Woman sues Sephora, claims lipstick sample gave her herpes
A WOMAN is suing make-up giant Sephora, claiming a lipstick sample gave her herpes.
MAKE-UP aficionados should be wary of testing communal cosmetics at beauty retailers, at least according to one woman who claims she contracted herpes from a lipstick sample at Sephora.
Website TMZ reports the unnamed customer sampled a “common use” tube of lipstick on display at the make-up mecca’s Hollywood store in California in October 2015, and was later diagnosed by a doctor with oral herpes.
Claiming that she never had herpes or cold sores prior to the incident, the woman is suing the chain for the emotional distress over the “incurable lifelong affliction.”
The woman and her doctors further contend that Sephora failed to warn customers of the health risks of trying on lipstick samples and that the cosmetics chain did not have adequate practices in place to avoid herpes exposure.
In March, however, Tracey Garcia, the co-founder and CEO of cosmetics service StyleMeBar, told The Lookbook that make-up stores simply cannot take every precaution.
“I truly believe that if you walk by every make-up counter or every make-up store, they do have all the precautions to keep it clean, but there’s only so much you can do because people are out there being, not to be rude, but a bit disgusting,” said Garcia.
Following the publication of TMZ’s article, a Sephora spokesperson responded to Fashionista’s request for comment on the matter.
“While it is our policy not to comment on litigation, the health and safety of our clients is our foremost priority. We take product hygiene very seriously and we are dedicated to following best practices in our stores,” they said.
This article originally appeared on Fox News and is republished here with permission.