Sephora class action claims ‘clean’ products use synthetic ingredients

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Sephora clean class action overview: 

• Who: A Sephora makeup customer is suing the beauty products retailer.
• Why: The plaintiff says the products sold under its “Clean at Sephora” program contain synthetic materials.
• Where: The Sephora clean class action was filed in a New York federal court.

Sephora deceptively sells beauty products that contain synthetic and harmful ingredients under its Clean at Sephora program a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Lindsey Finster filed the class action lawsuit against Sephora USA Inc. on Nov. 11 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws. 

Sephora manufactures and sells cosmetics advertised as “clean” under its Clean at Sephora program, the lawsuit states.

Finster says consumers understand “clean” consistent with its dictionary definitions, which define it as describing something free from impurities, or unnecessary and harmful components, and pure. In the context of cosmetics, this means products made without synthetic chemicals and ingredients that could harm the body, skin or environment, she says.

“However, a significant percentage of products with the ‘Clean At Sephora’ contain ingredients inconsistent with how consumers understand this term,” the lawsuit alleges.

Sephora ‘clean’ products contain harmful ingredients, lawsuit alleges

Finster uses the Saie Mascara 101 as an example, which is sold under the Clean at Sephora program. The lawsuit alleges it contains numerous synthetic ingredients, several of which have been reported to cause possible harms. 

The lawsuit points out several synthetic ingredients in the product could be harmful or skin irritants. 

The complaint also alleges that, as a result of being labeled “clean,” the mascara was sold at a higher price point than it should have been.

The Sephora class action seeks to represent anyone in New York who bought products from the Clean at Sephora program, plus a consumer fraud multistate class from Texas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska, Iowa, West Virginia, North Carolina and Utah.

Finster is suing for violations of New York General Business Law, and for violations of state consumer fraud acts, breach of warranty, fraud and unjust enrichment. 

She seeks certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial. 

In August, Sephora agreed to pay $1.2 million to resolve claims by the state of California that the company violated privacy law by failing to disclose it was selling consumers’ personal information. 

Have you bought products from the Clean at Sephora program? Let us know your thoughts on these allegations in the comments. 

The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC. 

The Sephora class action lawsuit is Lindsey Finster, et al. v. Sephora USA Inc., Case No. 6:22-cv-01187-GLS-ML, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. 

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