GlitterSniffer Complaints: One Year Later

As of yesterday it has been one year since I first posted to this blog. In that time I have posted about all thing GlitterSniffer Cosmetics, as well as other issues surrounding safety in indie cosmetics. I thought for a long time about what this post should say. I could go on ad naseum, but instead I give you this:

Today I received a response from my Freedom of Information Act Request from FDA and The Department of Health and Human Services. I will be receiving the documents on the GS investigation soon, though I currently have no ETA.

I want to thank you all for your patience as I know this will be another long post once these documents have been received. Until then, I am working on several other posts.

One year later and the grand total of refunds issued by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics for the recall (mine was not recall related) still stands at $0.00.

You've Got Glittermail!

I posted the other day that the store credit packages from GlitterSniffer Cosmetics had been given Delivery Confirmation numbers. Those packages began arriving yesterday. In all I have almost 150 pictures of packages. It would be overwhelming to post them all so I'll post a select few here.
All of the packages that I have seen arrived well packaged with only one leak. They were bagged together according to product type: Pigment or Soap. Included in each was a sheet which listed ingredients for all products. This sheet also had a manufacturers/distributor statement, but no listing of net weight or uses. There were individual labels on some, but not all, the products. Most pigments came unlabeled individually, with no indication of the names.

It is important to note that since the products were all packaged in plastic bags together by product type that the sheet included appears to meet FDA requirements for labeling, as long as everything that needs to be on a label is present. The missing net weight information and, especially, the uses are troubling as these items are required for labels. Since GS uses ingredients such as Ferric Ferrocyanide and Chromium Oxide Green in some of their pigments it is important that it be noted these shades are not approved for lip use in the US. This was not indicated on the sheet, in the packages, nor is this information available on the site.

The store credit packages were given for those that either asked for the credit in lieu of a refund, were only eligible for store credit, or, in one case, as a gesture of good faith. Those with store credit sent their requests, with color families and preferred products, though as far as can be determined no one was able to make specific requests.

What follows are photos of the packages. They will be separated according to package and, when the information is available to me, how much the store credit was for. In all I have been sent photos of four packages and I am publishing photos from each.

Package 1,  around $50.00 in store credit. There were no issues with this package. None of the colors were named.

Package 2,  $40.00 in store credit. The package came with $.85 postage due, there is what appears to be hair embedded in one of the soaps, an unidentified 'toothpicklike' foreign object packaged in another, unidentified black spots on another. This customer had requested no soap be included in her package.

Something resembling a hair embedded in the soap

'Toothpicklike' object in the packaging

Black spots

Black spots

Postage Due

Package 3, around $30.00 in store credit. There were no names on any of the pigments, something had leaked in the bag containing the perfume items, the massage bar arrived melted, and the solid perfume had no discernible scent except wax.

 

A Leak

A Leak

Melted Massage Bar

Solid Perfume with No Scent

Package 4. This package arrived with $3.28 postage due, a melted massage bar with a brown lump in it, a half full glitter vial, and both a fullsize and sample of the pigment Rings of Saturn. Rings of Saturn was swatched for comparison purposes. After opening and swatching the pigment the customers eyes became irritated and puffy. Previous to this the customer had never had a reaction to any GS pigments.

Melted Massage Bar

Unidentified Brown 'Lump" in the Melted Massage Bar

Unidentified Brown 'Lump" in the Melted Massage Bar

This Collection was originally released in February

Rings of Saturn. Swatched dry on bare skin, 2 swipes each. Left swatch is the sample, right is the fullsize.

I want to thank everyone for sharing.

**8/5/11 ETA** Moved a photo from Package 1 to Package 3 as it uploaded incorrectly.

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics Refund Information

I was contacted via email yesterday by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics proprietor Lela Warren. Lela asked for my assistance in obtaining information to address the refund issues. The following is the plan currently in place to address any monies owed by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics for recalled product, unreceived product, consignments, and fundraisers/charities.

If you purchased recalled products, did not receive product for which you paid, worked with GS on a consignment basis, or had a fundraiser in your name GS asks that you email them using the form provided below. They ask that this format be used so it will be easier for tracking purposes. You will receive an automated response to your email which will serve as your confirmation that your information has been received and has been put into queue for refund. For those affected by the recall the information provided in the email should be sufficient to find your original purchase receipt in GS' records. If the receipt is unable to be located GS will then contact you and ask for either a forwarded email receipt or a screenshot of the Paypal purchase. No products will need to be shipped back to the company to qualify for a refund as your receipt will serve as your proof of purchase. Any information provided to GS will be used for the purposes of refund only.

There is no set timeline at this point for when GS will begin selling again or for how long the refund process will take. A percentage as yet to be determined of GS weekly sales will be earmarked specifically for refunds. GS will provide to me on a weekly basis totals and proof of refunds. I will track the progress to ensure that refunds are being remitted in a timely manner and I will post the weekly totals until such time as all refunds have been paid in full. Lela has stated that she is committed to making this right and has welcomed my continued monitoring of the situation to ensure that the process goes smoothly. If for any reason your refund is denied I ask that you please let me know. While I am not actively involved in the refund process except to post as I always have I do believe that any denials are very germane into shedding light on GS commitment to the refund process.

