Certain Vagisil Hygiene Washes Not as ‘Skin-Friendly’ as Advertised, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action claims the maker of Vagisil has falsely advertised some of its feminine hygiene washes as hypoallergenic and gentle enough for daily use when, in fact, the products contain known allergens and irritants unsuitable for intimate female skin.

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The 41-page lawsuit says defendant Combe Incorporated has misleadingly labeled the products at issue—namely, Vagisil pH Balance Daily Intimate Wash, Odor Block Daily Intimate Wash, Healthy Detox All Over Wash and various scents of Scentsitive Scents Daily Intimate Wash—as “[h]ypoallergenic,” “[s]kin-[f]riendly,” “pH balanced” and “[g]entle.” Despite these representations, which are prominently featured on the items’ front labels and packaging, the feminine washes contain cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), disodium EDTA, salicylic acid and fragrance—known allergens and irritating ingredients that are not suitable for sensitive female skin, the suit alleges.

The products’ deceptive representations, which are repeated on the brand’s website and other media platforms, have “duped” thousands of reasonable consumers into believing that the items are gently formulated for sensitive skin, including female intimate areas, the case contends. In truth, however, the harsh ingredients found in the products can “interfere with the natural process of the female body, increasing consumers’ risk of negative skin reactions, pain, irritation, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast infections,” the complaint explains.

According to the filing, the Vagisil washes at issue contain cocamidopropyl betaine, a surfactant known to irritate the skin, and salicylic acid, a compound normally used in acne products that can dry out the surface of the skin. Per the lawsuit, the feminine washes also include SLS and disodium EDTA, both of which are known irritants that can corrode the skin. The Scentsitive Scents, Odor Block and pH Balance Daily Intimate Wash products, in particular, also contain fragrance—“one of the most common causes of contact dermatitis,” the suit relays.

“Feminine hygiene products, like the products, are used on permeable and sensitive vaginal and vulvar tissues where chemical exposure is instantaneous,” the case says. “Harsh ingredients, like in the products, are therefore known to irritate the vulvar skin and mucous membranes and induce or exacerbate vulvar dermatitis.”

In further contrast to the marketing claims, the items are not “pH balanced,” as the irritating ingredients can “upset[] pH levels and disrupt[] the balance of good bacteria which protects against infection and disease-causing organisms,” the complaint argues.

The plaintiff, a California resident, purchased Scentsitive Scents Daily Intimate Wash in the Peach Blossom scent in August 2022 and claims she suffered irritation after using it as directed. As the filing tells it, the woman would not have paid as much for the product, or would not have bought it at all, had she known the feminine wash contains allergens and irritants unsuitable for sensitive female skin.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in California who purchased the products listed on this page for personal use at any time since May 15, 2019.

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