Concerns Regarding Labelling Discrepancies of Monat Products
* 04/12/24 Update: Monat Corporate Australia announced plans to over label some products
In a world increasingly focused on transparency and consumer safety, it is alarming to discover discrepancies in product labelling that put customers at risk. Such is the situation surrounding nine products from Monat, a company that has been manufacturing its own goods for several years. I am compelled to share my serious concerns regarding these inconsistencies which have persisted for over two years and eight months, particularly in light of the company’s knowledge of an impending ban on certain ingredients since 2020.
As a previous Monat Australian Independent Market Partner (consultant), I find it troubling that these fundamental issues have gone unaddressed. Although Monat has attributed these discrepancies to “sustainability,” it seems a significant oversight to prioritise inventory management over consumer safety.
To shed light on this issue, I’ve documented my timeline of discovery and the steps I’ve taken to address these concerns directly with Monat. Despite my recommendation for broader communication of these issues, Monat only engages on a case-by-case basis.
Timeline
2016: The European Chemicals Agency raised concerns about Lilial’s potential to cause skin sensitisation.
2019: The EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) linked Lilial to endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity, prompting safety reviews.
2020: The European Commission proposed a ban on Lilial in leave-on cosmetics due to health risks.
2021: The EU implemented the ban on Lilial in leave-on cosmetic products.
March 2022: “EU Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) on lilial / butylphenyl methylpropional, any cosmetics or liquid/mixtures containing this ingredient will be classed as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR 1B) and have been banned.” The ban was announced in March 2021 giving companies plenty of time to prepare.
September 2022: Monat create Product Information Sheets for Australian Consumers according to the date detailed on most records.
Timeline 2024
January 8: Monat upload an Asia Pacific Ingredient Statement on the 8th of January 2024 titled “Statement of Formula Changes” and do not distribute this to their consultants or customers via the usual methods. The second paragraph states “As a global company, the strict and varying standards of the markets in which we operate—Europe and Asia Pacific in particular—result in transparency around occasional minimal adjustments to our product formulas. These adjustments are most often made due to our vendors’ changes in the distribution and sourcing, and in many cases the discontinuation, of raw materials.” What does this mean?
March 20: Monat Resources show multiple Product Information Sheets for Australian Consumers “Last Updated”
July 22: Concerned consumers reports Monat’s SPF 40 BB Cream to the TGA. Sunscreens regulated by the TGA and approved for supply in Australia can be found by searching the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
September 3: My initial alarm was raised when I discovered that my Monat Renew Shampoo contained Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial), an ingredient that had been removed from production in March 2022 - check out my supplementary blog here. I quickly reached out to the Monat Corporate Helpdesk and was assured that my concerns would be forwarded to the internal team. Usually, Monat provide a prompt response, but it took over two weeks to hear back.
September 13: Monat announce effective October 1st the SPF 40 BB Cream will be discontinued and for the next 60 days you can purchase it online at a discounted price. Many Monat “Uplines” explain it’s been removed due to a formulation issue based on feedback and the product didn’t require TGA approval. As of 18 November, the BB Cream is still available for purchase.
September 19: I received a response stating, "MONAT abides by the cosmetic regulation and removed Lilial immediately from its formulations. However, we still have inventory (of bottles) in house that is running out. Corrected bottles will be printing within Q4 2024 and Q1 2025." A simple request for a definitive answer regarding my concern yielded only partial responses, leaving my queries inadequately addressed.
September 21: Frustrated by the lack of clarity, I escalated the issue to my Monat upline, who then referred it to Monat Leaders Care. This is a department afforded to higher ranking Market Partners.
September 24: “Fi” from Monat Leaders Care responded to my escalated concerns, stating, “We have reformulated, and the new formulas have been introduced into the supply chain. In the small number of products that had a fragrance, which contains Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial), the fragrances were immediately reformulated without Lilial. With our sustainability mindset, we are now running through our inventory of existing packaging, which still may have this ingredient on the listing. Please be assured that Monat is no longer producing any fragrance with this ingredient.”
