US beauty retailer Sephora is embroiled in a lawsuit following claims a lipstick sample gave a consumer herpes, according to a report by NY Daily News.

Plaintiff Elena Davoyan is suing the retailer for $25,000 for emotional distress, claiming she contracted the viral disease after trialling a ‘common use’ lipstick sample in a Hollywood-based Sephora store in October 2015.

The lawsuit, filed by lawyer Robert Kransey, claims Sephora gives insufficient displays warning consumers about the perils of using samples, and indeed encourages buyers to use communal sample products.

Suggesting that Sephora is insufficient in preventing herpes through the likes of ‘lipstick wands and swabs’, the lawsuit goes on to read, “The bottom line is that (there) are numerous simple solutions to prevent the spreading of diseases through lipstick testers, and that is Sephora’s responsibility.”

Despite not commenting on individual cases, Sephora told the paper, “The health and safety of our clients is our foremost priority. We take product hygiene very seriously and we are dedicated to following best practices in our stores.”