Neutrogena Class Action Lawsuit Says Cleansing Towelettes Cause Burns

Neutrogena customers have filed a class action lawsuit against the beauty company, saying that a range of Neutrogena cleansing towelette products can cause burns.

Los Angeles resident Jaimie Potts was attracted to Neutrogena products for their reputation as being safe and healthy for skin while being effective. Based on this understanding, she recounts that she purchased multiple Neutrogena cleansing towelette products for her daughter.

Allegedly, her daughter developed a rash, peeling skin and a burning sensation from using the towelettes, even though she used them correctly.

According to Potts, Neutrogena had misrepresented these products as safe. Particularly, Potts hones in on the assertion that the company omitted key information that the products can be harmful. She also notes that the company went so far as to deny assertions that the product can cause skin problems.

The Neutrogena facial cleansing wipes class action lawsuit states Potts was financially injured by Neutrogena.

Allegedly, she relied on the company’s representations when making her purchases. She stresses that had she known that the products could harm skin, she would not have purchased them.

According to Potts, many other customers were similarly injured because they relied on Neutrogena’s representations of its products. 

The Neutrogena cleansing towelette class action lawsuit then digs into the company’s various statements that Potts believes are misleading.

She notes that the products are deemed “gentle enough to use around sensitive eye area, even for contact lens wearers.”

Allegedly, the use instructions for the product informs users that “there is no need to rinse” with water after using the products. Potts says this leads customers to believe the products are “as benign as water.”

Additionally, the company advertises that the products are “opthamologist tested,” “dermatologist tested” and “allergy tested,” which, according to Potts, gives users the impression the products are approved by these professionals and discovered to be hypoallergenic.

Beyond the statements made directly on the product’s label and advertisements, consumers rely on the the reputation of Neutrogena to understand the products as safe. Potts notes that Neutrogena is known as the “#1 Dermatologist recommended skincare brand.” 

The Neutrogena towelette class action lawsuit states that the company not only implies the products are safe, but states this explicitly, saying the products “won’t irritate skin.”

According to Potts, Neutrogena echoes this statement in a number of ways through the product advertisement.

However, customer complaints indicate the products do not live up to these advertisements and implications, the class action lawsuit says.

Numerous customers have supposedly come forward to state that they were injured by their use of the towelettes. Potts explains that consumers’ complaints about these products date back at least three years, and recount instances of chemical burns, rashes, skin irritation, skin peeling, facial disfigurement and other issues.

Potts argues Neutrogena could have and should have taken action in light of these responses, but has not changed course since producing the products.

She states that the company has not added warnings for the possible adverse effects of the product, nor has the company included warnings about the risks associated with repeated use of the products, even though many consumers report that they used the products repeatedly before having problems with them.

The Neutrogena towelette class action lawsuit asserts that the company had, at minimum, a duty to inform consumers of the known risks associated with the products. Federal regulations supposedly require companies to provide such warning labels and statements to consumers.

To add insult to injury, Potts notes Neutrogena pays lip service to the idea of transparency, saying: “We want you to feel good about how we make Neutrogena products. You can only do that if you have the facts.”

Instead, the company chose to omit essential facts, putting profits ahead of its consumers’ health and financial interest.

Potts argues that the company was unjustly enriched by the sale of the products. She seeks damages on behalf of herself and a Class of similarly affected consumers. 

In an update to this legal news, the Neutrogena face wipe injury class action lawsuit has been removed to federal court since it was initially filed.

Have you purchased a skincare product that caused you to have an adverse reaction? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Potts is represented by John J. Nelson of Finkelstein & Krinsk LLP.

The Neutrogena Facial Cleanser Class Action Lawsuit is Jaimie Potts v. Neutrogena Corporation, et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-06323, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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