Court Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging Misleading Marketing by Sephora's 'Clean at Sephora' Program

The New York federal court dismissed a complaint by Lindsey Finster, who claimed that Sephora misled consumers when it marketed and sold its 'Clean at Sephora' cosmetics. The court concluded that the plaintiff failed to plausibly allege that Sephora misled consumers or made any explicit or implied promises that the cosmetics were all-natural and free of harmful ingredients. The court ruled that the retailer's criteria for inclusion in its clean beauty program were clear, and that there are varying definitions of clean beauty. The court left the court to decide how a reasonable consumer could mistake the labeling and marketing of the 'Clean at Sephora' program. The decision serves as a reminder that there are competing understandings of clean beauty in the cosmetics industry and that brands must be transparent with consumers about how they are applying the term.