Companies face class action lawsuit claims of benzene in aerosol products

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Benzene class action lawsuits overview: 

• Who: Pierre Fabre USA, L’Oreal USA, Unilever, DeMert Brands and Church & Dwight have recently been hit with class action lawsuits revolving around their dry shampoo products. 
• Why: Consumers claim the companies sold dry shampoo aerosol products containing benzene, a known human carcinogen. 
• Where: Nationwide 

A number of companies have recently faced class action lawsuits accusing them of manufacturing and selling dry shampoo aerosol products contaminated with the chemical benzene, a known human carcinogen. 

Consumers claim the companies fail to disclose that their named dry shampoo products contain benzene, with the cancer-causing chemical allegedly showing up in aerosol used as a propellant for the products. 

The presence of unsafe levels of benzene in a number of aerosol sunscreens, cosmetics and other products was revealed last year in a study conducted and published by Valisure, an independent analytical pharmacy. 

Pierre Fabre USA accused of failing to disclose Klorane dry shampoo contained benzene

A class action lawsuit was filed against Pierre Fabre USA earlier this month over claims the company’s Klorane brand dry shampoo contained benzene. 

The consumers behind the complaint claim Pierre Fabre USA failed to disclose that its dry shampoo products contain benzene, arguing this led them to wrongly believe that the products were safe to use. 

Had they known the Klorane dry shampoo products — such as Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle and Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk — contained benzene, the consumers argue they would not have purchased them. 

L’Oreal USA sold Redken dry shampoo products containing benzene, class action says

A similar class action lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal USA last month by a consumer claiming the company sold Redken brand dry shampoo products containing dangerously high amounts of benzene. 

The consumer behind the class action lawsuit argued the amount of benzene allegedly in the Redken dry shampoo products rendered them “adulterated and misbranded, and therefore illegal to sell under both federal and state law.” 

L’Oreal was also accused of misrepresenting its Redken dry shampoo products by allegedly failing to disclose the alleged presence of benzene in them to consumers. 

“These Products are not designed to contain benzene, and in fact no amount of benzene is acceptable in dry shampoo products such as the Products manufactured, distributed, and sold by Defendant,” states the Redken class action. 

Unilever dry shampoo products contained benzene, class action says 

Also last month, a class action lawsuit was filed against Unilever by a consumer arguing the company knowingly sold dry shampoo products — including Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI and TRESemmé brands — containing benzene. 

The consumer behind the class action lawsuit claimed the dry shampoo products allegedly containing benzene were “dangerous,” due to them containing a “carcinogenic chemical which can cause leukemia and other cancers.” 

Unilever recalled a range of dry shampoo aerosol products in October due to them possibly containing elevated levels of benzene; however, the consumer behind the complaint argues the company should have already known about the contamination before the recall. 

DeMert Brands accused of selling Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo containing benzene

DeMert Brands, meanwhile, was hit with a class action lawsuit last month by a consumer arguing the company sold Not Your Mother’s brand dry shampoo products contaminated with benzene. 

The consumer behind the complaint claims DeMert misrepresented that its Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo products are “safe and effective for their intended use,” due to them allegedly containing benzene. 

DeMert is also accused of failing to disclose the presence of benzene to consumers, in what the consumer behind the class action lawsuit argues is “in violation of state and federal law.” 

“The presence of benzene in Defendant’s Products was not disclosed to consumers” on the product labels, ads or anywhere else, the Not Your Mother’s class action states. 

Batiste dry shampoo maker Church & Dwight accused of concealing alleged benzene contamination from consumers

Also in November, a class action lawsuit was filed against Church & Dwight by a pair of consumers arguing the company makes and sells dry shampoo containing dangerously high levels of benzene. 

The consumers behind the complaint claim Church & Dwight either knew or should have known that the Batiste dry shampoo product contained benzene but instead chose to conceal the alleged contamination from consumers. 

“The Products (they) purchased were worthless because they either contained or risked containing the known carcinogen benzene,” the Batiste class action states. 

Procter & Gamble, Idelle Labs settle claims of benzene contamination

Two companies also reached a pair of class action settlements this month to resolve claims revolving around benzene contamination in aerosol products. 

Procter & Gamble agreed to pay $8 million earlier this month to put to bed claims the company sold aerosol products — including Secret, Old Spice, Pantene, Waterl<ss, Aussie, Herbal Essences and Hair Food brand aerosol antiperspirant, deodorant, body spray, dry shampoo and dry conditioner products — containing benzene. 

Consumers eligible to make a claim to join the class action settlement will not need to submit proof of purchase to receive compensation. 

Idelle Labs agreed this month to pay $3.65 million to resolve claims it sold certain Brut and Sure antiperspirant products containing benzene. 

Eligible class members will be able to receive either a full or partial refund for the certain Brut and Sure antiperspirant products they purchased. 

Have you purchased a dry shampoo product that was contaminated with benzene? Let us know in the comments.

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