Rihanna Fan Sues MAC After Getting Herpes From RiRi Woo Lipstick
A Harlem woman who tried MAC’s RiRi Woo lipstick at a Rihanna concert is suing the makeup company after she contracted herpes from the used cosmetic.
Starkeema Greenidge was attending a Rihanna concert at the Barclays Center on May 7 when she stopped at a MAC pop-up shop. There, a MAC representative applied a used tube of RiRi Woo to her lips. The rep also told the 28-year-old to “press her lips together and spread the lipstick around,” according to the lawsuit.
“[MAC] didn’t use a fresh or new lipstick tube, but rather one that had been used for other patrons,” the suit alleges.
Two days later, Greenidge developed a cold sore on her lip, which her doctor diagnosed as herpes.
“I wasn’t able to work for two weeks. It cost me a lot of money,” Greenidge said.
Greenidge filed the lawsuit in Mahattan Supreme Court, hoping that it would force the company to use more sanitary practices in the future. She said MAC should train its employees to use swabs or disposable tubes to apply lipstick.
“This is going to happen over and over again if nothing is done,” she said. Greenidge is seeking unspecified damages and claiming that the herpes has caused her “mental anguish and emotional distress.”
MAC has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Rihanna signed a deal with MAC in February to create her own cosmetics line. RiRi Woo was inspired by the Bajan singer’s favorite red lipstick, Ruby Woo. The release of her line coincided with Rihanna’s “Diamonds World Tour,” which kicked off March 8 in Buffalo and will wrap November 15 in New Orleans. RiRi Woo debuted online on May 2 and sold out in just three hours.
Red lipstick all on da paper!!! #RiRiWoo #SOLDOUT #3HOURS #lookatyou #nowlookatus
— Rihanna (@rihanna) May 2, 2013
What do you think of Starkeema Greenidge’s lawsuit again MAC?
