Toxics watchdog BAN Toxics has issued a public health warning over the widespread sale of prohibited skin-lightening products containing toxic mercury in beauty shops in Cagayan de Oro City, urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take enforcement action.
For its last leg of market monitoring and product testing activities in Mindanao, BAN Toxics documented and purchased 11 skin-lightening products from 6 beauty shops in Cogon and Carmen markets — known market hubs in Cagayan de Oro City — priced from ₱60 to ₱330 each.
Using an XRF chemical analyzer, the group tested the products, which included 88 Underarm Whitening Cream, Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene Avocado and Aloe Vera, Goree Day and Night Cream, Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, a “new” Goree product set (4-in-1), Erna Whitening Cream, and Collagen Plus Vit E Day & Night Cream.
Results reveal the samples contain dangerous levels of mercury ranging from 510 ppm (parts per million) to as high as 78,000 ppm — far exceeding the 1 ppm limit set under the Chemical Control Order for mercury of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), as well as the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive.
The lightening creams are among the products banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2013 due to their mercury content.
Citing the FDA health alerts, BAN Toxics advised the public not to purchase the aforementioned violative cosmetic products. All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute such products and to instead sell only those approved by the FDA.
BAN Toxics sent a letter to the FDA via the eSumbong Portal (https://www.fda.gov.ph/), urging the agency to conduct post-marketing surveillance, issue health alerts, and take enforcement action to prevent the sale and use of the prohibited cosmetic products and end the illegal trade of mercury-added products in the country.
“The unwarranted selling of banned mercury-tainted skin-lightening products will never end unless the government prioritizes health and safety measures, border controls, and stricter regulation of importers and sellers, both online and offline, of prohibited cosmetic products in the country,” said Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics. “The latest report shows that the banned products are continuously being offered for sale not just in Metro Manila but also in other beauty and wellness shops and market hubs in the country.”
According to the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), mercury compounds are frequently added to skin-lightening products (SLP) because mercury lightens the skin by suppressing the production of melanin. SLPs have received significant attention in the scientific literature—with countless studies outlining their negative impacts on health and well-being. The World Health Organization has also recognized that mercury—added to some SLPs—is a “major public health concern.”
The regular use of SLPs containing mercury can lead to rashes, skin discoloration, and blotching. Long-term exposure may also damage the eyes, lungs, and kidneys, as well as the digestive, immune, and nervous systems. An adult’s use of SLPs laden with mercury can also expose other family members, such as through close contact, and may even require decontamination of the home.
Last June, the group conducted test buys on banned skin-whitening creams in beauty shops in Surigao City, Butuan City, and Davao City. The group purchased Pakistan-made Goree products such as Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Avocado and Aloe Vera, Goree Day and Night Beauty Cream Oil Free Total Fairness System, and Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, as well as Thailand-made 88 Total White Underarm Cream, in seven shops across the three cities. The group also prompted the FDA to take necessary steps regarding the said products and is awaiting regulatory action from the agency.
BAN Toxics urges all local government units to enforce the existing health advisories of the FDA and conduct monitoring, verification, and confiscation efforts to stop the illegal trade of prohibited mercury-containing cosmetic products to ensure the health and safety of the public.
The group will continue its monitoring efforts to ensure that prohibited products are removed from the market and will push for stricter product standards and enhanced consumer protection.
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Media contact: Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer, BAN Toxics, 0917-8322616