Los Angeles, CA — Major cosmetics industry leaders including Estée Lauder, Edgewell, Shiseido, Unilever, and Harry’s have been formally accused of selling products containing a cancer-causing chemical without required warning labels, according to lawsuits filed this week in California state court.
The Initiative for Safer Cosmetics, a limited liability company focused on consumer safety, filed four separate lawsuits in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday. The complaints allege that these companies violated California’s Proposition 65, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, by selling products containing diethanolamine (DEA)—a chemical officially listed as a carcinogen since 2012—without clear and adequate warnings to consumers.
The legal action targets 30 companies and dozens of cosmetic products including mascaras, foundations, lotions, cleansers, shampoos, gels, dyes, shaving gels, and hair removers. The Initiative for Safer Cosmetics commissioned laboratory testing confirming the presence of DEA in all tested products, with experts concluding that normal use could expose consumers to harmful levels of the chemical.
Proposition 65 requires companies to label products containing chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm to ensure consumers can make informed choices. The lawsuits emphasize the effectiveness of these warnings, citing a study in Environmental Health Perspectives which found lower levels of biomonitored chemicals in Californians compared to non-Californians due to Proposition 65’s enforcement.
The complaints seek civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, injunctive relief to halt sales of noncompliant products, and attorney fees. Under California law, private enforcers like the Initiative for Safer Cosmetics may receive up to 25% of the penalties collected.
The cases are currently pending under the titles:
