Paparazzi Jewelry Tests Positive for Lead and Nickel
Multi-level marketing is a dangerous business model, but for MLM company Paparazzi, the product may be even more harmful.
The info of ex-Paparazzi consultants and other anti-MLM activists whose information I reference in this article will be linked below. I highly suggest you check out their pages, support their cause, and listen to their full stories.
Paparazzi is a jewelry company that created a name for itself with $5 costume jewelry. It is also a multi-level marketing company. This means that their business model depends on distributors who are recruited to sell jewelry for a small commission and recruit other distributors to do the same.
There’s a lot of issues with companies that choose this type of business model. I’ve written another piece about the risks associated with joining an MLM.
For some MLM companies like Paparazzi, there’s a lot more at stake for participants than a failed business venture and loss of money.
In recent months, ex-Paparazzi consultants and anti-MLM commentators and activists have begun to expose troubling behavior in the company. They have chronicled the tragedy of lives lost from COVID due to a Paparazzi convention during which safety protocols were not met and the subsequent attempt by the company to cover up and divert attention from the victims. They have exposed behind-the-scenes information about inventory loading and a trend of consultants selling jewelry to other consultants rather than final consumers.
Most recently the anti-MLM and ex-Paparazzi community has made allegations and sought evidence about the presence of heavy metals and toxic materials in the jewelry.
Cheaply made jewelry carries a risk of the presence of toxic and dangerous materials due to the cost-cutting measures that manufacturers in that industry take. Despite Paparazzi’s promises of lead and nickel-free jewelry, their $5 product was no exception to the dangers.
Paparazzi’s jewelry became suspect for these ex-consultants when they noticed tell-tale signs of heavy metal poisoning. Consumers interact with the pieces, wear them, and store them in their homes, putting them at risk when these pieces have hazardous materials. But for consultants, this risk is amplified. Many of these consultants stored thousands of pieces of paparazzi jewelry in their homes, handled them to ship out to buyers, and as loyal customers themselves, adorned themself with pieces daily as they went about their lives. These ex-consultants began to notice symptoms and as they discussed this with peers, noticed a trend.
In early January 2022, a group of ex-Paparazzi consultants and anti-MLM advocates announced the results of lab testing they had commissioned on the jewelry by a third-party testing facility, Waypoint Analytical. The results were astounding and tragic. These results confirmed their worst fears about the pieces of jewelry. Pieces of Paparazzi jewelry tested positive for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and nickel. All 10 pieces of Paparazzi jewelry that were tested were above the Prop 65 safe harbor levels of hazardous materials, some far more than others. All but one product were deemed to contain “dangerous” levels of these materials by the testing lab technician. The lab employee that discussed the results with the ex-Paparazzi reps informed them that since the founding of the lab in 1972 they had never seen numbers so high in a consumer product.
If you or someone you know was a part of this MLM or owns pieces of Paparazzi jewelry keep an eye on the Crack the Crown page or contact local health experts and/or environmental agencies to learn how to dispose of these pieces properly. If you have observed signs and symptoms of heavy metal poisoning please consult a medical professional.
Since the publishing of this article, more information and testing has been released about Paparazzi, specifically lead testing of the Starlet Shimmer kids collection. You can read the updates in my article below.
Information for this article was gleaned from an amazing group of women speaking out on this issue.
Crack the Crown is a page run by mother-daughter duo Tracey and Caroline as well as Geraldine Souza. They are ex-Paparazzi consultants using their platform to educate consumers and help consultants leave Paparazzi. They also run a support group for ex-Paparazzi consultants.
Savannah Marie is an anti-MLM advocate and Youtuber. She speaks out on many MLM companies and has informative videos covering Paparazzi’s history and current events.
Roberta Blevins is an anti-MLM advocate and ex-Lularoe consultant. Her podcast Life After MLM shares the stories of other ex-MLM consultants and journeys.
