LIST: KEBS bans 131 cosmetic brands over contamination with mercury, hydroquinone

The Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KEBS) has banned 131 cosmetic brands over their alleged contamination with mercury and hydroquinone forms of drug compounds.

According to a statement issued by KEBS on Tuesday, the said beauty products including soaps, skin-lightening creams and lotions have not been registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of the Ministry of Health for medical use and should only be applied under the directions of a medical doctor.

KEBS, therefore, prohibits the sale of the listed brands, further threatening legal action against any firm found dealing in the products.

“KEBS wishes to notify the public that the below-listed cosmetic brands are banned and therefore should not be sold. The products contain harmful substances which are hydroquinone, mercury and its compounds,” read the statement.

“The prohibition/ban is aimed at protecting unsuspecting consumers and discouraging dumping of these products in the Kenyan Market. Hydroquinone, Mercury, oxidizing agents and hormonal preparations are used for treating various medical conditions."

The statement added: “They are classified as drugs and should be applied only upon the advice and direction of a medical doctor. All skincare preparations like creams, lotions, gels, soaps, etc. containing hydroquinone, steroids and hormonal preparations should be registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of the Ministry of Health for medical use.”

KEBS cautions on the long-term effects of the products such as rashes, swelling, redness or peeling, fatigue, weakness, bone pain, skin discolouration, kidney damage, digestive illnesses, and nervous diseases

Products which have been quantified fit for use include; Betnovate, Mediven, Diprosone,  Nerisone, Hydrocortisone, 0xy 5 and 0xy 10.

SOAPS CONTAINING MERCURY AND ITS COMPOUNDS

1.       Movate

2.       Mekako

3.       Jaribu

4.       Tura

5.       Acura

6.       Rico

7.       Fair lady

8.       Elegance

9.       Miki

10.   Jambo

SKIN LIGHTENING CREAMS CONTAINING MERCURY AND ITS COMPOUNDS

1.       Pimplex medicated cream

2.       Pimplex medicated cream

3.       New shirley medicated cream

4.       Cream preparations containing hydrogen peroxide(h2o2)

5.       Hot movate gel

6.       Tenovate

7.       Soft and beautiful cream

8.       Unic clear super cream

9.       Peau claire gel plus

10.   Peau claire cream

11.   Jolen cream, skin preparations continting steroids

12.   Movate cream, skin success gel

13.   Amira –c

14.   Neu clear gel

15.   Body clear cream spot remover

16.   Top gel plus

17.   Lemonvate cream, secret gel

18.   Tcb gel plus

19.   Topifram cream

20.   Skin balance lemon cream

21.   Dermo -gel plus

22.   Fashion fair gel plus

23.   Visible difference gel

24.   Sivoclair cream

25.   Action demovate cream

26.   Regge lemon gel

27.   Ultimate lady gel

28.   topifram gel plus

29.   Age renewal cream

30.   Fair & white gel plus

31.   Peau clair gel plus

32.   Fashion fair cream

33.   First class lady cream

34.   Skin success cream

35.   Neu clear cream plus

36.   Jaribu beta - β cream

37.   Body treat cream spot remover

38.   Clair & lovely gel, peau clair cream

39.   Soft & beautiful gel

40.   Action demovate gel plus

41.   Prosone gel

42.   Skin balance gel wrinkle remover

43.   Ultra-gel plus

44.   Pro-one gel mca

45.   Betalemon cream

46.   Skin balance cream wrinkle remover

SKIN-LIGHTENING LOTIONS, CREAMS AND GELS CONTAINING HYDROQUINONE

1.       Jaribu skin lightening lotion

2.       A3 lemon skin lightening lotion Princess lotion

3.       Amira skin lightening lotion

4.       Kiss lotion

5.       Peau Claire beauty body lotion

6.       A3 clear touch complexion lotion

7.       Rico skin lightening lotion

8.       Clear touch lotion

9.       Fair white body clearing milk

10.   Sivoclair lightening body lotion

11.   Extra clair lightening body lotion

12.   Precieux treatment beauty lotion

13.   Clear essence skin beautifying milk

1.       Ultra clear

2.       Topiclear

3.       Body clear

1.       Jaribu cream

2.       Madonna medicated cream

3.       Tura skin toning cream

4.       Kiss -medicated beauty cream

5.       Zarina medicated skin lightener cream

6.       Lolane cream, nadinola cream

7.       Mic skin lightener cream

8.       Clere lemon cream

9.       Butone cream

10.   Miki beauty cream

11.   Island beauty skin fade cream

12.   Ikb medicated cream

13.   Care plus fairness cream

14.   A3 skin lightening cream, ambi american formula

15.   Ambi extra complexion cream for men

16.   A3 tripple action cream pearl light

17.   Fairlady skin lightening cream

18.   Clear touch cream

19.   Rico skin tone crème

20.   Princess medicated beauty cream

21.   Immediat claire lighten

22.   Mekako cream

23.   Yesako medicated beauty cream

24.   Mrembo medicated beauty cream

25.   Uno21 cream

26.   Envi skin toner, viva super lemon

27.   Glotone complexion cream

28.   Tonight night beauty cream

29.   Clere extra cream

30.   Malaika medicated beauty cream

31.   Crusader skin toning cream

32.   Malibu medicated cream

33.   Opiclear cream, carekako medicated cream

34.   Dream successful

35.   Cleartone skin toning cream

36.   Cleartone extra skin toning cream

37.   Elegance skin lightening cream

38.   Fade out cream

39.   Crusader ultra-brand cream

40.   Baraka skin lightening cream

41.   Amira cream

42.   Rico complexion cream

43.   Shirley cream

44.   Princess patra luxury complexion cream

45.   Ambi special complexion cream

46.   Nindola cream, claire creme

47.   Fulani creme eclaircissante

48.   Binti jambo cream

49.   Dear heart with hydroquinone cream

50.   Nish medicated cream

51.   Palmer's skin success fade cream

52.   Body clear cream

53.   Symba creme skin lite 'n' smooth

54.   Clear essence medicated fade cream

55.   O'nyia skin crème

56.   Mr. Clere cream

57.   Top lemon plus cream

58.   Ultime skin lightening cream

59.   Peau claire crème eclaircissante

As the state corporation intensifies crackdown against the aforementioned products, the public has been urged to report any banned item in the market for action.

“We encourage the public to be vigilant and inform KEBS upon encountering any products suspected to be substandard,” KEBS noted.