Toxics Watchdog to Online Shopping Platforms: Immediately Take Down Prohibited Mercury-Containing Cosmetic Products

Toxics watchdog BAN Toxics has called the attention of online shopping platforms after discovering that banned skin-lightening products are still widely sold on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok, and Facebook Marketplace.

In a recent online monitoring activity, BAN Toxics’ student volunteers documented more than 300 e-retailers selling mercury-containing skin-lightening products. Despite claims in the product descriptions that these products are “FDA-approved,” the FDA has issued public health advisories against the following products: 88 Total White Underarm Cream (FDA Advisory No. 2021-1187), Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Avocado and Aloe Vera (FDA Advisory No. 2017-289), Goree Day and Night Cream (FDA Advisory No. 2017-289), Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream (FDA Advisory No. 2023-2392), Goree Beauty Product Set (4-in-1) (FDA Advisory No. 2025-1356), and Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream (FDA Advisory No. 2021-3043).

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), BAN Toxics emphasized that mercury is highly toxic to human health, posing a particular threat to fetal development and children in early life. Mercury exists in elemental, inorganic, and organic forms, all of which can damage the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. WHO also warns that mercury exposure can cause kidney damage, neurological disorders, and skin problems, while fetal exposure to methylmercury may harm the unborn child. Inorganic mercury salts are corrosive to the skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal tract and may cause kidney toxicity if ingested. Neurological and behavioral disorders may also result from inhalation, ingestion, or skin exposure to mercury compounds, with symptoms including tremors, insomnia, memory loss, headaches, and impaired cognitive and motor function.

“The undisclosed presence of toxic mercury in skin-lightening cosmetic products being sold online violates the Minamata Convention on Mercury and existing laws in the country,” said Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics.

“Eliminating mercury-added cosmetic products from the market requires stricter monitoring and enforcement by regulators. This includes stronger border controls by the Bureau of Customs, regular post-market surveillance and public health advisories by the Food and Drug Administration, and stricter e-commerce compliance, product standards, and consumer protection enforcement by the Department of Trade and Industry,” he added.

BAN Toxics, which promotes safe cosmetics in the country, urged online shopping platforms to remove FDA-banned skin-lightening products and related social media posts in accordance with Republic Act No. 11967, or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023, to protect consumers from harmful exposure to toxic mercury.

Under Republic Act No. 11967, it is the policy of the State to promote and maintain a robust e-commerce environment by building trust between online merchants and consumers through effective regulation. The law seeks to protect consumer rights and data privacy, encourage innovation and competition, secure internet transactions, uphold intellectual property rights, ensure product standards and safety compliance, and promote environmental sustainability.

BAN Toxics also urged the public not to purchase FDA-banned cosmetic products and to verify that cosmetic products have a valid FDA notification before buying them. The group further reminded distributors and retailers not to sell or distribute violative cosmetic products until they have fully complied with FDA rules and regulations.

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References:

TikTok Links:

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=goree%20beauty%20cream&t=1784187337165

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=goree%20day%20%26%20night%20cream&t=1784187363575

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=goree%20gold%2024k%20cream&t=1784187396402

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=parley%20goldie%20beauty%20cream&t=1784187423003

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=s88%20total%20white%20underarm%20cream&t=1784187450408

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=goree&t=1784085881653

https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=goree&t=1784187302778

Shopee Links:

https://shopee.ph/search?keyword=avocado%20cream