If you have been reading my last few posts, you might have noticed a strain (more like a rant) of hostility against the cosmetics companies for all the lies they have been telling us. I found out just a few months ago that a cosmetic company can basically tell the public what they want to hear (and they always do) so that they public will buy their products at exorbitant rates; that their strategy is entirely profit-oriented; that it will generally indulge in less than ethical practices that decent people would call cheating; and that it often makes claims that cannot really be called true (what you and I would call lying).
So obviously, I have been a little miffed and felt a little used. All the cosmetics industry wants is our money, they don’t really care about us. Normally, if I find out something so horrid about something or someone, I just go cold turkey and do not have any contact with that thing or person again. But I find that it is not possible for me to completely stop using cosmetics. I mean, it is something I have been doing my whole life and I would feel very strange if I stopped suddenly.
However, I have taken steps to change the cosmetics that I use. I have looked for and successfully discovered natural and organic products and remedies for all my cosmetics needs. And I now buy from a couple of smaller local businesses that make their own products at home.
But it has still not been possible to find a replacement for all my cosmetics because I’m so used to some of them. So I continue to buy from big brands although I know they have a history of making false claims. It made me wonder, shouldn’t there be laws to protect us from that? Is there anything we can really do in case we find out we have been lied to?
Can I Sue The Cosmetic Company?
You can! But for some action to be taken against the cosmetic company, a complaint first has to be registered against them. That will only happen if an informed consumer (like you and me) or a consumer group challenges the claims made by said company and has evidence to back it up.
Now let me warn you right here – these companies have a lot of money and whole law firms at their beck and call. So you may not win the case. Heck, it may not even get all the way to court. But there is a small chance that it will so you can take your chances if you feel you have a strong case.
It would also help if you had the media on your side. Write to newspapers and magazines, start a blog, create a group on social networking sites specifically for your case, talk to everyone you know. Get people talking about it in a big way. More than anything, this is what will make a difference. If the case gets to court, the media hype will help you get support. If it doesn’t, there has still been enough of a hue and cry made about the issue that the company will offer an out of court settlement and decide to retract their claim.
But this is only a short-term strategy. You should seriously consider boycotting the companies altogether and switching over to other options.
