Today, the Toronto Star published a major front-page investigative article by journalist Frédérik Plante exposing how customers—many of whom were just walking through the mall—ended up trapped in high-interest loans of up to 29.99% for skincare devices they never planned to buy.
The article is titled “Under the Skin” and features the voices of many petition signers, including:
•A school lunch supervisor who was misled into signing up for a $13,000 loan.
•A community mental health worker who was told her acne scars needed treatment on the spot.
•Others who were lured in by free facial offers and pressured into signing documents on the spot.
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Customers reported being:
•Told to sign on a tablet without being shown what they were agreeing to.
•Pressured while seated in the store, sometimes without their glasses or while in distress.
•Given refund agreements that required them to return and partially pay for gifted items — but only after escalating their case or threatening legal action.
•The article also confirms that three cosmetic stores operating in Ontario malls—Orogold, the Soap Tree, and Royal Bee—are all linked to the same owners. Many customers only discovered this after their signatures were copied, pasted, or misused across multiple locations.
We believe this coordinated business model takes advantage of consumer trust, inadequate disclosure, and vulnerable shoppers.
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Thank you to everyone who signed, commented, and bravely shared your story.
Special thanks to journalist Frédérik Plante for investigating this issue and helping amplify our voices through the Toronto Star.
This is only the beginning.
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📍 Next steps:
We will continue forwarding this article to consumer protection agencies, government officials, and regulators.
If you’re a victim and haven’t come forward yet, now is the time.
If you’re part of the legal or advocacy community, we welcome your support.
🙏 Please keep sharing the petition and follow us as we fight for refunds, accountability, and reform.
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📰 Read the article here: Under the Skin - Frédérik Plante of the Toronto Star
Please note: The Toronto Star article is behind a paywall. Readers will see a preview and may be prompted to log in or subscribe to read the full piece. The article is also available in print in stores today — Sunday, July 27, 2025.