While an offer for a refund was made, it was impractical to pursue, as I had already received a bonus for the product. My upline also addressed our new concerns regarding incorrect product information sheets, and I recently received an update on this. I continued searching and found more products with inconsistent labelling. I asked my upline if she could suggest that this information is communicated more broadly.
September 26: “Fi” from Monat Leaders Care responded stating “I believe that this information was passed to the field back when the changes originally occurred & we provide this information when we receive any questions relating to the ingredient Lilial.”
October 4: I raised another issue with my upline regarding the “No List” she circulated being incorrect and the Monat Black Shampoo labelling also being inconsistent between the website, Product Information Sheet and the label. She replied stating “I’ve asked and waiting for confirmation although also had a director in the company confirm the list is correct”.
October 11: I followed up again because I hadn't received a response. That day, I also shared on social media that I would be updating on Monat. My upline saw this story, and instead of addressing my concerns, she started deflecting and gaslighting. Before this, she sent me several Monat press releases and outdated studies from 2018 that didn’t answer my questions.
October 30: Monat Corporate informed my upline that the Replenish Masque and Restore Leave-in Conditioner had been corrected to align with the website ingredients, however the Revive Shampoo remained inconsistent as it now lists Phenoxyethanol. As of 18 November, inconsistent Product Information Sheets are still accessible to consultants. It’s disappointing that Monat didn’t take the time to thoroughly review all documentation.
With Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) banned in Europe since March 2022, after prior notice in 2020, it becomes alarmingly evident that Monat’s marketing strategy, which highlights adherence to European standards, has failed its Australian consumers. For nearly three years, multiple products have been allegedly incorrectly labelled, exposing customers to potentially allergenic ingredients.
December 4: Monat Corporate announce via internal Telegram chat “Good news - Renew Shampoo and Revitalise Conditioner ingredient panel have been overlabelled to reflect the formulation changes we made sometime ago when Lilial was removed. These will start to ship as of tomorrow in all orders.”
Consumer Concerns and Industry Oversight
Growing dissatisfaction and unease among my customers regarding the contents of their products are leading to questions about the integrity of their product labels. There is widespread concern that products may still contain both Butylphenyl Methylpropional and Phenoxyethanol. Compounding these worries is the revelation that Monat's Scientific Advisory Board, advertised in Monat’s training, presentations and regularly by consultants is no longer made up of the board members shown. In fact, there is no reference to such a board on Monat’s own website.
Monat occasionally address issues such as the above via arduous Zoom call meetings that never leave me with any further confidence. It is then left to individual teams to make up their own marketing material to help explain issues that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Integrity and transparency are core values for me and it’s the last thing I anticipated by joining Monat. The last few months have been nothing but confusing and stressful while I tried to interpret all of this and then communicate the details to my customers. Thankfully, they have all met me with kindness and appreciation.
I have documented everything that I know here and I hope this helps provide clarity for my customers and anyone else that’s confused by the information we’ve received. Sigh.
Unanswered Questions
Why doesn’t Monat communicate this issue to all Australian consultants? Monat states “We’re also committed to total transparency when it comes to the ingredients we use.” but only communicates the labelling discrepancy upon discovery by individual consultants.
Is it viable that Monat would have a few years’ worth of packaging to work their way through for multiple products?
As Monat manufacture their own products why haven’t they been able to produce a new label?
Why were multiple Product Information Sheets in the Market Partner back office still listing incorrect ingredients when they were created after the ban and last updated between 2023/24?
Is sustainability a valid reason for incorrect product labelling? Does it stand up to consumer law?
As Lilial isn’t banned in Australia and the US, are we getting either older product or packaging that cannot be sold in Europe? If Lilial isn’t actually in the bottle, wouldn’t it be in Monat’s best interest to ensure astute Australian and US consumers aren’t put off my harmful ingredients?
Are you as confused as me?
Disclaimer
This blog is intended purely to communicate information in accordance with the right of free speech. Any advice given is a suggestion and anyone seeking such advice should consult a competent professional, e.g. Accountant, Doctor etc. All statements made in this blog are my own opinion and they do not represent any other person or body. As such, sharing matters covered in this blog is in the public interest. This content is covered by fair use and fair dealing as the purpose is to provide consumer education and commentary.