Consumers sue L’Oréal over hair product claims

Published: 6-Dec-2016

Group of consumers complain about Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm

A group of US consumers has filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal over claims made about its Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm, from the L’Oréal Advanced hair care range.

Led by Vivian Lee, the group says that the $9 product cannot possibly work in the way it claims due to the ingredients list.

The product is advertised as being able to “repair up to one year of damage in one use”. On the L’Oréal Paris USA website, the brand explains “the balm instantly repairs the five signs of damage: split ends, weakness, roughness, dullness and dehydration".

The claim that the product "repairs up to one year of damage in one use” is repeated on the product’s packaging and on marketing materials.

The lawsuit alleges that these claims are “false, misleading and reasonably likely to deceive the public”. Lee says that the product does not contain any ingredients that could repair a year’s worth of hair damage after just one use.

Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm contains conditioning agents behentrimonium chloride, amodimethicone and hydroxypropyl guar. None of these target and repair keratin proteins, which are the most effective ingredients for restoring the hair.

The group also claims that these ingredients are included in rival products that do not make such claims and are marketed at a lower price point.

The suit accuses L’Oréal of breaking New York’s general business law, negligent misrepresentation, breach of express warranty and unjust enrichment.

L’Oréal has yet to respond to the case.

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