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics does plan to use funds made from the sale of cosmetics to issue these refunds. Lela has stated that she intends to be fully FDA compliant in the manufacture and sale of these products. FDA has a visit scheduled this week for GS and Lela will be working with them to ensure compliance.

This will be a slow process. Since sales are not expected to be what they once were it may take some time but Lela has committed to refunding everyone who is entitled. This is contingent upon GS being able to operate as a business without interference as currently it is beyond Lela's means to issue refunds with her current work situation .

Lela will be contacting TWLOHA, GLAAD, and ASPCA to work out the issue of the charity funds. Ideas at this point include volunteer work, item donation,or a percentage of the weekly refund money to be specifically earmarked for the charities. There will be further information regarding the charities once they have been contacted.

The refunds will be processed in the order in which they are received, save for Vanessa Barfield and Christie Brooks. At my suggestion GS will be remitting the funds due to them first as their particular situations predated the recall. Lela is still deciding at this point how much the refunds will be per pot and will make that information available as soon as a determination is made.

At this point the GS Facebook Fan Page is once again active and several public posts have been made by Lela. Comments are being moderated so if you choose to post to the page it may not appear immediately. Lela does not have posting privileges to the Complaints Page and there are no plans for her access to be restored.

Here is the form GS requests that anyone wanting a refund send via email to glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com. They ask that the form be filled out as completely as possible in this format to make the process of finding receipts easier and to speed the process along. Please use the subject line 'Refund Request' to make the email easier to catagorize.

Customer Name- (Name used to place order)
Customer Email- (Email used to place order)
Order Date-
Order Amount-
Transaction ID's- Not required, send only if available
Did you order through Paypal or by other means?
What did you order?
In the event that we cannot find your receipt for this order, do you have access to it?
Any other information you might feel help us help you?

Lela has stated that she is open to any suggestions or feedback that anyone may have regarding GlitterSniffer Cosmetics or the refund process. She is well aware that not everyone will agree with this course of action and states she is fully prepared for whatever reaction may come from her decision to reopen. She maintains that she is committed to her business and will be posting a journal that will be readily accessible to all via the GS Fan Page in order to keep people informed and solicit feedback. She intends to do everything she can to make GS a success.

Though I have had in depth conversations regarding this decision on the part of GlitterSniffer Cosmetics in terms of the refund process the final decision to move forward rests with GS and, ultimately, Lela, as do the consequences and repercussions of that decision and the commitments being made. I will continue to post about the situation to ensure that refunds are being remitted and all guidelines are being followed and will not hesitate to publish whatever the outcome may be. 

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics: Paypal and FDA-New Information

There have been a couple of developments over the last few days with regards to GlitterSniffer Cosmetics handling of the recall.

A customer who had previously sent a letter from her attorney to GS (which was ignored) requesting a refund of $1,169.15 for all her products and her intent to pursue the matter civilly if it was not remitted in a timely manner contacted Paypal on Monday to inquire about possible recovery of her funds. The customer has several hundred GS pigments and was denied a refund by GS for all of her merchandise. When she inquired about her refund the company denied any of her products were unsafe, despite 92 of them being on the recall list. She then advised the company she would see them in court. The only response she received was a simple "<3".

The injury referenced in the message possibly related to use of GlitterSniffer Cosmetics were corneal abrasions to both eyes, sustained after use of pigments in the Charity Collections. It is unknown which pigments were used specifically, as the customer purchased all three (TWLOHA, GLAAD and ASPCA) and they came in a package together, unlabeled. The customer visited a physician, was unable to wear any eye makeup for a few weeks and continues to this day to have eye sensitivity, despite not having any issues prior to use of GS.

Read from the bottom up

She contacted Paypal at 402-935-2050 and was advised the following:

With the PayPal dispute process, at this point, if PayPal investigates, and if they determine there was fraud, PayPal will start issuing refunds on the claims in the order they were received until the account is out of money. This means, if there is no money in the paypal account, there will be no refunds from PayPal.
The dispute representative did tell me that people could file a small claims court case and have their attorney subpoena PayPal's records regarding a specific seller. If a judge signs off on the subpoena, PayPal would be legally obligated to turn over any and all information regarding a particular seller.
Since I am contemplating a small claims court filing, the information from PayPal would most definitely be of assistance in my case. I am planning to contact my attorney about the subpoena.

According to Paypal if fraud is determined then Paypal would begin paying out claims from money in the GS account until that money is exhausted, though it is currently barred from use by the company itself. This is at odds with the information provided by GS at the time the accounts were frozen, as they clearly stated customers would have to wait 180 days for refunds. Additionally, if a civil case is brought by any individual and a subpoena issued all financial records related to GlitterSniffer Cosmetics would have to be released in pursuit of the matter. Should anyone choose to pursue the matter in this way they would then be privy to any and all financial records Paypal has for both GS accounts. Information such as this could clarify where the money GS earned during its most successful years went, in addition to showing exactly how much was owed in claims and provide further supporting evidence of refunds both issued (currently count: one) and denied by the company.

