L’Oréal Lawsuit

Plaintiffs are suing L’Oréal for injuries allegedly caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in the company’s hair relaxer products.

L’Oréal hair relaxer lawsuits claim L’Oréal knew or should have known its chemical hair straighteners were dangerous. But it continued to market them as safe and did not warn consumers about the risks.

Lawsuits against L’Oréal also address how it targeted Black and Brown women in advertising. Court documents state that L’Oreal exploited the deep connection these women have between hair and identity. But even as it profited, the company didn’t disclose information about product toxicity. In print media that targeted Black and Brown women, it advertised relaxers as “safe,” “botanicals,” “natural” and “organic”.

The majority of the plaintiffs in the L’Oréal lawsuit are women of color.

What L'Oréal products are harming consumers?

L’Oréal and its subsidiary, SoftSheen-Carson LLC, make a variety of products that relax, straighten, smooth and soften hair. Plaintiffs in the L’Oréal relaxer lawsuit allege that these products cause cancer, including ovarian, uterine and endometrial cancer.

Products named in the L’Oréal hair relaxer lawsuit include:

• Bantu No Base Relaxer: This sodium-based hair relaxer is marketed for “super straightening.”
• Care Free Curl: This product is a maximum-strength chemical relaxer. It works by rearranging the hair’s chemical bonds.
• Dark and Lovely: L’Oréal’s Dark and Lovely line includes several curl-relaxers, including Beautiful Beginnings No-Mistake Smooth Relaxer, Beautiful Beginnings No Mistake Curl Softener, Healthy Gloss 5 Shea Moisture No Lye Relaxer and Triple Nourished Silkening Relaxer.
• Optimum: This line contains several products, including Optimum Salon Haircare Defy Breakage No-Lye Relaxer, Optimum Salon Haircare Amla Legend Relaxer, Optimum Care Bodifying Relaxer and Optimum Multi-Mineral Reduced pH Crème Relaxer.
• Mizani: The Mizani line includes the Butter Blend Relaxer, Butter Blend Sensitive Scalp Relaxer, Butter Blend Prosolvent Relaxer, Classic Relaxer and Sensitive Scalp Relaxer.
• Ultra Precise No-Lye Conditioning Relaxer: This professional-grade hair relaxer has been discontinued. It is currently available for purchase only on resale sites like eBay.

The lawsuits against L’Oréal allege the company's hair relaxers cause severe injuries. The cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) – In re: Hair Relaxer Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3060. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland is presiding over the MDL, which has been filed in the Northern District of Illinois. As of February 2026, it had 11,195 pending claims. Motley Rice attorney Fidelma Fitzpatrick is co-lead counsel and attorney Tope Leyimu serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the MDL.

Plaintiffs began filing hair relaxer lawsuits in 2022 after a report from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) linked the use of chemical relaxers to a higher risk for developing uterine cancer.

When many plaintiffs claim similar injuries at the hands of the same defendants, mass torts are a way for courts to streamline the legal process. Mass torts take the form of MDLs or class actions. You may hear the hair relaxer case referred to as the L’Oréal class action lawsuit, but it is an MDL.

MDLs consolidate cases to decide common questions of fact during pre-trial proceedings. But unlike in class actions, MDLs keep cases separate when determining settlements and verdicts.

Who are the defendants in the L’Oréal MDL?

The hair relaxer MDL names L’Oréal and its subsidiary, SoftSheen-Carson LLC. Several other companies are also named as defendants in the hair relaxer lawsuit, including:

• Advanced Beauty, Inc.
• AFAM Concept Inc. d/b/a JF Labs, Inc.
• Avlon
• Beauty Bell Enterprises, LLC f/k/a House of Cheatham, Inc.
• House of Cheatham
• JF Labs
• John Paul Mitchell Systems
• Luster Products, Inc
• McBride Research Laboratories, Inc.
• Namaste Laboratories
• PDC Brands
• Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation
• Sally Beauty Supply LLC
• Strength of Nature
• Wella Operations US LLC

Is L’Oréal a defendant in other lawsuits?

There have been other cases involving L’Oréal’s personal care products. 

L’Oréal has faced consumer claims over unsafe levels of benzene in its benzoyl peroxide (BPO) acne treatments and Redken brand dry shampoo. Benzene is a chemical known to cause cancer.

These L’Oréal cancer lawsuits are separate and distinct from the federal hair relaxer MDL.

L’Oréal hair relaxers contain chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. These chemicals can cause severe and deadly side effects and increase the risk for developing reproductive cancers. These chemicals include but are not limited to formaldehyde, phthalates and parabens.

The following illnesses are linked to endocrine disruption and are named in the L’Oréal chemical hair straightener lawsuit:

• Endometrial cancer: This cancer forms in the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. Cancerous endometrial cells can spread throughout the body (metastasize) if not treated early. Endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer.
• Ovarian cancer: This is a rapidly growing type of cancer that develops in the ovaries. Ovarian cancer symptoms often mimic other, more common conditions. They include bloating, swelling, back pain, pelvic discomfort, fatigue and frequent urination.
• Uterine cancer: As mentioned, endometrial cancer is a form of uterine cancer. Uterine cancer can also refer to uterine sarcoma, though this condition is rarer. Uterine sarcoma develops in the muscle wall of the uterus.

These cancers have caused women to undergo hysterectomies and lose their ability to have children. Additionally, relaxers can cause hair loss and scalp damage.

There have been several studies about the safety of hair relaxer products. The previously mentioned NIEHS study used data from a larger-scale research project known as the Sister Study.

For over 10 years, the Sister Study followed nearly 45,000 self-identified Black women. Researchers studied women who reported using chemical hair relaxers four or more times per year. Results showed those women were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as women who did not use these products.

The average payout in L’Oréal hair relaxer lawsuits is not yet known. As of early 2026, no global or individual hair relaxer lawsuit settlements have been reached. Over 11,000 cases are currently pending in the MDL, and Motley Rice attorneys are reviewing and accepting new claims.

The potential value of hair relaxer settlements will depend on various factors. When awarding damages, juries consider:

• The victim’s medical expenses and lost wages
• The victim’s pain and suffering
• The victim’s history of using chemical hair relaxing products
• The individual facts of each case and the strength of the supporting evidence

For decades, Motley Rice attorneys have fought for victims injured by toxic exposure from dangerous products and environmental pollution. We have held corporations responsible for harming individuals, families and communities and have been at the forefront of litigation involving women’s health issues.

If you or someone you love was diagnosed with a health problem related to L’Oréal chemical hair straighteners, you may be eligible for a L’Oréal lawsuit. Motley Rice can discuss your legal options.

For more information, contact our team by filling out our online form or calling 1.800.768.4026.

Read more about our women’s health lawsuit experience.