Warning Out on “New Arrival” Skin Lightening Products from Pakistan Laced with Toxic Mercury
Businesses must not financially gain from producing dangerous mercury-laced products, which can harm women and children, the EcoWaste Coalition says.
21 September 2026, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition revealed high levels of mercury in two more skin lightening products made in Pakistan sold online without undergoing quality and safety checks by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Purchased from an online seller for P199 each, the unauthorized Sandal Premium Beauty Care Cream All-in-One Solution (manufactured in January 2026) and Sandal Day & Night Beauty Care Cream Total Skin Therapy (manufactured in November 2025) screened positive for mercury, which is globally banned in cosmetic products as per the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Both products were marked “new arrival” and displayed the Pakistan Standard Quality Mark despite exceeding the one part per million (ppm) limit for mercury in fairness creams under Standard PS: 3228-2017 as adopted by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in 2017.
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| XRF screening detects 1.590 percent or 15,900 ppm of mercury on this beauty care cream. |
According to the chemical screening conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, Sandal Premium Beauty Care Cream contained 13,380 ppm of mercury, while Sandal Day & Night Beauty Care Cream contained 15,900 ppm.
With the discovery of these two new facial creams, the EcoWaste Coalition has now identified 47 Pakistan-made skin lightening products laced with mercury.
Sandal Premium Beauty Care Cream claims to offer an “all-in-one solution” to skin concerns, lightening the complexion, treating hyperpigmentation, and removing dark spots. On the other hand, Sandal Day & Night Beauty Care Cream is said to nourish and soothe irritated skin, while brightening it.
Both products list their ingredients but fail to notify or warn consumers about their mercury content and side effects.
“Many skin‑lightening products work by reducing melanin levels but often contain hazardous substances such as mercury,” said the World Health Organization (WHO), which has included mercury among the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.
According to the WHO, the health effects of mercury in some skin lightening products include: kidney damage, skin rashes, discoloration and scarring, reduced dermal resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression, psychosis, and peripheral neuropathy. Even low‑level mercury exposure can cause serious health effects, including neurological damage, and poses particular risks to fetal and early childhood development.
“Mercury also contaminates the environment: when products are washed off, mercury enters wastewater systems and persists in soil, water, and ecosystems without breaking down,” the WHO said.
To avoid mercury harm, the EcoWaste Coalition urged consumers to heed these reminders:
- Embrace your natural skin color, and challenge colorism, a form of discrimination or prejudice that favors people with lighter skin. Reject chemical whiteners entirely and take pride in your natural skin complexion.
- Carefully review product packaging and look out for red flags, including poor labeling information and exaggerated product promises.
- Stay alert: Banned or unauthorized cosmetics are still easy to find on online shopping and social media platforms.
- Visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) verification portal at https://verification.fda.gov.ph/ before adding to cart or making a purchase.
- Email eReport@fda.gov.ph to report vendors selling unauthorized or flagged skin lightening products.
- If you experience skin rashes, discoloration, or other adverse symptoms after using products of unknown origin or composition, please seek immediate medical advice.
References:
https://minamataconvention.org/sites/default/files/documents/national_report/Report_Pakistan_2025_English.pdf
https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/eeb2b712-a947-45a8-a830-7d8b25e6bd01/content
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