I posted on May 10, 2011 about a phone call from FDA to a GlitterSniffer Cosmetics customer regarding the recall. The customer was contacted again by FDA on May 18, 2011, this time from the Houston Field Office, Dallas District. The content of the call was the same, and the customer was specifically asked about the recalled pinks. Unlike the last phone call the call was identified by Caller ID as being from FDA. FDA is still apparently pursuing the investigation into the handling of the recall by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics, and the investigation has now spread to a third confirmed Field Office, this time in the South Central portion of the country. The Dallas Field Office is the office I contacted back in January that took one of my original complaints and forwarded it on to the Detroit Office.

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics and the Recall/Refund Process-A Total

Within the past 48 hours at least one refund was issued to a GlitterSniffer Cosmetics customer that had unreceived/incorrect orders since the switch to Google Checkout, an issue unrelated to the December recall. This refund was requested by the customer and unlike several others issued by Google Checkout was issued by the company themselves. Information has been scant as to exactly how many refunds GS has issued for matters related to the December recall and previous missing orders.

I was sent a document today by Daphney, an ex-Admin for the Fan Page, which outlines exactly how much, as of January 18, 2011, GlitterSniffer Cosmetics owed for recalled product sent back to the company and unreceived orders/money owed to other Artisans for products created for GS to sell on their site but for which payment was never rendered. I am publishing that information now with permission but not the entire file as it contains personally identifying information.

In all there are 42 names on the list as being owed a refund by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics as of 1/18/11. They range from $448.00 at the highest to $6.50 at the lowest. Some have a tracking number attached and two of them are confirmed as being received by the company. The total amount owed in refunds as of 1/18/11 is $4,011.96. This total does not include all Paypal claims/money requests (confirmed by the fact that my name appears nowhere on the list), recalls not sent back to the company, or anything past January 18, 2011.

I have confirmed with Daphney that as of 4/21/11 I am the only person who received a refund from GlitterSniffer Cosmetics for issues related to the recall. I was refunded $21.50. Daphney issued my refund personally from the second GS Paypal account, out of order and at Lela Warren's insistence, despite my request not meeting any of the terms of the recall to qualify for a refund.

At this point there is no firm number as to how much GS now owes for refunds related to the recall as the information provided to me is several months old, but it does illustrate that although the company had access to their second Paypal account as late as January 28,2011 and the means and money to refund at least some of the claims made prior to mine (there were two for $6.50 which could have easily been paid out had my $21.50 refund not been issued on January 16, 2011, a refund issued despite my request that I be refunded in the order in which my claim was received) they simply chose not to do so.

By no means do I wish to sound dismissive of my refund, but let's get down to brass tacks. It was undeserved in terms of the refund/recall process. I have always been upfront about my request being about concerns about formulation and packaging. Nothing I had was on the recall list. I did not send my items back. My refund served no other purpose than to be published for all to see. That people are still waiting while I have my refund is but another in a long line of self serving choices the company has made, from using unapproved ingredients to make more sales to refusing to remit funds for charities and product created specifically for the company to using the cash infusion from the December investor to start sales again instead of issuing any refunds due. That the company is now issuing refunds to new customers who are ex-Admins and who are being outspoken about the company only further shows that the company has not changed much, if at all.

I'd like to thank Daphney for providing this information. As someone who was very much involved, though not employed, by GS during the time in question she has first hand knowledge that may help put the pieces together as to what exactly happened.

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics Issues a Refund and the FDA is Still Calling Customers

While the GlitterSniffer Cosmetics story had appeared to be winding down, with the Fan Page still down, Google Checkout no longer processing payments, the FDA Investigation, the shutdown of the private fan group, and Lela refusing any and all attempts at communication, there were some new developments today.

GS issued at least one refund. The refund was through Google Checkout and it was for unshipped product to a newer customer who only began purchasing after the recall. Unlike previous emails Google Checkout has sent stating they issued the refund this one was clearly issued by GS.

 

The refund was issued to one of the private group Admins who stepped down earlier this week and publicly retracted her support of GS. This refund was completely unrelated to the recall in December. To date, as near as can be determined, the only refund for items related to the recall that has been issued by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics (and not by credit card companies, banks, or Paypal themselves) was mine, which met NONE of the terms for refund as it relates to the recall (I shipped no product back and none of my items were officially recalled. I asked for a refund for my full purchase price after concerns regarding formulation and sanitation). It was for $21.50.

The details are scant about the contact with yet another GS customer by the FDA. The contact was made by phone and was related to the recall. I'm hoping to get more information and supporting documentation on this call soon and will present it once I do.

