Jessica Alba Responds to $5M Lawsuit Against Honest Company

Last week consumer Jonathan D. Rubin filed a $5 million class-action lawsuit against Jessica Alba’s Honest Company. The lawsuit alleges that a number of Honest Company’s “natural” products contain synthetic additives. The lawsuit also claims that the company’s sunscreen is ineffective.

Now, Alba has responded to the lawsuit. In a statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter channel Pret-a-Reporter, Alba called the lawsuit “baseless and without merit.” In the full statement, Alba defended her company’s commitment to “transparency and openness”:

I started The Honest Company to develop safe and effective products not just for my children, but for families everywhere. I am very proud that we have built this company into an industry leader focused on using natural ingredients and developing products that people love.

We believe that consumers deserve to know what’s in their products — whether it’s diapers for their children, cleaning products for their families or beauty products for themselves. Our formulations are made with integrity and strict standards of safety, and we label each ingredient that goes into every product – not because we have to, but because it’s the right thing to do.

The allegations against us are baseless and without merit. We strongly stand behind our products and the responsibility we have to our consumers. We are steadfast in our commitment to transparency and openness.

I know my children, Honor and Haven, are growing up in a safer home because of our products.

This isn’t the first time Alba has defended Honest Company’s products. Last month consumers complained on social media that the company’s sunscreen did little to prevent sunburns. The company attributed the failure in large part to user error.

Alba’s Honest Company has been incredibly successful at selling baby products aimed at families invested in a “natural” lifestyle—the company is currently valued at $1.7 billion. But it’s worth noting that the FDA doesn’t regulate the use of the term “natural” and, among cosmetics producers, it’s practically a meaningless label.