L’Oréal sued by Arizona over allegations it hid cancer risks of hair products

L’Oréal USA is being sued by the state of Arizona over allegations the cosmetics company sold chemical hair straightening products without warning consumers the products have been linked to uterine and ovarian cancer.

The complaint was filed Thursday in Maricopa County Superior Court by Attorney General Kris Mayes.

The suit alleges L’Oréal marketed products including Dark and Lovely, Optimum and Mizani primarily to Black women and girls while concealing that the products contain chemicals that are classified as known or probable carcinogens by federal and international agencies.

The lawsuit cites a National Institutes of Health study that found women who frequently used chemical hair relaxers faced double the risk of developing uterine cancer.

Despite the risks, L’Oréal continued advertising the products as healthy, nourishing and gentle, alleges the suit. That advertising includes a children’s line that emphasized natural ingredients to reassure parents.

“L’Oréal knew or should have known about the dangers associated with these toxic hair straightening products,” Mayes said in a statement. “Yet, instead of warning their consumers, they put profits over the safety of women and children.”

The state wants a judge to bar these relaxer brands from being sold unless they include more prominent cancer warnings.

The lawsuit asks for civil penalties for each violation and restitution.

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