Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued L'Oréal over chemical hair relaxers on Oct. 23, 2026.
The state joined active litigation against the company, but no settlement payout exists yet. Chemical hair relaxers are creams or lotions that permanently straighten curly hair. According to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, the new case alleges deceptive marketing to Black women and children while hiding cancer risks in the state announcement.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Mn — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the official notice from Schmidtandclark — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- What does Minnesota allege?
- What does the state want?
- How does this fit other relaxer lawsuits?
- Can you file for payment now?
- How can you protect your options?
What does Minnesota allege?
The state filed in Hennepin County District Court. It alleges violations of Minnesota's Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and False Statement in Advertising Act. Prosecutors say buyers were misled at the shelf and salon chair.
DiCello Levitt reports the complaint targets Dark and Lovely, Optimum and Mizani in the firm's case summary. The products were sold as safe, gentle and natural. The suit says labels failed to disclose evidence linking use to uterine and ovarian cancer.
What does the state want?
Minnesota seeks civil penalties, consumer restitution and a court order for health warnings. The injunction would require adequate warnings about cancer risks on marketing and packaging. Money penalties would punish past conduct under state consumer laws.
DiCello Levitt serves as outside counsel to the state. That arrangement lets the Attorney General use firm resources for investigation and trial work. Any recovery would go through state enforcement, not a consumer claim form.
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How does this fit other relaxer lawsuits?
Drugwatch identifies Minnesota as the second state to sue L'Oréal over relaxer cancer risks. Arizona filed a similar consumer-protection case about a month earlier. State cases seek enforcement, not personal injury damages. Separately, federal injury cases are consolidated as MDL No. 3060 before Judge Mary M.
Rowland in Illinois. LawFold reports 12,381 actions were pending on Oct. 1, 2026 in the federal case tracker. LawFold reports no fund or payout schedule existed, and the first bellwether trial is set for Sept. 7, 2027 in the federal case update.
Can you file for payment now?
No. No hair-relaxer settlement fund, payout schedule, verdict or claim deadline existed as of October 2026. That means there is no application to submit and no amount to estimate.
Schmidt & Clark notes the Minnesota and MDL claims remain unproven allegations. No court has found that relaxers caused cancer or that L'Oréal is liable. Watch for a court-approved settlement notice or trial verdict before sharing bank details with anyone.
How can you protect your options?
Save what proves use and harm. Records matter more later than memory alone. Bring those records to a licensed attorney for advice about state and federal deadlines.
- Keep boxes, receipts, salon records and photos showing product names and dates
- Write a timeline of use, symptoms and diagnoses
- Request medical and pharmacy records and keep them together
- Do not sign releases or pay a fee to join a supposed settlement list
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