Dior Cosmetics ‘Do Not and Cannot’ Provide 24-Hour SPF Protection as Advertised, Class Action Claims [UPDATE]

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Christian Dior, Inc. has been hit with a proposed class action lawsuit that claims the cosmetic company has misleadingly marketed certain products as offering 24-hour SPF protection.

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According to the 25-page lawsuit, the products—including Dior Forever Foundation and Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation—are labeled with “24 HR” statements alongside claims about their apparent sun protection factor (SPF), such as “24H FOUNDATION … WITH SUNSCREEN” and “24H WEAR … FOUNDATION WITH SUNSCREEN.” These representations are misleading because studies show that SPF products can be effective for only up to two hours after application, the suit says.

Dior allegedly markets the products this way in order to exploit the public’s desire to protect their skin from UV damage, the complaint contends. The “misbranded” cosmetics simply “do not and cannot provide 24 hours of SPF protection as claimed,” the filing charges.

The products’ front-label statements, which read “24H FOUNDATION” with “24H WEAR,” are listed near messages such as “WITH SUNSCREEN,” “BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15,” or “BROAD SPECTURM SPF 35,” the case shares. Reasonable consumers are led to believe that the products will fulfill Dior’s 24-hour promises, including the SPF protection, without the need to reapply, the lawsuit argues.

The Dior products at issue have a drug facts label on the back of their boxes that directs users to “reapply at least every 2 hours,” the complaint says. However, as these instructions only appear on the products’ boxes and not on the bottles themselves, the suit contests that most consumers will not see this message before throwing away the packaging. Further, consumers would not expect the small print on the boxes to contradict the SPF claims prominently displayed on the front label, the case adds.

Public awareness of the damaging effects of UV rays on skin is increasing, and studies show there is a growing demand for products that both perform their cosmetic function and provide SPF protection, the complaint relays.

Like other consumers, the plaintiff, a California resident who bought Dior Forever Foundation, believed based on the company’s representations that the product would provide coverage and SPF protection for the full 24 hours advertised, the filing says. The woman asserts that she would not have paid as much, or purchased the product at all, had she known it could only truly provide two hours of sun protection, the suit explains.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in the United States who, since January 27, 2019, purchased a Dior product that makes an SPF claim and a claim that the item will last longer than two hours, including Dior Forever Foundation and Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation.

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