If you're someone who colours or heat-styles their hair, chances are you've heard of Olaplex. The multi-award winning hair brand shot to fame in 2014 thanks to its game-changing bond rebuilding technology. The Olaplex formula was truly disruptive within the hair care industry, with many Olaplex dupes hitting the market soon after the OG hit the scene. Since then, the once salon-only brand has expanded into at home hair care – offering shampoos, conditioners and most recently – a dry shampoo.
But Olaplex has recently been hit with a $75,000 dollar lawsuit in California, after 28 users claimed Olaplex's products caused hair loss, blisters and other conditions. Here's everything we know so far:
What Is The Lawsuit Against Olaplex About?
A lawsuit filed on the 9th February 2023 claims that the plaintiffs (those parties who are pursuing legal action) have 'lost hair - in some cases more than half and leaving bald spots in others'.
Several photos of plaintiffs showing bald spots that they claim were caused by Olaplex have been released by the Law Centre of Amy E. Davis, one of the legal firms involved in the suit.
The plaintiffs are collectively seeking $75,000 (which amounts to around £62,200) in damages.
While this lawsuit is new, it's not the first time Olaplex have come under fire for their formulas. Just last year, the brand chose to reformulate the No.3 Hair Perfector after the ingredient Lillial was banned in the UK and EU for its potential links to infertility. Olaplex remained adamant however, that the amount of Lillial used within Olaplex formulas was never a cause for concern, but stopped using the ingredient once the ban was put into place.
So, What Have Olaplex Said About The Claims?
JuE Wong, CEO of Olaplex addressed the lawsuit on Instagram this week, releasing the following statement:
'I am here today to address some misinformation about our brand, which I know is stressful and concerning for our customers. You may have recently heard that Olaplex products cause hair loss. This is a painful and emotional topic, however for our products this is not true.'
'Olaplex products do not cause hair loss or hair breakage.'
Explaining that every Olaplex product has to pass the Human Repeat Insult Patch Test (HRIPT) before it can be released on sale, Wong sought to assure customers that Olaplex products are safe and the claims made against the brand are 'baseless accusations'.
'This test ensures that each of our products does not cause skin irritation, inflammation, or sensitivity. If our products pass the HRIPT test, that means it was not shown to cause sensitivity or inflammation to the skin, including the hair follicle, which is the primary cause of hair loss. We have publicly released the HRIPT test results for all of our products. Every one of Olaplex products pass this HRIPTT test.'
'If this was not the case, I would not be making this video today. I believe in the safety and efficacy of our products. I want to reassure all of our customers and fans they can continue to use our products with confidence.'