These new developments serve to show that there may still be a need for further followup on GlitterSniffer Cosmetics. The company is nothing if not tenacious. Though proprietor Lela Warren had seemingly been shifting her focus elsewhere, to modeling, makeup artist school, and her new job in the food service industry, the refund indicates the company might be trying to recover by making things right, at least with newer customers. There is no indication that previous customers who sent in their recalled product or were affected by the recall can expect to receive the refunds due to them, especially now that Google Checkout will no longer process payments for GS, and the company has refused thus far to issue company checks or bank issued money orders via certified mail.

I will continue to update as new information  becomes available.

*On a side note, I'd like to apologize for the brief pause in posting. I am very much a night owl. Blogger has been having issues lately, and has been down for maintenance during the hours I usually post. Unfortunately I cannot work on the blog during work hours, even at lunch, as per Corporate Security, ever since Lela used my personally identifying information, obtained through my one purchase of GlitterSniffer Cosmetics and intended for sole use during that sale, to email me at work.  Hopefully Blogger has worked their issues out and I can get some posts up over the next few days. If not, I'll be moving the blog to WordPress. I appreciate your understanding.

5/14/11 ETA: Update tags to include GlitterSniffer Cosmetics.

Others Experiences- Google Checkout Refund

Recently there have been several posts to the GlitterSniffer Complaints Facebook page about newer customers recovering their funds for unreceived or incorrect product from GlitterSniffer Cosmetics.

Many people have had success disputing the charges with their banks or credit card companies. I posted previously about Google Checkout and their nonbinding mediation.

One poster, however, had a different experience. Here is her story:

All I did was file a claim with Google Checkout. I submitted the form and told them I wanted a refund because the item I received wasn't what I ordered. I had to wait 5 days for a response from the seller (of course, there was no response). After that 5 day period I had to contact them again using a link in the e-mail they sent me about my claim, and I just told them I still had no response from the seller. They had my money back in my account within 24 hours. People who received incorrect orders can do this, too. I still have the $8 grab bag she sent me (I ordered $40 worth of items) and due to FTC regulations I don't have to send it back. Consumers are not obligated to return incorrect orders to receive a refund.

The FTC regulation the poster is referring to is regarding Unordered Merchandise. In this case it may fall under the "honest shipping error" portion, which the FTC states should be handled by contacting the seller with an offer to return it at no expense to the consumer within a specified time frame. If the seller does not make arrangements to pick the merchandise up or have it shipped back within that time frame then the consumer has the right to keep it without being charged. I will verify that the poster was actively posting on the GlitterSniffer Cosmetics Facebook page inquiring about answers to emails and her replacement order so a good faith attempt was made to contact the company.

The poster filed her dispute with Google Checkout at this link and was refunded as she had purchased within the last 90 days.

Thank you to the poster for sharing.

Others Experiences

An update and more stories about GlitterSniffer Cosmetics from others. Again, all identifying information has been removed. Thank you to everyone for sharing.

This is an updated photo of the first story related here. She is still suffering effects months after discontinuing use of GlitterSniffer Cosmetics:

Another story detailing ill effects, including a hospital stay. Some of the effects were from usage of GlitterSniffer Cosmetics soap:

I thought that I'd share what happened to my girlfriend and I concerning glittersniffer. My girlfriend was a fan of theirs for awhile before she bought a huge amount of colours, and when they arrived half of them were missing. I guess after everything we should be grateful for getting anything! Well, my girlfriend is allergic to carmine and is vegan, so therefor she asked beforehand if it contained any and if it was so, and she was told that no there was no carmine in the colors she was receiving and that they were indeed vegan and cruelty free. So she took her word on it and bought it. Immediately after applying her new eyeshadow, her eyes were swollen shut and her face was puffy, she ended up spending several days in the hospital being treated. The eyeshadow obviously did contain carmine to trigger such a severe reaction and obviously was not vegan. I myself had an infection after using glittersniffer cosmetics as well as a rash from one of their soaps. After complaining very politely I might add, and asking for a refund we were pretty much told no and that that was the risk we took of buying makeup offline and such. I can do my best to see if I can find the emails. The only good thing that I can say is that paypal has deemed in my favour of a refund.

 From an email January 24, 2011:

I just wanted to let you know that I have basically been a lurker of the fb page and the blog. Seeing all this go down made me contact paypal today regarding a possible refund from my November 7, 2010 purchase of the Pressure Sensitive Collection from Lela. I have had some issues with burning of my eyes, but nothing like some of the other women have experienced. You can also literally see the pieces of glitter in the pots. It kind of reminded me of glitter from a craft store that you use for art projects. Some of the pots are sealed with a sticky thing over them, some are not.

The rep I spoke to was also named redacted. I called at 1:20pm eastern time to the (402) 935-2050 phone number. She had told me that they will definitely file my dispute/claim and if enough complaints were issued, there is a good chance everyone will be refunded.

A refund denial:

On Dec 28, 2010, at 6:26 AM, redacted wrote:

i just want to know when i can get my refund for the items in the pictures.

