Here’s a word of warning for anyone who’s feeling frisky with a lippy labeled ‘tester’ at the makeup store…
According to TMZ, a Californian woman is suing Sephora after claiming she contracted oral herpes from a “common use” lipstick tester at the store.
The woman claims she was diagnosed with the lifelong disease after sampling a lipstick at the Hollywood store in October 2015. According to the doctors, the store failed to warn the woman and other customers of the risk of contracting herpes.
She’s now suing the cosmetics chain for emotional distress over an “incurable lifelong affliction.” The lawsuit also argues that the cosmetic store fails to warn costumers of the dangers of “common use” samplers, or testers.
Sephora has responded to the news on Daily News saying that, “The health and safety of our clients is our foremost priority. We take product hygiene very seriously and we are dedicated to following best practices in our stores.”
If you’re asking if that is even possible – um kinda. Herpes are mostly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact from an infected individual, but can also be spread by “sharing objects that have contact with saliva,” for this instance, contacting the incurable disease from a lipstick may be possible.
But, according to Dr. Amesh Adalja of Johns Hopkins Center recently told Live Science that it is less common for you to contract Herpes via objects as the virus only survives for a couple hours, depending on the humidity of the environment.
Consider this a reminder that communal, public makeup is perhaps not the most sanitary. You’re welcome.
