Olaplex customers file lawsuit blaming products for hair loss and ‘serious injury’

Olaplex customers are suing the popular hair care brand and claiming that the company’s products caused them “serious injury” to their hair.

The lawsuit, which was filed on 9 February, includes claims from 30 women who used products from Olaplex, as reported by CNN. The brand is notably sold at retailers such as Sephora and Ulta and is frequently advertised by influencers on TikTok.

The women involved in the lawsuit allege that Olaplex’s products caused “serious injuries” including hair loss, breakage, bald spots, and scalp irritation. The plaintiffs are collectively seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

In one section of the lawsuit shared by Bloomberg, the allegations say: “Far from repairing and protecting hair from damage, the products have instead left plaintiffs’ hair dry, brittle, frizzy and dull.”

One woman involved, Jessica Auriana, opened up about her hair care journey during an interview with Good Morning America this week. She said that when she was struggling with dry and brittle hair, a peer had recommended Olaplex to her.

However, she claimed that after she used the company’s shampoo, conditioner and clarifying shampoo for two months, she experienced hair loss.

“I think by that point I had probably lost 20 per cent of my hair,” Auriana said. “I’m outside daily ... I started to feel the wind and air on my scalp in places that I’ve never felt it.”

On its official website, Olaplex notes that it offers “building treatment products that will repair, strengthen and leave hair healthier”. The brand has also specified on its health page that their products have been “tested” and “do not cause hair loss or hair breakage”.

Rachel Bentley, who is co-counsel on the lawsuit, also told GMA that the $75,000 is “for the injuries [that their] clients sustained”.

“We are seeking punitive damages to deter Olaplex from engaging in any further wrongful conduct,” she added.

In a statement to The Independent, Olaplex denied the claims made in the lawsuit and says its “products are safe and effective, as millions of our customers can happily attest”.

“We have full confidence and believe in the safety and efficacy of our products,” the statement read. “There are a wide variety of reasons for hair breakage or hair loss, as medical and scientific experts have publicly stated, including lifestyle, various medical conditions and medications, the aftereffects of COVID, skin conditions and more. Anyone experiencing consistent hair breakage should consult their stylist and dermatologist to best understand their unique hair and skin needs.”

The company also responded to Auriana’s complaint and said that it’s “a fact of life in [their] industry”. Olaplex also claimed that these kinds of complaints have “been made against other brands in the category for years”.

“We are prepared to vigorously defend our Company, our brand, and our products against these baseless accusations,” Olaplex’s statement continued.

In addition, the company said it has gone “above and beyond industry beauty standards” by sharing test results from its “independent third-party laboratories” on its website.

This lawsuit comes almost one year after Olaplex first made headlines when it announced that it was removing lilial, a common fragrance that has been linked to infertility, from its No.3 Hair Perfector. This decision came in response to the European Union placing a ban on the ingredient in March 2022.

“At Olaplex, lilial was previously used in small amounts as a fragrance in No. 3 Hair Perfector. It is not an active or functional ingredient,” the company said in a statement to The Independent. “While this phase out is limited to the EU, out of an abundance of caution, Olaplex proactively removed lillial from our No.3 Hair Perfector globally. Since January 2022, Olaplex no longer sold products using lilial in the UK or EU.”

The Independent has contacted a representative for Olaplex for comment.