Toxics Link seeks nationwide ban on sales of mercury-containing skin lightening products across India

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Toxics Link,  an Indian environmental research and advocacy organisation, has welcomed the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration's (FDA) decisive action against nine cosmetic products found to contain toxic levels of mercury and lead, calling it a critical public health intervention that should now be replicated across the country through a nationwide ban on mercury-containing skin-lightening products.

In a public alert issued on 10 July 2026, the Maharashtra FDA declared nine cosmetic skin lightening products (8 creams and 1 soap) as "Not of Standard Quality" after laboratory analysis found mercury levels exceeding prescribed limits. One product was also found to contain excessive levels of lead. The regulator has directed an immediate halt to the sale, stocking and distribution of these products and initiated their recall from the market.

The products identified include Skinia Korean Goree Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Gold Plus Beauty Cream and Beauty Serum, Dazller Eterna Day Care Light Cream, Parley Beauty Cream, Malika Premium Beauty Cream, Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Goree Whitening Soap, Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream Pearl Shine, and Hania Beauty Cream.

Mostly produced in Pakistan and easily available to the public largely through e-commerce platforms, several of these products were found to be misbranded, lacking mandatory labelling information such as manufacturer details, batch numbers, manufacturing dates and expiry dates. All these skin lightening products are in violation to the national standard for mercury content in creams.

Toxics Link has urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to: ● Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale and distribution of all mercury-containing skin-lightening cosmetics across India. ● Strengthen surveillance and routine testing of cosmetic products available in both physical and online markets. ● Ensure swift product recalls and strict enforcement against manufacturers, importers and distributors violating safety standards. ● Improve customs oversight to prevent the import of non-compliant cosmetic products.