Rinse, recall, repeat.
A luxury shampoo brand has recalled two of its products over concerns that the high-end lather may be contaminated with a potentially dangerous bacterium.
A voluntary nationwide recall was announced last week by Kao USA, which manufactures the shampoo through its subsidiary Oribe.
The recall was issued after testing found Pluralibacter gergoviae growing inside the product. This bacterium has the potential to cause infection, which could result in severe health consequences for vulnerable populations.
According to the recall notice, the products in question are:
- Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo 8.5 oz size (UPC 840035231242) with the lot code YR010556
- Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo 33.8 oz size (UPC 840035231273) with the lot codes YR010566 and YR010576
The 8.5 oz size retails for $52.00 on the Oribe website, while the larger bottle sells for $166.
The product, developed in collaboration with a board-certified trichologist, is “proven to plump and densify strands for thicker, fuller, healthier-looking hair over the course of three months,” per the company’s website.
The affected products were manufactured between February 21, 2026 and February 26, 2026.
According to the recall notice, the affected products were sold nationwide in the United States and Canada at salons and other retailers.
Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria have a reputation for contaminating cosmetics, due in part to their resistance to parabens and other preservatives.
In 2024, nearly a million units of Amika Mirrorball High Shine + Protect Antioxidant Shampoo were voluntarily recalled due to contamination by Pluralibacter gergoviae.
The infection caused by this bacterium has been linked to a slew of negative health consequences, including eye infections, respiratory diseases, urinary tract infections, and even sepsis.
A day after Kao announced the recall, the FDA posted the notice on its website, noting that while the risk of serious illness is low, it can be life-threatening to the immunocompromised.
“Though Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria pose little medical risk to healthy people, those with certain health issues such as weakened immune systems may be more susceptible to infection by the bacteria,” the FDA reposted.
Those most vulnerable to infection include people with chronic illnesses, weakened immune systems, and/or those undergoing surgical procedures.
“We are working with the FDA to voluntarily recall the affected lots of the product in question from our warehouses,” Kao USA said in a statement. “We are also asking retail and salon partners to remove affected lots from use and/or sale and return them to us for safe disposal.”
If you purchased this product, Kao recommends that you immediately stop using it, regardless of your health status.
Customers who purchased the compromised products are advised to contact the Kao Professional Hair Technical Hotline at 800-333-2442 or email [email protected] for a replacement.
Oribe counts many a celebrity among its fanbase, including Martha Stewart.
Last month, the octogenarian and OG influencer posted a selfie from a Milan hair salon with bottles of the brand’s Bright Blonde collection visible in the background
“I love Oribe shampoo and conditioner,” she wrote in the comments. “Keeps my blond blond and my hair extra thick and healthy.”
Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham once told Into the Gloss she uses Oribe’s Signature Shampoo and Conditioner on her famous brunette hair. (“They smell incredible,” she raved.)
Meghan Markle also used the brand’s Dry Texturizing Spray on the set of “Suits.”
“There is nothing like a hair flip,” she raved in an interview with Birchbox at the time. “When my hair is feeling a little weighted, Suanne, my hair artist on set, has me bend forward and she sprays a little Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray.”
Meanwhile, “RHORI” star Alicia Carmody — a trained hairstylist — recently told Page Six the brand’s Royal Blowout Spray was a matter of vital import, mainly, or mane-ly as it were, that she would “die without” it.
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