 From: Lela Warren <glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com

To: redacted
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 1:44:22 PM
Subject: Re: picture of items that need to be refunded

redacted,
We are anticipating a 3-6 week time frame to complete the refund process.
XOXO

On Dec 28, 2010, at 3:32 PM, redacted wrote:

why was it last week i would have it by this week and now its 3-6 weeks?

 ______________________________

From: Lela Warren <glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com>
To: redacted
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 4:34:00 PM
Subject: Re: picture of items that need to be refunded

redacted ,
If you would like an in depth explanation, please call me. I cannot refund
anyone until my PayPal is unlocked. That is not a process I can speed up.

Sent from my iPad

 On Dec 28, 2010 6:55 PM, redacted wrote:
how can i call without a phone number? and i dont understand how you make so
much money off of the pigments that you sell but you cant refund anyone?? i know
how much it cost to make and distribute makeup.. i was looking into making my
own...

From: Lela Warren <glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com>
To: redacted
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 6:58:39 PM
Subject: Re: picture of items that need to be refunded

Here is my number, call me.
3133034780

On Dec 28, 2010, at 7:23 PM, redacted wrote:

when is the best time to call? im busy and cant stop my world to call why cant i just get an explanation on here?

---

From: Lela Warren <glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com>
To: redacted
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 7:26:25 PM
Subject: Re: picture of items that need to be refunded
You can call now. I can take your call anytime tonight. If you want to talk about this, you can call me.

On Dec 28, 2010, at 8:05 PM, redacted wrote:

i can not call... i dont have time i only have time to check my e-mail once a day im getting ready to have a baby in 3 weeks so im busy all day.

From: Lela Warren <glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com>
To: redacted
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 8:13:36 PM
Subject: Re: picture of items that need to be refunded

If you don't have the time to call me I won't have time to investigate this any further and I'll have to deny your request for a refund.

Recall/Refund Process- New Information

According to the email I received from Glittersniffer Cosmeticson on January 29 the Refund/Recall process is currently at a standstill as the company can no longer access their Paypal accounts and has to wait 180 days for any funds from those accounts to be released to them.

This was posted to the Glittersniffer Complaints Facebook page by an Admin who spoke with Paypal this morning regarding her refund:

I just spoke with PayPal regarding my outstanding claims against GlitterSniffer. I explained that a statement was posted that PayPal had frozen her accounts and, despite her having money to issue refunds, PayPal wouldn't let her with the frozen account. PayPal's official response: "That is not true. If a seller's account is suspended, for whatever reason, and they have money in the account to issue refunds, they can still issue refunds by calling PayPal and authorizing PayPal to issue the refunds. The seller has up to 180 days to issue these refunds on a suspended account."

This means that if Lela has money to refund, she would only have 180 days to issue the refunds, not that she can't issue refunds for 180 days. I'm not sure what happens if she waits past the 180 days.

Also:

According to PayPal, if a seller's account is frozen by PayPal, for whatever reason... if there isn't money in the PayPal account refunds can't be issued, but they can still add funds to the PayPal account & issue refunds.

Perhaps Glittersniffer Cosmetics has misunderstood what the process is. It might behoove them to contact Paypal again to ensure complete understanding, as I'm certain they want to refund everyone in a timely manner.

That does beg the question, though, as to why there is a six month turnaround time for refunds. Even if Paypal does not issue GlitterSniffer Cosmetics the funds from their accounts they are still in business and bringing in money, so there is nothing to stop them from issuing further refunds. A company check or bank issued money order delivered via certified mail would suffice.

Even after the 180 days is up and the Paypal funds are returned (providing this is indeed the case) this appears to be the route that GlitterSniffer Cosmetics would have to take to issue refunds anyway as they would be unable to use Paypal at that point either. So why is there a hold up? If the company has the funds (and they do, as they are continuing to sell products and proprietor Lela Warren has stated numerous times that she has taken on a second job to pay off the refunds) they should be remitted immediately to all affected parties. Using the Paypal issue as an excuse, once again, not to provide refunds shows the company's unwillingness to be proactive in this matter.

Issuing company checks or bank issued money orders via certified mail may be a bit more work on the company's part, but it would demonstrate their commitment to moving forward with better business practices. Their reticence to do so simply shows that not much, if anything at all, has changed.

Refund Process-Followup

I received a response to my email to Glittersniffer Cosmetics. I will summarize it as I am sticking to my pledge not to repost full communications with them without express permission. It was not granted in the email and I now have no way of obtaining it, as explained below.

GlitterSniffer Cosmetics states that had it not been for the blog and the Facebook page that people would have approached them for a solution. They have also disclosed that their Paypal accounts are, indeed, closed. They state that the second Paypal account was reported unnecessarily, possibly out of spite. GS had the money to continue giving refunds, but now that the accounts are closed it will take 180 days for Paypal to return any money left in both accounts and a decision on how to proceed will be made at that time. The time frame for refunds is now 6 months due to the course of action chosen by some people.

