A California law firm has received over 5,000 calls from around the world after it launched a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against EOS — a lip balm that’s been endorsed by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Hilary Duff.
The lawsuit (which you can read in its entirety below) alleges the product can cause “devastating adverse reactions.”
Rachael Cronin, who launched the suit, claims her lips began cracking, blistering and bleeding within days of trying the product. Her condition reportedly lasted for 10 days.
“She describes not being able to eat food because it was so painful,” said Ben Meiselas, an attorney at Geragos & Geragos.
Cronin approached the law firm in December after going to a doctor and doing some research online, where she reportedly found similar complaints from people on message boards.
“The scope of the litigation is going to be not only national but international,” Meiselas said. “And it will be including Canadian plaintiffs.”
Canadian lawyers will be assisting with the case.
In the lawsuit, the potential side-effects of using the lipbalm include:
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- rashes
- dryness
- bleeding
- blistering
- cracking
- loss of pigmentation
The latter symptom can allegedly last anywhere from a few days to a few months, according to the lawsuit.
EOS bills its lipbalm as 99 per cent natural, gluten and paraben-free.
“Poison ivy is 99 per cent natural and organic,” Meiselas said of the claim. “Stating something is natural, organic or gluten-free — that doesn’t tell you what’s in it.”
Cronin’s legal team believes certain ingredients in the product are problematic. At least one, Meriselas claims, is apparently a major nut allergen and not labelled as such. Meiselas says another has allegedly been known to cause hemorrhaging and bleeding, and medical literature reportedly says you shouldn’t apply it to your face or lips.
“When you go to the website, there’s absolutely no warnings,” he said, adding there are also no warnings on the packaging.
READ MORE: Health Canada warns of potential for serious allergic reactions from face care product ingredients
EOS released a statement online Wednesday evening in an attempt to assure customers that their health and well-being is the company’s top priority.
In the statement posted to Facebook, EOS said it believed the lawsuit was “without merit.”
“Our products are safe to use, are made with the highest quality ingredients and they all meet or exceed all safety and quality standards set out by our industry.
“An independent laboratory puts each of our products through a battery of rigorous testing to ensure this is the case.”
It also vowed to “continue to create new and exciting products that delight” their customers.
“After harming people’s faces, they’re now slapping people in the face with a response like that,” Meiselas said.
He points out that the company has been apologizing on Twitter to countless customers, who’ve reported negative reactions to the product.
“They need to make this right and not dig in their heels.”
There are no specific financial damages demanded in the lawsuit. Meiselas explains the compensation will depend, in part, on how many people come forward.
The law firm can be contacted at 213-625-3900.
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