Did youknow that the Government is calling out all the health risks of mercury in beauty products? Things like skin-lightening creams and eye make-up have been called for posing serious health risks that have pushed India to make a full ban in alignment with the global norms.
This news came as a shock, as the Drugs Controller General of India sub-committee passed a recommendation that considers a nationwide ban on mercury-based cosmetics. The resolution has not been passed yet, as it is just a recommendation, but it aims to identify and call out all mercury-containing products from India’s massive, INR 20-billion cosmetic market.
Does Your Makeup Contains Mercury? Why You Should be Concerned
It’s all hunky-dory to purchase high-end makeup from brands, and maybe it makes you look prettier too, but have you ever wondered how it is the way it is? What is the actual content of your favorite concealer that helps hide darkcircles— or better yet, what makes your lip-plumpinglip glosss so shiny and glossy?
The next time you want to apply some, you might want to take a closer look at thelabel— because chances are, the toxic metal mercury might just be hiding in plain sight!
The thingis,- mercury isn’t just harmful for yourskin;, it’s also a potent health hazard that can enter your bloodstream and cause some major long-term damage.
Issues like skin rashes,discoloration, permanent scarring, uneven blemishes and several other matters might start cropping up and instead of looking prettier, you might just start looking worse!
According to the report by Mint, mercury-based products like skin-lightening creams, anti-aging solutions or serums, and eye makeup are some of the highlighted red-flag items that have been flagged as ‘risky.’ Despite the fact that they promise quick and easy-fix ‘miracles’ that seem too good to be true—you’re correct! Those products are, indeed, too good to be actually true—because they’re not, and they potentially include harmful toxins and chemicals.
The Current Norms on Mercury Content in Makeup
Make-up isn’t fully banned yet! However, there are some strict regulations that every consumer must know, and more importantly, every entrepreneur should follow.
- Currently, Indian regulations permit the limited use of mercury in cosmetology. According to rule 39 subsection 5 of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, any cosmetics meant for the eyes are allowed to contain up to 70 parts per million or 0.007% of mercury as a preservative.
- For all other types of cosmetics, this number goes up a little, but it should not exceed 1 ppm.
- However, the DCGI subcommittee is already looking at a stricter standard, which is a nationwide ban on the manufacture, import, and subsequent export of any cosmetics containing mercury beyond 1 ppm.
- Interestingly, if this were to happen, then India would be in alignment with the Minamata Convention, an international treaty that seeks to eliminate mercury from consumer products on a global basis.
Surprise Testing Might Start Soon…
This hasn’t been declared yet, but cosmetic companies may very soon be required to self-declare whether they are using any mercury in their products. Following this, the regulatory bodies and authorities are authorized to make surprise lab tests and random sampling of products. This would be authorized by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
How are Brands Reacting to this?
Of course, several brands and companies have already started operations to state their position. Renowned cosmetic brand L’Oreal India told Mint that it does not intentionally use mercury in any of its products, even worldwide.
Other leading brands like Lakme, Nykaa, and Sugar Cosmetics have not responded to any media queries yet.
However, a government official was seen remarking that wherever a casual approach has been noticed concerning the handling of toxic substances, it must be noted that the risk to human life and the environment is much higher. He mentioned that it would be the smarter path to simply manage toxic substances or completely mitigate their use of them.
How Consumers can Protect themselves
It might interest you to know that mercury is not just confined to cosmetics but also to household products, including medical devices. The global agreement and the Minamata Convention all aim to reduce the overall impact on humans and the environment in general and consumers can protect themselves by at least reading the product labels carefully.
It is highly important for consumers to be wary of those products that promise ‘miracle’ age-reversal results, as these are the biggest red flags.
It is also recommended to opt for natural alternatives and use reputable brands—even if it costs a little more than the cheaper knock-off you were eyeing.
