BENGALURU: After a
hair smoothening procedure went awry, a
Bengaluru woman sued
cosmetics giant L’Oreal and a
Jayanagar salon demanding a
compensation of over Rs 15 lakh for causing
loss of hair as well her dignity. Ruling in her favour, a city consumer forum last week asked Cut the Crap Unisex Salon and Spa to pay her Rs 31,000, but dismissed the case against L’Oreal India Private Ltd.
Sources said Nisha Batavia, 49, of Wilson Garden had availed the treatment at Cut the Crap Salon and Spa, 6th Block, Jayanagar on October 2, 2016. Batavia claimed that her hair turned rough the following day and within three days, she developed excessive hair fall and breakage. She went again to the salon and reported her grievance. The salon staff promised better treatment as damage control.
On October 17, 2016, a hair specialist from L’Oreal came and inspected her hair. Following the expert advice, she underwent treatment with two bottles of L’Oreal to fix her hair damage but the hair fall only worsened. After five sessions, L’Oreal and the salon declared there was nothing more to do and advised to consult a trichologist for further treatment.
A furious Batavia then lodged a complaint with Bengaluru IV Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum against L’Oreal and the salon on December 17, 2016. While the salon representatives did not turn up at the proceedings, L’Oreal counsel appeared before the forum and said the complaint was vague.
Pointing out that Cut the Crap was not their franchise but a salon that used cosmetic products including theirs, L’Oreal claimed the complainant is not directly connected to them as she had not purchased products from them but used them at the salon and thus they can’t be held responsible. However, L’Oreal products are tested for safety and can differ from person to person and in this case, the woman was a customer at the salon whose staff should have ensured on what treatment suited her the best, the advocate argued.
After 15 months of litigation, the court said the salon failed to take proper care while using cosmetic products during the hair smoothing process on the woman, resulting in severe hair loss. On March 13, the court ordered the salon to pay a compensation of Rs 15,000 to the woman for hair loss, Rs 15,000 for causing her mental anguish and loss of dignity, and Rs 1,000 towards litigation expenses.
