L'Oréal
Flagged · AvoidL'Oréal is the world's largest cosmetics company, selling skincare, haircare, and makeup under dozens of brands including CeraVe, Garnier, Maybelline, Lancôme, NYX, Urban Decay, and Redken.
Last updated June 12, 2026
↓ Skip to 8 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:EnvironmentLabor
- L'Oréal faces more than 10,900 pending federal lawsuits over its chemical hair relaxer products, sold under brands including Dark and Lovely and SoftSheen-Carson and marketed primarily to Black women. Plaintiffs allege L'Oréal knew its relaxers contained endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to uterine and reproductive cancers but failed to warn consumers, a claim supported by a 2022 National Institutes of Health study finding frequent users were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer.
- Independent laboratory Valisure found in 2024 that L'Oréal's CeraVe benzoyl peroxide acne cleansers contained benzene at levels of 5 to 12 parts per million, up to six times the FDA's conditional limit of 2 ppm. At least six class action lawsuits followed, alleging L'Oréal failed to warn consumers that benzoyl peroxide can degrade into benzene under normal storage conditions.
- The Changing Markets Foundation flagged L'Oréal in 2022 for labeling an Elvive shampoo as made from a "100% recycled plastic bottle" while small print revealed the cap was excluded from that claim. The same product was described as "more sustainable" with no supporting context, which the foundation noted did not constitute a meaningful comparison.
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Beauty
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Common Questions
- Is L'Oréal ethical?
- L'Oréal faces more than 10,900 federal lawsuits over its chemical hair relaxers, marketed primarily to Black women, alleging the products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to uterine cancer based on a 2022 NIH study. Independent lab tests in 2024 also found L'Oréal's CeraVe benzoyl peroxide cleansers contained benzene at up to six times the FDA's conditional limit, resulting in at least six class action lawsuits.
- Why should I avoid L'Oréal?
- Independent lab tests in 2024 found L'Oréal's CeraVe benzoyl peroxide cleansers contained benzene at up to six times the FDA's conditional limit, resulting in at least six class action lawsuits. L'Oréal was also flagged in 2022 for labeling a shampoo as "100% recycled plastic" while excluding the cap from that claim with fine print.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to L'Oréal?
- Ceramedx is a cruelty-free, vegan natural alternative to CeraVe for ceramide skincare. e.l.f. Cosmetics is 100% vegan and cruelty-free affordable makeup certified by PETA and Leaping Bunny. Ethique offers zero-waste, B Corp certified hair and skin bars with no plastic bottles.