High-end luxury beauty line Olaplex has been hit with a class action lawsuit after users complained of bald spots and blisters while using the brand's hair care products.
The products which have been touted by A-list celebrities, salon owners, and others promise to rejuvenate hair, bond breakage, and repair damage. However, users have complained online, to the company, and now through legal action that the hair care products do the exact opposite.
The case is Albahae et al v. Olaplex Holdings, 2:23-cv-00982, and was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California on February 9. The class action suit includes about 30 members, and it seeks damages over $75,000, which is required to invoke federal jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship. According to some of the complaints from users, the products which use a patented chemical formula advertise that they will smooth out rough hair and restore the damage caused by coloring and other hair treatments through the use of “bond building.” However, the lawsuit explains that “far from repairing and protecting hair from damage, the products have instead left plaintiffs’ hair dry, brittle, frizzy and dull.”
In addition to leaving bald spots and further damaging hair, some users have reported scalp injuries due to what’s been described as allergic reactions that took place after using the products.
Olaplex Holdings Inc. has vehemently denied the allegations and has shared repeatedly that their products are safe and that damage that users are reporting is not related to the use of the hair care line. The company shared that “there are a wide variety of reasons for hair breakage or hair loss, as medical and scientific experts have publicly stated, including lifestyle, various medical conditions and medications, the aftereffects of COVID, skin conditions and
more.”
The company has also shared on its website that “Independent third-party laboratory test results show that Olaplex products are safe and effective," adding links to several studies that show the safety of their products.
The lawsuit specifically takes aim at the use of lilial and panthenol. These chemical components are alleged to lead to hair loss as well as skin inflammation, blistering, flaking, or scaling, in some cases due to allergic reaction.
Lilial used to be a component of cosmetic perfume overseas. However, the compound was banned by the European Union in March 2022 because of the negative impact it had on fertility.
Olaplex has shared that it has since removed the ingredients from its global product line “out of an abundance of caution.” Still, the lawsuit accuses the brand of its continued use of the chemical also known as butylphenyl methylpropional (lilial) in its older products.
The product line sells hair care products ranging from $30 to $100 in national retail outlets including Ulta and Sephora and offers a line for both professionals and everyday consumers. It is not clear how the difference between the two lines could impact the lawsuit.
