One the world’s most popular facial scrubs is ‘completely worthless,’ lawsuit alleges
The global skincare market has continued to grow at a rapid rate in recent years, per Global Cosmetic Industry Magazine, but two women are pushing back, claiming that one of the most popular skincare products is not only ineffective, it makes the problem even worse.
Facial scrubs are marketed as a way to smooth, youthful skin that wash out bacteria and dead skin cells, and one of the best-selling facial scrubs is St. Ives Apricot Scrub. It regularly top’s Amazon’s list of the top facial scrubs and has earned awards from Allure Magazine for more than a decade now. Kaylee Browning and Sarah Basile, however, say the product actually leads to long-term skin damage and is “unfit” to be marketed as a facial scrub.
The scrub’s maker, Unilever, knew that too, the duo claim, because the product is marketed as “dermatologist tested” but not “dermatologist approved.”
That’s according to court documents from the class-action lawsuit the women filed on Dec. 16 in U.S. District Court. The two are claiming Unilever engaged in false advertising, deceived the consumer, violated warranty laws, unjustly enriched itself and committed fraud. In compensation, Browning and Basile want the court to order an injunction to stop Unilever from advertising the scrub as a facial cleanser. They’re also seeking damages, restitution and court and attorney fees.
Browning, a former resident of California, and Basile, a resident of New York, are also seeking to represent subclasses from their home states in the lawsuit.
At the core of Browning and Basile’s argument are the crushed walnut shells in the scrub. St. Ives claims the walnut shell powder is a “100% natural exfoliant” that is “known to help leave skin feeling super soft and smooth,” according to its website. Browning and Basile, on the other hand, say that because the shells have “jagged edges,” they cause micro-tears in facial skin that make users susceptible to infection, inflammation and sun damage, per court documents.
As evidence of their claim, the women cite a 2015 New York Magazine article titled “Is Your Scrub Giving You Wrinkles?” The article cites several dermatologists and skincare experts who say that scrubs accelerate the aging process, especially when used too frequently. However, the article also referenced at least one dermatologist who recommended scrubbing twice a day.
In 2013, the Wall Street Journal published an article citing multiple doctors who all said washing more than once a day was too much for some people, especially those with sensitive skin.
And Browning and Basile are hardly the first to claim St. Ives is bad for your complexion. On the social media forum Reddit, there is an entire community, or subreddit, devoted to skincare, and many of the users rejoiced at the news that the company was being sued, with many sharing personal stories about how their skin has improved since they stopped using the product, per Slate.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Unilever pointed to the product’s popularity as evidence of its effectiveness.
“As a general practice we do not comment on pending litigation,” the company said. “We can say that for over 30 years, consumers have loved and trusted the St. Ives brand to refresh and revitalize their skin. We are proud to be America’s top facial scrub brand and stand by our dermatologist tested formula.
This story was originally published January 4, 2017 at 5:06 PM with the headline "One the world’s most popular facial scrubs is ‘completely worthless,’ lawsuit alleges."