Leeman v. Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics, Inc., et al.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics, Inc., et al. executed a Consent Judgment on August 23, 2016.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D. alleged that Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics, Inc. (“Napoleon”) and Dillard’s, Inc. (“Dillard’s”) (collectively, “Parties”) sold vinyl/PVC cosmetic bags containing the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (“DEHP”) in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.  

As part of the agreement, Parties agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC cosmetic bags in California after the San Mateo County Superior Court approves the Judgment, unless the cosmetic bags contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $32,900, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to whistleblower Leeman and her counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.