It hasn't been a few good months for Jessica Alba's Honest Company, especially now that it's been sued for $5 million.
The class-action lawsuit led by a certain Jonathan D. Rubin demands a refund for all those who purchased the company's sunscreen lotion, which he calls "ineffective." This is after some customers took to social media like Twitter to complain about its inability to provide enough protection against sunburn. According to the company, they have already changed the product's formulation to offer more protection, although they have stand by the product's integrity as it's been tested by independent laboratories.
Alba has also said that their company is going to reach out to all customers affected, although it's not clear whether this has already happened or if they have promised a refund.
The same lawsuit also cites certain cleaning products like a dish soap and multi-surface cleaner that Rubin alleges to contain unnatural ingredients such as phenoxyethanol and cocamidopryl betaine, contrary to what has been said in the company's marketing materials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, doesn't have definite definitions on what's natural, and products labeled as such are not regulated.
Meanwhile, in a new report by PEOPLE, Alba has some harsh words about the lawsuit, calling it baseless and without merit. She said that she stands behind their products and is aware that they have the responsibility to be honest to their customers. Further, the company is going to continue being transparent and open.
On a more personal note, Alba shares that her products help provide her two children, Haven and Honor, a safer home. She also recalled her struggle of finding safe and healthy options when she was pregnant for the first time and that before she set up the company, she had lobbied Congress to make testing of ingredients of common products mandatory.