FOR the 20-billion dollar cosmetic industry, beauty is less in the eye of the beholder and more in the glamorous products urged upon innocent consumers as the cure for their insecurities.
Seduced by promises of smooth skin and shiny hair, men and women buy countless personal care products, sans knowledge of its real quality and the hazards they can cause.
The risk is serious and people are actually getting sick from contamination from these products.
Realising this, Brunei health authorities have declared an all-out battle against poisoned beauty enhancers by regularly conducting raids and tests and ordering tainted products off the shelves in their effort to clean-up the cosmetic distribution industry in the country.
In the latest crackdown by the Ministry of Health (MoH), five cosmetic products were found tainted with undeclared substances.
Clariderm Astringent No 1-AHA + Licorice (for maintenance)
Clariderm Astringent No 2-AHA + Licorice (for normal to oily skin)
MoH has warned against the use of adulterated cosmetics after five products were found tainted with undeclared substances.
The products were found through post-marketing surveillance activities conducted by the Pharmacy Enforcement Section at retail outlets and tested by the laboratory of Drug Quality Control Section, Pharmacy Services, Ministry of Health.
GT Bleaching cream anti-ageing with anti-oxidant, made by GT Cosmetic Manufacturing Inc, Philippines was found adulterated with Hydroquinone while Miracle White Brightening Cream with Vitamin B3 and Aloe Vera, manufactured by Miracle Cosmetics International, was found to be containing Mercury.
The other products are Glow Glowing Beauty Skin-Treatment Toner Glowing Beauty (adulterated with Hydroquinone and Tretinoin); Clariderm Astringent No. 1-AHA + Licorice (for maintenance), produced by by Jirah Manufacturing Corporation, San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines (adulterated with Hydroquinone and Tretinoin); Clariderm Astringent No 2-AHA + Licorice (for normal to oily skin), manufactured by Jirah Manufacturing Corporation, San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines (adulterated with Hydroquinone and Tretinoin).
In a press statement, the ministry warned the public against the use of adulterated cosmetics and said adulterants found in these products can cause adverse effects that are potentially hazardous to the people using them.
The ministry also urged members of the public who have purchased or used these products to stop using them immediately.
They should also consult a medical practitioner if they feel unwell or experience any undesirable reactions as a result of using them.
GT Bleaching cream anti-ageing with anti-oxidant
Miracle White Brightening Cream with Vitamin B3 & Aloe Vera
Glow Glowing Beauty Skin-Treatment Toner Glowing Beauty. PHOTOS: MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Members of the public involved in the retail of these products (including online retail such as through Facebook, etc) are hereby reminded that it is an offence under the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations, 2007 to import and market cosmetic products in the local market (including online retail such as through Facebook etc) without a Cosmetic Product Notification Acknowledgement Letter issued by the relevant authority, and the penalty for contravening these regulations upon conviction is a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both, the ministry statement said.
The ministry also called upon the public for their cooperation to report to the Pharmacy Enforcement Section if any of these products are still found on the market in this country.
Mercury is a potent ingredient that is prohibited in cosmetic products as stipulated in the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations 2007.
It is prohibited in cosmetic products due to its hazardous effects on human health. It is readily absorbed through the skin on topical application and tends to accumulate in the body. Exposure to mercury can cause skin rashes, memory loss and muscle weakness while high exposures may result in damage to the brain and kidneys. It is also extremely toxic to unborn children, the statement said.
Both hydroquinone and tretinoin are potent ingredients used in western prescription medicines to treat skin conditions and is prohibited in skincare cosmetic products under the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations. The unsupervised use of hydroquinone may cause skin hypersensitivity, skin discolouration resulting in gradual darkening of the affected skin area and an increased risk of skin cancer.
The inappropriate use of tretinoin could lead to redness, peeling and scarring of the skin, the ministry said.
The MoH has now cancelled the Cosmetic Notification Acknowledgement Letter for Clariderm Astringent No 1-AHA + Licorice (for maintenance) and Clariderm Astringent No 2-AHA + Licorice (for normal to oily skin). It has not issued any approval for the importation and/or Cosmetic Notification Acknowledgement Letter for the sale of the rest of affected products.
Following the findings, the products are not allowed to be imported and sold in Brunei Darussalam.
For further information and communication, the public may contact the Pharmacy Enforcement Section at 2393298 extension 208, send an e-mail to pharmacy.enforcement@moh.gov.bn or go directly to 1st Floor, Pharmacy Services’ Building, Kg Madaras, Mukim Gadong ‘A’.
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