Thirty-one former customers have filed suit in New Jersey State Court against Mario Badescu, Inc., a skincare company based out of Edison, New Jersey, and Mario Badescu Skin Care, Inc., a skincare salon in New York.

The plaintiffs allege that they were injured by potent and undisclosed steroids in two of Mario Badescu’s face creams, Control Cream, and Healing Cream, which were marketed as products that contained only “botanical” active ingredients that were safe for daily use. The complaint alleges that contrary to what Mario Badescu told the public, Control Cream and Healing Cream contained two steroids: hydrocortisone and triamcinolone acetonide. The complaint also alleges that Mario Badescu’s products contained higher than prescription-strength doses of triamcinolone acetonide. Both steroids pose serious health risks to both the skin and the body’s adrenal system.

The plaintiffs were unaware of the steroids in Mario Badescu’s products and used the products on their faces, usually daily, for as long as fourteen years. Many of the plaintiffs allege that they unwittingly became addicted to the steroids such that even a day without use of the Products caused severe and painful withdrawal reactions. Moreover, many of the plaintiffs allege that they suffered from steroid-related ailments while using Control Cream or Healing Cream, including cataracts, glaucoma, mood disorders, heart issues, elevated cortisol levels, adrenal system suppression and Cushing’s Syndrome. Plaintiffs allege that because they did not know they were using steroids at the time, they were unable to inform their physicians about the true source of their injuries and were repeatedly misdiagnosed by their medical providers.

“Mario Badescu secretly added an addictive prescription steroid to its cosmetic face creams, then told its customers that the creams were safe for daily use,” Plaintiffs’ counsel, Gary E. Mason said. “Our clients suffered devastating injuries as a result of this deception,” Mason added.

The plaintiffs are represented by John C. Whitfield, Gary E. Mason, Esfand Nafisi, and Caroline Ramsey Taylor of Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP, and Michael Galpern, Andrew Bell and Janet Walsh of Locks Law Firm, LLC. For more information about the lawsuit, contact the firm by phone at (202)640-1167.

The name of the case is Restaino et al. v. Mario Badescu, Inc. et al., No. MID-L-5830-14 (N.J. Super. Ct. Law Div., filed Sept. 25, 2014).

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