Olaplex Fires Again at Hair Loss Lawsuit

On Thursday, Olaplex started a defensive advertising and marketing push to battle again in opposition to a lawsuit accusing the model’s merchandise of inflicting hair loss and scalp sensitivity and irritation.

JuE Wong, chief govt officer of Olaplex, took to Olaplex’s social media channels in a simply over two-minute video to state that the swimsuit, filed final week in California, was primarily based on “misinformation.” Throughout platforms, Olaplex has 3.2 million followers.

“This has gotten to a degree the place we’ve to react,” Wong advised The Enterprise of Magnificence. “Hair loss is a really irritating and emotional problem. I really feel very accountable as a CEO that that is inflicting anxiousness and it’s not essential. We have to defend ourselves. … This can be a frivolous lawsuit.”

In a Feb. 9 criticism, the plaintiffs, a bunch of 28 shoppers represented by Dallas-based lawyer Amy Davis, accused Olaplex of false promoting. Among the many messages they are saying had been misleading embody that its merchandise restore broken hair, create “robust, healthy-looking, extra resilient hair” and are the “final breakage insurance coverage.” Davis states within the swimsuit that “plaintiffs have suffered and are entitled to get better damages, each compensatory and punitive.”

Wong’s preliminary response is only the start of the model’s outward response. She mentioned communications going ahead will lean closely on the model’s human repeat insult patch assessments (HRIPT), that are a FDA normal for topical magnificence and OTC merchandise. Olaplex carried out this check on all of its merchandise between December 2014 to February 2023 for its newest product, No. 4D Dry shampoo, through impartial labs. It would kick off a collection of upcoming movies that includes Olaplex’s inner scientists and workforce throughout the subsequent week.

“We’ve gone by means of rigorous testing to ensure our merchandise are secure, and extra importantly that they don’t trigger hair loss or hair breakage,” she mentioned.

Although the lawsuit has not reached class motion standing, there are a number of disgruntled clients in Fb teams claiming Olaplex has broken their hair. One of many largest teams, “Olaplex Hair Loss/Hair Injury?” has 6,200 members. Davis opened a name for extra potential purchasers to share in the event that they consider they had been injured by Olaplex merchandise on her web site by means of an “Olaplex Investigation Questionnaire.” Davis didn’t reply to requests for remark, however hair care litigation seems to be her focus; she at the moment has a pending case in opposition to Monat and beforehand introduced a case in opposition to DevaCurl.

Beforehand, Olaplex responded to the swimsuit with solely an announcement. “There are all kinds of causes for hair breakage or hair loss, as medical and scientific specialists have publicly said, together with way of life, varied medical circumstances and drugs, the aftereffects of Covid, pores and skin circumstances and extra,” the corporate mentioned on Feb. 9.

Based in 2014, Olaplex is usually credited with creating the status hair care class. In September 2021, the fast-growing model raised $1.55 billion in its preliminary public providing, however the inventory is down 70 p.c from its IPO. In October, Olaplex reduce its annual forecast, and is anticipating gross sales between $704 million and $711 million in its subsequent quarter. The model will announce upcoming outcomes on Feb. 28.