Beauty Vlogger Posts Controversial Hijab-Clad Makeup Tutorial

For those of you unfamiliar with major Muslim religious holidays, this month marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid al-Fitr, which is expected to occur next Wednesday, is a celebration that occurs at the end of the 30-day fast. In honor of Eid, Australian beauty vlogger Chloe Morello, who has amassed a following of 1.8 million subscribers, posted a makeup tutorial in hopes that it would serve as inspiration for her Muslim subscribers.

"I've been getting so many requests to do an Eid tutorial," Morello says in the beginning of her video. "I do them pretty much every year, [and my first one] was so well-received." This time, though, many members of the YouTube community spoke out against her decision to don a hijab to showcase her finished look.

"Just so you can see what the look will look like with a hijab on," Morello states in the video as she ties a scarf around her head. "I don't want to offend anyone when I do this...it's purely so that hijabis know what it would look like with one on." Despite her good intentions, Morello received an onslaught of backlash. One user, Michelle Law, commented: "I would never wear a hijab...that's like wearing a kippah as a decoration...you can't try on a religion. It's either your lifestyle or it's not...any other form of wearing it is disrespectful to other cultures and religions."

Dozens of other comments echoed Law's words, but many thousands of others defended the YouTube star. One commenter, Sarah Lou, said: "I love these videos and that you...go out of your way to include Muslim women. Clearly you are not trying to act like a hijab is just some cute accessory anyone can wear for a bit of fun. I really hope any negative comments don't put you off doing these vids in the future because I think inclusivity is really, really important." A handful of other comments on Morello's video sparked a heated discussion on the state of Muslim beauty. User dr34m3r2k commented: "Islam doesn't permit makeup. Hijab and makeup do not go together. Shame on anyone who makes a mockery of Islam." This isn't the first time the makeup and hijab debate has taken center stage. Nura Afia, a Muslim beauty vlogger, receives many hate comments criticizing her decision to wear makeup. "A lot of people say that I shouldn’t wear makeup because beautifying yourself is kind of the opposite of covering yourself [with a hijab]," she told Refinery29. "But that’s what helps me. It has helped me feel confident in wearing a hijab, and I feel like if it has helped me it will help other people [too]. It’s my way of expressing [myself]." In response to the comments Morello received on her Eid tutorial, the YouTuber took to Snapchat to address some of her subscribers' concerns. "I'm not trying to promote any religion here, I'm just trying to promote acceptance," she said on the app, The Daily Mail reported. She also defended her decision to do an Eid tutorial to service her Muslim subscribers: "It makes as much sense as it does to do a Christmas tutorial to do an Eid tutorial... People are making a big deal out of a video that's [meant] to be appreciative, but it should be normal...as in, it should be normal for Islamic women to feel a part of society."