I have been asked to cease communications with GlitterSniffer Cosmetics and am complying with that request, though I do feel that GS has been given a very open forum in regards to this situation, so their reticence to continue a free flow of communication is troubling to say the least.

This response does leave me with more questions than answers, however. Prior to the blog and FB page creation there was not a set recall policy. Some people were told to send photographic evidence of their purchases, others to make a Paypal claim, still others to send the products back. The recall list of pigments had to be asked for time and again. It's still, to this day, listed as being provided "as requested". Only after an extensive Q&A conducted on the GlitterSniffer Complaints Facebook page were many questions answered and an official recall policy posted to the GlitterSniffer Cosmetics website.

People were told to file with Paypal. They did, providing all necessary information in the process. It was only when refunds were not issued, or flat out denied, that people began making phone calls to Paypal. Paypal had every right to know when their TOS was violated and to act accordingly to ensure their consumers' protection. It's what good businesses do. And if the funds were in hand to make the refunds (whether provided by a private investor or by selling more products), why were claims still being denied? Why were only selective refunds issued? Why were some of those refunds, mine included, not issued according to the official policy?

The plain fact of the matter is that had GS Cosmetics simply followed every rule and guideline when they started business, from using  FDA approved ingredients, FDA approved  labeling, shipping the exact products that were ordered, shipping in a timely manner, respecting Paypal TOS, and meeting all commitments to their consumers in good faith NONE of this would have happened.

It is, quite simply, not the consumers fault for any action taken to recover their funds, and the onus of the situation and its attending fallout lies with GlitterSniffer Cosmetics, and GlitterSniffer Cosmetics alone. To suggest otherwise is disingenuous. Why now is the fault being laid at the feet of the people who purchased in good faith and did not get what they were sold? Where is the personal responsibility here?

These questions must remain rhetorical as I do not expect an answer to any of them anytime soon, as GS Cosmetics no longer wishes to respond to anything I have to say. It is, as always, my hope that they will turn this around. I will be watching in anticipation of a good outcome for everyone involved.

Refund Process

There has been much speculation as to how the Recall/Refund process would work going forward as GlitterSniffer Cosmetics no longer has access to their Paypal accounts.

As it stands now the official FAQ for the recall still instructs people wanting a refund to invoice through Paypal.

I have contacted GlitterSniffer Cosmetics via email and am currently awaiting their reply. I am sure they will want this information out as soon as possible and will be forthcoming with the information.

A commenter on Facebook states she was told the following by Paypal:

"...when people file a claim with a seller and paypal rules in favor of the buyer they will refund that amount to the buyer and tack the amount onto the sellers account. If the seller does not get their account in good standing meaning without a negative balance then paypal will personally take legal action against the seller. If there are people who have not filed their claim they need to do so and the same applies for those claims as well. They also stated if there are any questions not to hesitate in calling them that they are more than happy to try to help everyone."

 Here is Paypal's contact information:

1-402-935-2050(a U.S. telephone number)

4:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM Pacific Time Monday through Friday
6:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM Pacific Time Saturday and Sunday
Please note that hours of operation may vary on holidays

 I will update as soon as I hear back from GlitterSniffer Cosmetics on what course of action they plan on taking for the Recall/Refund process.

Big Cartel/Old Stock/Refund

As I was researching today I ran across some information that reminded me of some of the commitments made by GlitterSniffer Cosmetics.

In her statement admitting to using unsafe dyes and selling non vegan products GS proprietor Lela Warren made the following commitment:

To ensure that they meet the standards they have set forth for themselves GS stated that they were only going to be selling through their official website.

GlitterSniffer has a BigCartel site.

The site contains a listing for a Back to Basics Collection which includes the recalled pigment Flight Club.

Perhaps this is an oversight on GS part, as we know that the company further committed to discard all unsold product as evidenced here:

Except this is what actually happened:

It does not need to be said that selling the old stock off in a lot is far different than discarding it.

In regards to the recall refund policy the company stance, in part, taken from the official website includes the following information (emphasis mine)

We are refunding at the price of $6.50 per 5g pot, $4.00 per 3g pot, and $1 per clamshell with proof of purchase. The proof of purchase we are requiring is that the recalled pigments are sent back to GS Cosmetics with Delivery Confirmation.

And this, taken from an email reply today:

According to the official company stance in order to receive a refund you must return your pigments and any pigment not on the recall list is ineligible.

I received a refund today without meeting any of these guidelines.

These instances clearly illustrate that the commitments that GS has made to its customers are not set in stone. GS has in the recent past shown through their actions that as a company they can choose to make a business decision not in line with their official policy. I am hopeful that my refund is a benchmark that GS has set for itself, and that they will disregard their current recall guidelines and refund any consumer that feels unsafe using their products. Their choice as a company to refund me outside of the guidelines shows they could easily accomplish this. They were both willing and able to in my case, so there is nothing aside from policy, which they have a demonstrable history of disregarding, that is stopping them from doing so for others.

