of witchcraft.

Alright, so a kid comes home with a box that says “starter witch kit” on it. Even in this day and age, most religious parents would flip shit. “But mom, I got it from Sephora!” Well, now they’ve got a reason to never let their kid go to Sephora again. In due time, we will see an influx of parents protesting against Sephora selling “satanic, demonic paraphernalia.” Just watch.

Products like this will make witchcraft supplies more accessible.

Not really. This is a poor excuse for a “starter kit” to begin with. Like I mentioned before, it takes a lot more than a tarot deck, a sage stick, and one crystal to sufficiently and effectively practice witchcraft. Even those who practice on the minimalistic side know that these items are not enough to “make magick go.” All the intent in the world won’t help you when you are limited to working with 3 items and some perfume. Even if someone purchases this with the intention of using it as what it’s labeled as, a “witch starter kit,” they will inevitably realize that they can only do so much with the items they’ve been given to work with. More on this in the next section. 

My complaints about the product itself: 

Any actual witch knows that this “starter” kit isn’t really a starter kit at all. What the hell are you going to do with one crystal, a sage bundle, and a deck of cards? Realistically, nothing fruitful. You may be able to learn to read tarot, maybe use the sage stick to cleanse your deck and the one little crystal it comes with. Not to mention, there’s no variety to this kit - you get one crystal whose uses are limited. What if you think sage smells like trash? What if you crack open the tarot deck and realize the artwork is shoddy or you don’t vibe with it at all? Aside from that, this is a really poor representation of witchcraft as a whole, but we knew that. As an unreleased product, I don’t know the ins and outs of it, but I highly doubt it comes with any sort of instruction for how to use these items (I guess that’s what the internet is for). Again, it’s a pack of perfume with some other knicknacks to make it look aesthetically pleasing to the potential buyer.

The deck - where does it come from? Who designed it? Are they being properly credited for it? Or, maybe it was created on the fly by someone who works for Pinrose. We won’t know until it is released. Also, it looks like they’ve used Prince’s trademarked “love symbol” on the front of the deck. Hmm….Let’s hope they didn’t straight up infringe upon this symbol and took the necessary and legal steps to use it.

The sage - probably mass produced, probably unethically harvested. At least it’s labeled as “cleansing sage” on the package and not “for smudging” or something similar.

The rose quartz - again, probably doesn’t come from the most ethical source, and for all we know, it’s a piece of pink, polished glass (although, on the surface, it does look like a real piece of rose quartz).

Pinrose, as a company: 

Their packaging is very aesthetically pleasing. I am a sucker for holography and iridescence like many others, and they’ve got that covered pretty well. 

Their products are cruelty free and hypoallergenic, supposedly, so there’s that I guess.

Pricing? Meh. I’ve seen more expensive perfumes. 

Sephora, as a company:

Their house brand tests on animals. 

Poor customer service from the few times I’ve been there.

Final words: 

Ultimately, if you’re a legitimate magickal practitioner or witch, you know this “starter witch kit” is BS. 

If you have the opportunity, of course you should buy your supplies from people who know what they’re doing, and aren’t just putting out a product to make a sale. 

Don’t have any legit shops near you? The internet is a viable place to buy supplies, too. 

As a newcomer to witchcraft, realize that this product is not going to help you advance your craft in any way. 

If you agree that this product makes for a lousy “witch kit” but still want to buy it because it’s cute or you want the perfumes? Go for it. Personally, I would suggest buying straight from Pinrose and not Sephora because Sephora sucks.

Take what you will from this post, but I think I will be purchasing this “starter witch kit” to give a wholehearted review when it comes out this October. 

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Its fine to be upset about Sephora. But have this same energy when it comes to white witches appropriating cultures.

Yall say support your local etsy witches, but this doesn’t change the fact that alot of these local witches are white and appropriating cultures.

You cant be pissed at sephora, but refuse to call out white, racist etsy shops.

Like lets start calling out racist etsy shops. And by racist i mean those that sell items from closed practices, call themselves ‘g*psy’, sell native American and African traditional things, etc.

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As a black witch, i’m just sitting back and enjoying all y’all grow frantic over this witch kit. It’s interesting how you guys are saying it “takes” from your “traditions” and that they’re “profiting” off them when we as poc witches have been screaming from the rooftops for white witches to stop doing just that. But it’s cool. Now they’re “taking” from you, and it makes me giggle a little bit, I’m not gonna lie.

Anyway, white sage is endangered and smudging is sacred to native practices~

I do kinda want to know what the tarot deck looks like. Anybody got pictures?

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>at a friends house

>check out his itunes library

>literally only one song

>Linkin Park - In The End

>almost 30,000 plays

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may the universe be softer and kinder to us this september

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want my mf neck kissed

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i’m having a fucking breakdown over this stupid LARP program i found where you can spend $600 to pretend to be in “the Bohemian underground culture of New York City in the 1960s. Protest the Vietnam War, fight alongside the Civil Rights movement, write beat poetry and create bohemian art, and have impassioned political debates”

you dumb motherfuckers are spending $600 to roleplay protesting against injustice and war and write poetry???? there are ACTUAL THINGS you can protest NOW! and you can write your shitty poetry ANYWHERE!!! i despise you SO FUCKING MUCH!!

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enjolras: not to be ✨dramatic✨ but i’d die for The Cause™️

victor hugo, writing his death scene: you will

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just, the fact that so many people, myself included, have to crowdfund to get like the bare minimum of what it takes to survive is so fucking terrible. and the guilt people are made to feel for asking for help is awful. people need help. why do people need to be ashamed of needing help. why is food stamp, food bank, and charity culture so fucking shamed. why do people act like it’s humiliating to ask for help. why can someone in need not ask for $20 for their sick mom, hungry siblings, or own personal emergency without being criticized and shamed for it.

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when someone asks you if you’re okay

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Girl, Interrupted (1999)

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“well MAYBE they shouldn’t have come into this country illegally!” said the C.O.L.O.N.I.Z.E.R.S.

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hot take: maybe if half the les amis hadn’t gotten absolutely fucking plastered right before the barricade it would have gone a little better

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He was an activist who inspired millions to fight for their rights. He knew what was wrong with our country and risked his life to help his people achieve equality.  In the society where black were treated like animal he did everything possible to change this. His brave soul, his will and courage changed the history of America , changed the people. He made us believe we can win this war. He payed for it with his life. He will always be remembered.

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wish i were a resourceful little forest creature like in children’s books and fairy tales. oh to be a snail with a mushroom to call home or a frog with a maple leaf for an umbrella or a little mouse with a cozy sardine tin bed inside a hollowed out wall or a beetle with a matchbox garden patch or a squirrel with a little acorn hat for the winter

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I wish I knew the exact time and date that harry told snape ‘there’s no need to call me sir professor’ so that I could take a moment of silence to remember the moment each year