The controversy surrounding Valkyrae's partnership and endorsement of skincare product line RFLCT has been a rollercoaster of surprises. It was less than two months ago that YouTuber Valkyrae announced she was partnering with RFLCT, which claimed to protect computer users from "harmful" blue-light emissions yet was unwilling to publish its research. Now Valkyrae is sharing further insight into what later happened, including how fellow streamers Atrioc and Ludwig helped bring the situation to a crashing conclusion.
Valkyrae recently did an interview with Ludwig during which the two talked about what happened with RFLCT. To the surprise of many, Valkyrae confirmed that it was a leak involving Atrioc that led to the situation's ultimate conclusion. In the midst of the controversy, Valkyrae had a personal conversation with Ludwig in which she told him she was trying to get out of her contract with the company. Atrioc unintentionally leaked this conversation while using Ludwig's computer to stream.
What happened is that at the time RFLCT was still planning to move forward with its full launch and partnership with Valkyrae. That included releasing its skincare products in over 400 different stores nationwide. Once Atrioc leaked Valkyrae's conversation with Ludwig, however, Valkyrae says that "everything was removed." She describes the leak as a blessing in disguise, because the leak led to RFLCT backing out its plans.
That doesn't mean that the situation has come to its complete conclusion, however. Valkyrae implies that she's still under what must be an NDA, saying that she has to be careful what she says about the situation because RFLCT could still sue her. That leaves some ambiguity regarding whether RFLCT's announcement that the brand is shutting down is really an effort to rebrand in order to avoid the controversy surrounding its blue-light "research."
In previous conversations on her stream, Valkyrae has spoken candidly about how stressful the controversy was and the toll it took on her mental health. Since RFLCT announced the end of the brand, she's said that she's doing better and that she's more focused on a positive mindset again. Valkyrae talks about having a therapist and working to fix her sleep schedule and eating habits.
The entire situation surrounding RFLCT captures the bizarre culture surrounding streaming culture. Whether it's Valkyrae's original partnership with RFLCT and its unbelievable claims or the leaks surrounding her conversations with other streamers, fans got a look into Valkyrae's life in a way they may not have expected -- in a way that likely wasn't healthy for anyone. The further the RFLCT controversy is in the rearview mirror, the better for everyone.