Consumers Urged to Heed FDA’s Health Warning vs. Unnotified Cosmetics

The EcoWaste Coalition, a chemical safety and zero waste advocacy group, urged consumers to pay attention to the latest public health warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against unregistered cosmetics that may pose potential health hazards.

On August 22, the agency issued four successive advisories warning the public against the purchase and use of products lacking the required cosmetic product notification (CPN) and whose quality and safety cannot be guaranteed by the FDA. From July to August this year, the FDA has banned a total of 60 cosmetics without CPNs.

The EcoWaste Coalition provided the FDA with 20 of these non-compliant products, including Jiachuntang Ban Gan Jing Qu Ban Shuang, a skin whitening facial cream with high concentrations of mercury as screened by the group and subsequently confirmed by the FDA through laboratory analysis.

Cosmetic products, prior to being placed into the local market, must be duly notified with the agency by a licensed cosmetic distributor and/or manufacturer, according to the FDA.

“We remind the public to reject personal care and cosmetic products that have not undergone quality and safety verification by the FDA as these can pose serious health risks to users and even non-users such as babies and young children,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

“Heed the FDA’s health warnings and save yourself from injury and harm.  It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he added.

The government has warned that “if a cosmetic product has not been verified by FDA as in the case of these unnotified products, the use of such products may pose potential health hazards to the consuming public.”

“Potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a cosmetic product or from the contamination of heavy metals such as lead and mercury,” it explained.

“The use of substandard and possibly adulterated cosmetic products may result to   reactions including but not limited to skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock and organ failure,” it added.

FDA Advisory 2016-105 banned the following unnotified cosmetics:  Active Care Green Tea Deep Shine Baien Beautiful Inimitable (golden yellow), Bleaching Original Soap, Bremod Performance Spa Hair Color, Chanleevi Lipstick, Clarisse Feminine Cleansing Wash, Excel Paris Lip Gloss, Glutathione Original Soap, Lip Balm (red and yellow), Nyx Lip Smacking Fun Colors, Schwarzokdp Vision Charm Bewith, Skin Vibrant Natural Soap (collagen + whitening, gluta + whitening and tea tree) and White Magnolia Treble Activating Skin Extract for Removing Dead Skin.

FDA Advisory 2016-095 banned the following unnotified cosmetics: Meiya Hide the Blemish Concealer, Meiya Two Way Cake Powder (blue, light pink and dark pink), Meiya Pan Stick, Oseur O Mei Su Pearl Paste, Perfect Purity for Kids Gentle Bubble Bath, Perfect Purity Moisturizing Baby Oil, Personal Care Aloe Vera Skin Lotion and Yoko Acne-Melasma Cream CO Enzyme Q-10.

FDA Advisory 2016-094 banned the following unnotified cosmetics: A’s Skin Natural Beauty Lanolin Cream with Vitamin E, De Monto Lanolin Cream with Vitamin E & Collagen, Flowerone Elastic Whitening Tender Cream, Nacos Natural Australian Lanolin Cream with Vitamin E & Collagen, , Pearl Whiten Beautiful,  Queen Pientzehuang Pearl Cream, Ronglaiya Professional Pure Golden, RLY Homme Men’s Repairing Eke Water, Xinfunmanlingshuang Anti-Acne and Renewal Cream, Fengshangmei New Nail Kit, Miss Seven Cracking Nail Art Kit, Mei Ja Er Child Boutique Fake Nails Kit and Nail Glue WD.

FDA Advisory 2016-093 banned Jiachuntang Ban Gan Jing Qu Ban Shuang, an unnotified cosmetic product found to contain toxic mercury level.

FDA Advisory 2016-076, issued on July 12, banned the following unnotified cosmetics: Delon Aloe Vera Skin Care Lotion, Delon Baby Lotion, Delon Silk and Satin Whipped Lotion, Keri Bath Botanicals Sensitive Skin and Shinzu’I Skin Lightening Body Lotion UV Protection Iseiya.

While FDA Advisory 2016-075, issued on July 11, banned the following unnotified cosmetics: Active Care Green Tea Deep Shine Baien Beautiful Inimitable (dark coffee, golden red and plum red), Bellespa Lip Gloss + Lip Liner Pencil, Chanleevi Mascara Fantastic Volume, Charm 3D Jialiqi Cosmetics Length Fiber Extensions Mascara, Jialiqi Art Class Liquid Eyeliner, Jialiqi Volume Mascara Ultra Resistance Luxurious Eye Make-Up Dense, Kangtian 60 Soft Cel Capsules (green, pink and yellow), Meiya Selection BB Cream Whitening + Sun Block SPF25 Vitamin E,  Nutrition Hair Oil (Fruits with Snake Oil), Tri & 1 Professional Hair Colour (H815 Coffee), Signature Collection Body Luxuries Enjoy Life Body Lotion and Signature Collection Body Luxuries Silk Glow Body Lotion.

The manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, sale, offer for sale, transportation, promotion and/or advertisement of the above non-compliant products is in direct violation of R.A. 9711, the Food and Drug Administration Act. (EcoWasteCoalition)