Claire’s makeup tests positive for asbestos

Our North Carolina readers likely want to know that recently, several companies have been exposed for selling asbestos-containing products. This is not only dangerous for consumers, but also opens these companies up to potential product liability lawsuits.

Justice, a popular girls’ apparel store, removed their “Just Shine Shimmer Powder” from its website after the makeup tested positive for asbestos and heavy metals, such as barium, chromium, lead and selenium. Another popular girls’ store, Claire’s, is the latest to have pulled affected items from their shelves.

Claire’s is a nationwide chain of stores, commonly found in malls, that sells makeup and accessories. The stores have been around since 1961 and are frequented by young women and teens across the country.

The asbestos was discovered when a six-year-old girl received a makeup kit from Claire’s as a gift, and her mother decided to have it tested for safety. The glitter makeup kit was tested by a lab in South Carolina, and the results came back positive for asbestos ingredients. Specifically, the test showed the product had toxic tremolite asbestos, a common cause of deaths in the United States since the 1920’s.

According to reports, there may be instances of asbestos product exposure for those who used any of the following products: Aqua Glitter Kit, Jeweled Heart Kit, Pink Flip Phone Kit, Pink Jeweled Star Kit, Pink Jeweled Rectangle Kit, Pink Jeweled Heart Kit, Pink Glitter, Shiny Black Plastic Makeup Kit with Handle, Pink Glittery Makeup Kit with Fold Closure, Claire’s Eyeshadow Palette and Pink Sparkly Heart Kit.

Claire’s has stated that customer safety is of paramount importance, and they are passionate about the safety and integrity of their products. The company further stated that it is working closely with its vendors to ensure that products are tested and compliant with applicable regulations and guidelines. Claire’s has not issued a recall on the asbestos-containing products, but it has pulled the items off the shelves until an investigation can be completed.

Source: La Jolla Patch, “Claire’s Removes Makeup After Asbestos Found by Rhode Island Mom,” Margo Sullivan, Dec. 22, 2017