Refund-Complete

I received a refund for my full requested amount of $21.50, along with a request that I cancel my money request to the GlitterSnifferCosmetics email address. The payment came from the new email address that GS has been using since their relaunch, and indicated that this email address was the only way the company could send funds.

It should be noted that this sets a precedent in terms of the way GS has been handling the refund process. I did not send my product back (nor was it requested), and none of my items were on the official recall list, though one of them does flouresce under a blacklight. My request was based on the product not being as advertised, as it contained possible unsafe ingredients (through cross contamination) and potentially unsanitary packing and formulating procedures. While I am sure that the argument can be made that exceptions can be made in certain cases it is my thought that my refund is no different than anyone elses, and that each refund should be held to the same standard in order to be obtained.

I am researching Paypal now to ensure that should I cancel my money request there is no way for the refund to be canceled. I am confident that with this show of good faith that GS would hold true to their refund. As soon as my research is done and I am ensured that the refund will remain in my account I will cancel the money request.

I applaud GS for making this right. It speaks to the commitment to change that the company has promised.

As for me, I will be doing a bit of shopping today, before resuming activity on the blog. I have much more information to publish and complaints I must followup on.

1/16/11 ETA: I wanted to reiterate that this refund was initiated by GS and that I requested to wait for my refund to be processed in the order in which it was received. It is my hope that it was processed along with many others in the exact order in which it was received.

11/16/11 ETA: After a review of Paypal's policies, and a quick chat with Sarah the virtual assistant, I have canceled my money request. As the payment is marked complete in Paypal there is no way for the payment to be reversed unless I refund it myself. I consider the matter of my refund to be closed at this time.

Refund

I received an email today from GlitterSniffer. It contained a request for my refund amount and Paypal address and the generous offer to be first in line to receive a refund. It disclosed that although the process has taken some time that it has now begun. Here is my response:

Lela,

Thank you so much for your email. It is good to know that you are working towards a resolution to this matter.

While I do appreciate the offer, I believe that I will wait my turn in line for a refund. I have previously sent you 3 emails, a money request, and 2 reminders via Paypal, all with the details you have requested. As you process the refunds in the order they are received I am confident you will eventually get to mine. I, of course, will update the blog when it is received.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to watching you turn this around.

Have a great day,
GS Complaints

 I received another email requesting that I disclose which refund request was mine. Here is my response:

Lela,

Again, thank you for contacting me.

As I said before I have already provided you with all the necessary information to process my refund. Please do not mistake my reticence for being uncooperative. I want to ensure that my refund is processed in the order in which it was received as that seems the most fair for everyone involved. I respect what you are trying to do from a customer service standpoint, and it is much appreciated, but as you process all claims, disputes, and money requests mine will eventually be included. I will wait patiently just like everyone else.

I do look forward to a speedy resolution, and I wish you luck going forward.

GS Complaints

 And that is where we stand for now. I will wait for my refund and continue to update the blog with all information regarding that refund, complaints I have filed, and any other information that is relevant to the matter.

GlitterSniffer Q&A

I am still working on editing the Q&A from 1/8/11, but the major questions from that thread have now been posted on the GlitterSniffer website.

Here are the list of questions and answers, unedited by me except to remove personally identifying information, as of 1/9/11.

Lela,

I've compiled tonights list. I can't guarantee there won't be more questions, and I appreciate your taking the time to answer. I have tried to collate them as best I can, but there were multiple questions on multiple threads. I apologize if there are any repeats, but with the sheer volume of information being generated I ask that you understand any oversight on my part.

That being said I have tried to reword any questions to remove any overly emotional content. I am sure you can appreciate more than anyone that this is fraught with emotion, so some of the questions may have a tone that is a bit more spirited than you'd possibly like, but please be assured that they are all coming from a good place.

I understand that some of the questions may take longer to answer than others. Please respond at your earliest convenience.

What if we have clamshells? Like from the full set if we return those what is the rate?

Why do you have money going into redacteds account? Do you have the ability to transfer it to your account? If so why can't people just pay to the gs paypal to restore the balance?

Could we possibly get a photograph/photographs of each of the recalled colors (particularly the ones that are not pink) so we can check our randoms? It would be super helpful :) Put on photobucket or wherever. There's no way to look these up anymore.

What is the protocol for handling returns of recalled product that were purchased samples (PIFs, etc)? What prices are you refunding for those?

Will other forms of proof (receipts, photos) be accepted as proof of purchase for recalled products for those that have been instructed by the FDA to retain their products?

I had reactions to products that were not on the recall list. You state catagorically that your products that are not recalled are safe, but what assurances can you provide me that they are (including ingredients)?

Why have you personally attacked people who are only trying to recoup from a business that has admitted wrongdoing?

It seems that MANY of the purples have pink in them -- Can Lela provide any info as to which purples are safe and which ones aren't? This info would need to be clear enough so that those of us with random/unlabeled colors would be able to understand. It's also difficult since there are often three different shades of the same color. What is the recall policy for the randoms, or those other colors that may contain pink?

