Olaplex No3. Hair Perfector, the product favored by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez, clarified it removed Butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA), also known by its trade name lilial, from its ingredients. The company is also countering false claims that authorities banned the product in Europe.
Lilial is a fragrance ingredient used in cosmetics and non-cosmetic products for years. In March 2020, the European Commission, a governing body that oversees legislation and lawmaking members, declared that BMHCA is toxic to reproduction. However, the ban on the chemical did not take effect until March 1, 2022. The E.U. and Great Britain also classified the product as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic (CMR) Category 1B substance.
False Claims on Tiktok and other Social Media
One popular Tiktok video shared that "Olaplex has been banned in the U.K. because it causes infertility." A narrator further explained that Olaplex is getting banned in Europe as one of its ingredients, lilial, is linked to infertility.
The Sun reported that the TikTok videos garnered millions of views, led customers to ditch the product, and sparked concerns in pregnant women after reports that the ingredients could also be harmful to fetuses.
Faye Dickinson, 29, said hearing about the product controversy made her panic as she had used the product for six years as it made her hair hydrated and in good condition.
Hospitality worker Jade Palmer, 24, admitted that the Tiktok video left her horrified. She said she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when she was 15 and endometriosis recently. She said that hearing the controversy made her uneasy as all she could think of was how the shampoo might affect her in the long term.
Since 2014, Olaplex has built a reputation among fans and influencers for repairing dry and brittle hair. Its No1 Bond Multiplier and No2 Bond Perfector gathered a lot of raves due to its patented single active ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, which treats strands damaged by bleaching. The Olaplex No3 Hair Perfector was a popular at-home treatment for bonds.
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Olaplex asserts it is now 100% lilial free
The claim, however, that Olaplex contained lilial is not without basis. Previous Olaplex No3 Rinse out product formulation used 0.0119 percent of the ingredient as a fragrance. Cosmetic and regulatory experts said that lilial is usually present in formulations at 0.1 percent concentration, and it does not directly impact fertility.
The company clarified that as of January 1, 2022, they removed lilial in its ingredients and stopped shipping the said products that contained the banned chemical. However, Olaplex company clarified that some stores may still be selling the products from old stocks of the previous formulation on their shelves.
The banned ingredient is used in cosmetics like hand creams, deodorants, and household cleaners. The reports linking lilial to infertility were from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety report in 2019. The O.Z. Report said that although exposure to small amounts of the chemical is harmless, compounded exposure can lead to reproductive issues such as fertility problems and damage to fetuses.
