CoverGirl TruBlend Pressed Powder Contains Unsafe Levels of ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action alleges CoverGirl’s TruBlend Pressed Powder is unsafe given it contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.”

The 40-page lawsuit says that although CoverGirl Cosmetics and Coty, Inc. maintain that TruBlend Pressed Powder is sustainable and safe, the makeup, and potentially others made by CoverGirl, contains PFAS at levels that are much higher than what’s considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  

The case relays that independent research performed by Toxin Free USA found that the product contains 6,242 parts per million (ppm) of organic fluorine. As a point of reference, the suit says, the current EPA health advisory limit for safe consumption of fluorine is just 70 nanograms per liter.

“To put this in perspective, 1 part per million is the equivalent of 1,000,000 nanograms per liter,” the complaint states. “Accordingly, use of the Product would expose a consumer to PFAS at levels that are several orders of magnitude higher than one would receive from drinking a liter of water that contains PFAS at the level considered safe by the EPA.”

According to the lawsuit, PFAS are a category of synthetic chemicals known to be harmful to humans and the environment. Because the chemicals persist and accumulate over time, they are harmful even at low levels, the case says. The lawsuit, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states that the adverse health effects associated with exposure to forever chemicals include cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease. 

The suit stresses that the levels of PFAS in CoverGirl’s TruBlend Pressed Powder are “particularly worrisome” given consumers are encouraged to apply the product throughout the day, and that it is advertised as “suitable for sensitive skin” and “dermatologically tested.” Even more disconcerting, the case relays, is that the makeup is meant to be applied near the eyes and mouth, areas that carry an increased risk of exposure and absorption of the PFAS allegedly found in the product. 

According to the complaint, CoverGirl and Coty have violated federal law by misrepresenting that the ingredients of TruBlend Pressed Powder are safe, natural and sustainable while failing to warn that the item contains PFAS. The lawsuit contends that no reasonable consumer would have purchased the makeup had they known it was “adulterated and/or misbranded.” 

The lawsuit looks to cover all consumers in the United States who bought CoverGirl’s TruBlend Pressed Powder. 

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