A Class Action Against Olaplex For A Product Sold At Sephora In Canada Has Been Filed

Olaplex said it intends to "vigorously defend against this potential lawsuit."

​Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector. Right: Sephora store.

Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector. Right: Sephora store.

Senior Writer

There is a class-action lawsuit that's been filed against Olaplex for a product sold at Sephora in Canada but the haircare company is planning to fight it.

With the lawsuit, it has been claimed that Olaplex's No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector contained a "dangerous" chemical called butylphenyl methylpropional, also known as lilial.

According to the class action, which is still pending an authorization hearing, Olaplex was aware of the risks associated with lilial but didn't inform consumers.

The proposed class for the lawsuit is all consumers who purchased Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector that contained lilial in Canada.

The lawsuit is seeking $10 million in punitive damages because it claims that "Butylphenyl Methylpropional is a dangerous chemical with serious side effects," which Olaplex and Sephora failed to warn consumers about.

Also, it's proposed that the members of the class should get reimbursed for the amount they paid for their purchase of Olaplex No. 3.

The lawsuit has claimed that the chemical was only recently removed from Olaplex's products in several countries and that in Canada, Sephora still sells Olaplex No. 3 containing lilial.

In a statement to Narcity, Olaplex said that its No. 3 product is safe to use and doesn't impact fertility like the lawsuit claims.

"The claims allegedly are wholly without merit and we intend to vigorously defend against this potential lawsuit, should it move forward," the haircare company said.

Olaplex also noted that lilial was previously used in small amounts as a fragrance in its No. 3 product and has been removed globally.

Narcity has reached out to Sephora for comment. The article will be updated when a response has been received.

  • Senior Writer

    Lisa Belmonte (she/her) is a Senior Writer with Narcity Media. After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), she joined the Narcity team. Lisa covers news and notices from across the country from a Canada-wide perspective. Her early coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic earned Narcity its first-ever national journalism award nomination.

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