Kim Kardashian's skincare line SKKN is set to launch on June 21st, but The Kardashians star is still in the middle of a trademark fight after being hit with a cease and desist letter last year. Kim announced her new skincare line on June 1st, and the product containers seem to fit Kim's beige minimalist style. The line features nine products, including a facial cleanser, exfoliator, serums, and face oils. The SKKN announcement comes just a few months after Kim revealed she'd be rebranding her makeup company KKW Beauty. The star became legally single and dropped West from her last name in March, which fans think is the reason behind her rebrand.
However, when Kim announced SKKN, she was immediately hit with criticism and comparisons. Lori Harvey, whose father is television host and comedian Steve Harvey, launched her skincare brand called SKN in October 2021. Fans immediately saw similarities and thought Kim may have stolen her SKKN brand name from Lori. The accusations would not be the first time Kim has been accused of stealing from black women and appropriating their culture. The Kardashians star has worn cornrows and Grillz and has tinted her skin to look much darker on multiple occasions. Her behavior is damaging because it makes the public think Kim created these styles, when they were actually created by people of color long before she was famous.
The SKKN criticism didn't stop with Lori Harvey, and neither did the accusations that Kim regularly steals from black women. As the launch date for her skincare line approaches, The Kardashians star is still in the middle of a trademark fight over her brand name, according to The Fashion Law. SKKN is a play on the word skin and Kim's initial's KK, but the problem is SKKN+ already exists as a skincare boutique in Brooklyn, New York. The founder is a black esthetician named Cydnie Lunsford, and she hit Kim with a cease and desist letter last year when the SKIMS founder's corporation Kimsaprincess INC. trademarked SKKN for her brand name.
Cyndie launched her brand in 2018, three years before Kim trademarked her brand name. Cyndie's company, Beauty Concepts LLC, claims that SKKN could cause damage to Cyndie's brand, which she's worked tirelessly to promote and build a loyal following around since its start. The brand owner also fears The Kardashian star Kim's brand will cause confusion amongst the public as searching for either company could cause one to stumble upon the wrong one. Kim later added "By Kim" to her brand to prevent confusion, but Cyndie feels the additional words will do little to improve the conflict.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Kim is backing down, which means SKKN+ might have to share its name with the biggest reality tv star in Hollywood. Kim's counsel argued that Cyndie does not own the rights to the term "skkn" for anything beauty or cosmetics related and therefore can not block Kim from using it for her skincare line. As Kardashian fans know, Kim doesn't give up easily—the star finally passed her bar exam on her third try after pushing herself until she achieved what she wanted. While the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board has not come to a decision yet, The Kardashians star has set her launch date, and SKKN will soon be out in the world.
Source: The Fashion Law