Mercury Found in Skin-Lightening Products Sold Online

• Eight specific skin-lightening products containing toxic mercury levels are currently available for purchase through online platforms.
• A recent study in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology examined 197 skincare products in New York City, finding 29% contained mercury.
• Manufacturers and regulators are being urged to enforce stricter compliance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury to prevent the distribution of these hazardous substances.

Study Findings

• The research, covering 2009–2022, found that 18% of analyzed products exceeded the U.S. FDA's safety limit of 1 part per million (ppm).
• Eleven items contained extremely high mercury levels, peaking at 27,000 ppm.
• Only 4% of the products explicitly listed mercury as an ingredient, and all were manufactured internationally.

Affected Products

• The following eight products identified in the report remain available online:
  • Chandni Whitening Cream
  • Due Beauty Cream
  • Face Fresh Beauty Cream
  • Faiza Beauty Cream
  • Golden Pearl Beauty Cream
  • Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene
  • Sandal Whitening Beauty Cream
  • Seven Herbal Ubtan Cream

Regulatory Status and Enforcement

• The Philippine FDA has issued multiple warnings against these specific items since 2014 due to mercury content and lack of market authorization.
• Despite these warnings, third-party online sellers continue to distribute these products, with brands like Goree expanding into multiple variants (e.g., 24K Gold, 3-in-1, and 4-in-1 kits).
• Advocates emphasize that as long as production continues abroad, these products will persist in illegal markets, necessitating stronger international accountability for manufacturers.