Burt’s Bees, Inc., a defendant in this class action (along with the Clorox Company and the Burt’s Bees Products Company), appears to offer “natural” products, including the lip and other products that are at issue in this case. But the complaint alleges that the lip products in fact contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, substances that are potentially harmful to humans.
The Nationwide Class for this action is all persons living in the US who bought the PFAS products during the fullest period allowed by law. A similar California Class has also been defined for those living in California.
The products at issue include Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer, Lip Shine, Nourishing Mascara, Satin Lipstick, and Matte Stick.
The complaint quotes Burt’s Bees as claiming its products are not made with “chemicals of concern” but are “consciously crafted with ingredients from nature to nourish and revitalize your skin.” It quotes the company as also saying that holds itself “to higher standards and are working to elevate standards across our industry for quality and transparency” and developed the “first and only” standard for designating ingredients as “natural.”
Finally, it says it has “made it a priority to clearly state the percentage of ingredients derived from nature on our product labels” and calls its lip products “100% natural.”
However, the complaint alleges that the lip products contain PFAS.
The plaintiffs in this case had a number of Burt’s Bees products independently tested, and while the testing found no PFAS in many of them, the complaint claims, it did find PFAS in the lip products.
Burt’s Bees does not disclose to consumers that the products contain PFAS, the complaint alleges.
PFAS are not natural but man-made. Because the contain strong carbon-fluorine bonds, the complaint says, they are highly persistent in the environment and in human bodies, and “have been associated with a variety of negative health effects for humans and the environment.”
PFAS are often added to cosmetics, the complaint alleges, to give a smooth or shiny appearance, or to increase durability or water resistance. But the law requires all ingredients in cosmetics to be listed on the labels.
People can be exposed to PFAS in a number of ways, including ingestion and absorption through the skin. The complaint underscores the danger, then, of applying substances containing PFAS on the mouth, particularly when the substance will be left there all day.
According to the complaint, a 2019 study by the National Toxicology Program “found that PFAS has adverse effects on human organ systems, with the greatest impact seen in the liver and thyroid hormone.” The complaint reproduces a drawing from the European Environmental Agency showing the effects of PFAS on the various parts and systems of the human body.
The complaint alleges, “The presence of PFAS in the Lip Products is inconsistent with the Burt’s Bees brand name and its uniform, pervasive clean, 100% natural beauty marketing and advertising campaign…”
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Burt’s Bees Lip Products PFAS Content Complaint
April 7, 2022
Burt’s Bees, Inc., a defendant in this class action (along with the Clorox Company and the Burt’s Bees Products Company), appears to offer “natural” products, including the lip and other products that are at issue in this case. But the complaint alleges that the lip products in fact contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, substances that are potentially harmful to humans.
Burt’s Bees Lip Products PFAS Content ComplaintCase Event History
Burt’s Bees Lip Products PFAS Content Complaint
April 7, 2022
Burt’s Bees, Inc., a defendant in this class action (along with the Clorox Company and the Burt’s Bees Products Company), appears to offer “natural” products, including the lip and other products that are at issue in this case. But the complaint alleges that the lip products in fact contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, substances that are potentially harmful to humans.
Burt’s Bees Lip Products PFAS Content Complaint