PUR mascara class action claims product contains dangerous PFAS

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

PUR mascara PFAS class action overview: 

• Who: A PUR mascara customer is suing the company.
• Why: The plaintiff says the mascara contains harmful chemicals called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
• Where: The PUR mascara PFAS lawsuit was filed in a California federal court.

PUR markets itself as a “clean” beauty brand, but sells mascara with harmful PFAS chemicals in it, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

Plaintiff Rachel Galarsa filed the class action complaint against Astral Health & Beauty Inc. (PUR Cosmetics) Nov. 9 in a California federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

According to the lawsuit, PUR Fully Charged Mascara is unfit for its intended use because it contains unsafe per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Galarsa says PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals known to be harmful to both humans and the environment. 

“PFAS have been shown to have a number of toxicological effects in laboratory studies and have been associated with thyroid disorders, immunotoxic effects, and various cancers in epidemiology studies,” she says.

Research finds PFAS in PUR mascara, class action alleges

Independent research commissioned by Galarsa and performed at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories revealed the mascara contained PFAS that are known to harm human health, the lawsuit alleges.

“These findings are particularly worrisome in the context of Defendant’s packaging which describes the Product to consumers but makes no mention of the existence of PFAS,” Galarsa says.

“Even more disconcerting, Defendant has built its reputation leading consumers to believe that their Products are free of such toxic, harmful chemicals.”

The plaintiff says PUR leads consumers to believe that it has “redefined clean beauty” with “good- for-you products.” She says she believed she was supporting a company that did not use toxic chemicals in its products.

“Plaintiff would not have purchased Defendant’s Products on the same terms had she known that Defendant’s Products are made with PFAS, and pose a significant health risk to unsuspecting consumers,” the lawsuit states.

Galarsa seeks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased the affected products from PUR, plus a California subclass. She’s suing under state consumer laws and federal warranty laws, and for fraud and unjust enrichment. The lawsuit seeks certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

Meanwhile, companies including L’Oreal, Target, Burt’s Bees, Murad and Almay have been hit with class action lawsuits and forced to pay settlements this year over their makeup products. 

Have you bought this PUR mascara? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

The plaintiff is represented by L.Timothy Fisher of Bursor & Fisher PA. 

The PUR Cosmetics class action lawsuit is Rachel Galarsa, et al. v. Astral Health & Beauty Inc., Case No. 4:22-cv-07020, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Bumble and Bumble class action claims website not accessible to visually impaired, blind visitors
• Batiste dry shampoo class action claims product has dangerously high levels of benzene
• Woman claims Neutrogena sunscreen caused her skin cancer
• Potpourri Group subscription auto-renew $2.3M class action settlement