L’Oreal class action claims benzoyl peroxide products contain benzene

L’Oreal benzene class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Jennifer Snow filed a class action lawsuit against L’Oreal USA Inc. 
• Why: Snow claims L’Oreal sold benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products that contained unsafe levels of the “potent” human carcinogen benzene. 
• Where: The L’Oreal acne treatment class action lawsuit was filed in Hawaii federal court. 

L’Oreal USA sold and failed to warn consumers that its benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products contain unsafe levels of the human carcinogen benzene, a new L’Oreal class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Jennifer Snow’s class action lawsuit claims a 2023 study conducted by Valisure found benzoyl peroxide products had “dangerous levels of benzene” that were “many multiple times higher than allowed in any regulated drug.”

Snow argues L’Oreal, in spite of the findings, failed to warn consumers about the presence of benzene in its benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products. 

“Defendant never listed benzene among the ingredients anywhere on the Products, labels, containers, in their advertising or on their websites,” the L’Oreal benzene class action states. 

Snow wants to represent a nationwide class and multiple subclasses involving consumers from a variety of states who bought L’Oreal’s benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products for use.

L’Oreal class action: Company failed to warn consumers benzoyl peroxide acne drugs could degrade into benzene

Snow argues L’Oreal also failed to warn consumers that the benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products were at risk of “degrading further” into benzene under “normal use, handling, and storage conditions.” 

“(Benzoyl peroxide) Products should not contain benzene, nor degrade into benzene, except under extraordinary circumstances,” the L’Oreal class action states. 

Snow claims L’Oreal is guilty of unjust enrichment and breach of express and implied warranty and of violating deceptive trade practice and false advertising statutes in multiple states along with a pair of California consumer protection laws. 

The plaintiff demands a jury and requests declaratory and injunctive relief, along with an award of compensatory and other damages for herself and all class members. 

A pair of consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson earlier this month making similar allegations that the company sold benzoyl peroxide acne treatment products containing dangerous levels of benzene. 

Have you purchased L’Oreal benzoyl peroxide acne treatment products? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Margery S. Bronster and Robert M. Hatch of Bronster Fujichaku Robbins and R. Brent Wisner and Stephanie B. Sherman of Wisner Baum, L.L.P. 

The L’Oreal benzene class action lawsuit is Snow v. L’Oreal USA Inc., et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-00110, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai’i.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Walgreens class action claims benzoyl peroxide acne products contain benzene
• Target class action claims retailer’s benzoyl peroxide acne treatments contain benzene
• Unilever to pay $2M settlement in Suave deodorant benzene class action
• Ting athlete’s foot spray recalled over benzene contamination