Can we please know the Chemical names for the "bad dyes" or "soap dyes" or whatever was used please? Thanks!

What are the ingredients for the liquid eyeliner?

Is the pigment Denise safe?

What is your timeline to send out replacements for those who wish to have safe pigments sent to them instead of a refund?

Is Saturday Night being recalled?

Is GLAAD red Vegan? Will you release a list of all pigments that are not vegan? Are you planning to recall the nonvegan products?

I've noticed some ladies have sent ALL their GS pigments back. What happens in this case if they feel ALL GS pigments are unsafe and have proof of these orders; and (possibly) refunds pending. What happens then? Will they only be refunded the pinks as Lela has stated or will they be refunded their whole amount? What should happen should someone send in their whole collection?? 

Redacted would like to know why her gift bag was never sent, and why she was told that it was. Additionally she would like information specific to the timeline when charity money for redacted will be sent.

Again, thank you for your time. I truly believe that your answers will result in a mutually beneficial resolution for everyone involved.

GlitterSniffer Complaints



Lela Warren to me 1:09 AM (6 minutes ago)

GSComplaints, I will be skipping over questions that have either already been answered, or are answered in the Q&A on the website.

1. http://www.glittersniffercosmetics.com/recall.html

2. While this is a personal business matter, money is going to a different PayPal since we cannot accept funds as part of our restriction. Also, no I cannot transfer the money over. The bank account associated with that PayPal is not connected to me, therefore we will be using the bank card associated with the new Paypal account to add funds to our GS Paypal in efforts to start restoring the balance again.

3. I cannot take photographs of all the colors because I do not have all of the colors anymore. As I have stated, I have depleted my entire inventory.

4. We are not refunding for samples at this time.

5. Unfortunately, no. Unless we are instructed otherwise, we will need the products back to be considered for a refund, regardless of the referenced situations. Again, we will comply with any request made by a state, local, or Federal agency.

6. If anyone has any concern about a product not on the recall list and would like ingredients on a particular one, please feel free to e-mail me and I will do my best to answer your questions. Due to time constraints and lack of being able to remember every single pigment I've ever made, I'm unable to sit down and make a list of every ingredient in every product I've ever created. With that said, I remember the ingredients used in each pigment if brought to my attention and I will do my best to help you with that. Short of that, I have no other proof, and the use of our product will have to be a personal decision.

7. The one and only person I've had a personal conflict with was done so completely aside from GS. The said person was not only a customer but a friend who crossed a very personal line. I was wrong for the things that I said, and given the opportunity to speak with her, I would apologize to her. Other than that, while I may have not always acted in the most professional manner, which I regret and will change, I have not personally attacked anyone else.

8. All purples are safe. For our final, official recall list, please visit: http://www.glittersniffercosmetics.com/recall.html

9. http://www.glittersniffercosmetics.com/recall.html

10. I don't have the information for the liquid eyeliner readily accessible. Please e-mail me about this and I will get back to you on that one.

11. Yes, the pigment Denise is both Vegan and Eye Safe

12. We have not got new pinks re-made yet, nor our whole stock replenished. We are working on this and will announce when that is available on our fanpage and website.

13. No. Our complete and final list for recalled pigments can be found here: http://www.glittersniffercosmetics.com/recall.html

14. The only 2 pigments that are non vegan are Dr. Seuss Red and Ariel. GLADD red is vegan. No, the 2 non-vegan pigments are not being recalled, as I did make public that those were not vegan.

15. Unfortunately, we cannot refund people for every pigment they have ever purchased from GS cosmetics as long as it is not on the recall list. Any other pigment will not be refunded. If someone were to send in all of their pigments, we would make note of which ones were included in the recall, offer a refund for those and those only, and then discard the pigments.

16. Redacted may e-mail me regarding her particular order questions. Redacted has ceased communication with GS Cosmetics. If she would like to speak with me, that is certainly welcome and we can discuss when I can get her payment to her.

Thank you all for your questions. While my answers may not have been what some hoped, and while some have elected to never return to GS Cosmetics, I sincerely apologize to you for all of this and thank you for you friendship over the years. I miss you all, and while this has not been under the best circumstances, you have all helped drive me to become a better person, and a better business. I appreciate your questions. I may return in the future to follow up, but for now I'm going to say goodbye to you. If you would like to speak with me further, please feel free to e-mail me at glittersniffercosmetics@gmail.com

-Lela

And that is where it stands for now. I do commend GS for their actions over the last few days. I think it speaks to the commitment to change. We shall see, in the coming weeks and months, if the change is permanent.

As for me, while I applaud the effort, I will not purchase from GS again. That is my personal decision. Anyone else should feel free to take the information presented here thus far and do with it as they please. I will continue to follow up on complaints I have filed, updating both the blog and the Facebook page with new information including Others Experiences, and monitor GS to ensure that every commitment they have made they stand behind.