$26.25M WEN Cleansing Conditioner Class Action Settlement Proposed

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A $26.25 million settlement was proposed in a class action lawsuit alleging WEN hair products cause balding, hair loss, breakage and rashes.

The settlement proposal will still need to be approved by a federal judge; however, the defendants in the class action, Chaz Dean Inc. and distributor Guthy-Renker, have reportedly agreed to the terms of the settlement.

Lead plaintiff Amy Friedman initiated the class action lawsuit after she purchased the WEN Sweet Almond Mint basic kit in 2014 and allegedly experienced hair loss.

According to the complaint, the plaintiff lost almost a quarter of her hair and spend a substantial amount of money in attempts to regrow her hair.

Eventually, more than 200 women lodged class action complaints after using WEN, alleging the product caused hair loss and bald spots causing sinks to get blocked, as well as alleging the product failed to meet their expectations.

The class action plaintiffs also claimed that the maker of WEN hair products touted the line as gentle enough to use daily; however, the line likely contains caustic ingredients that damage hair follicles, according to the complaint.

Additionally, the plaintiffs alleged that the maker of WEN scrubbed away negative reviews online and off their Facebook page.

According to the terms of the proposed settlement, purchasers of WEN hair products will be paid $25.

Additionally, those who reported hair loss, breakage, rashes or other adverse reactions to the product can receive up to $20,000 to reimburse them for any treatments related to their reactions to the product.

Although the defendants claim that WEN haircare products do not cause hair loss, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert last month after receiving 127 reports of hair loss, breakage, baldness, and itchy skin.

According to the defendants, the settlement proposal is not an admission of guilt, but a business decision to avoid litigation.

The class action lawsuit has sparked debate over the role of the Food and Drug Administration concerning the regulation of cosmetics.

Currently, the FDA’s role is limited to monitoring complaints submitted to the agency when determining whether to initiate an investigation.

If a product is found to have been mislabeled or contaminated, the FDA can take corrective action.

A bill has been proposed in the Senate that would require cosmetics companies to report adverse reactions of their products to the FDA and allow the FDA to recall unsafe products.

A preliminary hearing on the proposed settlement agreement is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2016.

Instructions on how to file a claim for the WEN hair products class action settlement were not immediately available. Keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter for the latest updates. You can also “Follow” this case by using your free Top Class Actions account to receive notifications when this article is updated.

The WEN Cleansing Conditioner Class Action Lawsuit is Amy Friedman v. Guthy-Renker LLC, Case No. 2:14-cv-MRP-AGR, in the U.S. District Court of Central California.

UPDATE: The WEN Hair Care Products Class Action Settlement is now open! Click here to file a claim. 

UPDATE 2: On Jan. 16, 2018, Tier 1 Class Members who filed a valid claim for the WEN Hair Care class action settlement started receiving checks in the mail worth $25. Congratulations to all of our Top Class Actions viewers who filed a claim and got PAID!