Maharashtra FDA issues alert on cosmetic products with toxins: Dr Riya Oswal shares tips on making right beauty choices

Consumers should exercise caution when purchasing skincare products, as some may contain harmful substances like mercury and lead.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (MFDA) warned people on Sunday against using three cosmetic products after finding that they contained mercury and lead levels far above the permissible limits.

The MFDA declared the following products as substandard: Goree Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Gold (Beauty Cream + Beauty Serum), and Golden Star Beauty Cream. The MFDA conducted tests on these products and found they are not safe for us to use, warning that prolonged application could damage the kidneys, nervous system, and skin.

While a disclaimer has been issued about these products, the news raises much bigger concerns and underscores the importance of knowing what we are putting on our skin. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Riya Oswal, clinical nutritionist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, shared tips on how consumers can be informed buyers, what to see and avoid, and what not to do, including blindly following influencers.

Becoming informed buyers

Becoming a smart buyer ensures that your skincare does not contain harmful chemicals. (Adobe Stock.)

According to Dr Riya, when we buy skincare and beauty products, we need to be careful. We should not just buy something because it looks nice or because someone famous is using it. We need to ensure the product is safe for us to use.

Stressing how mercury and lead in skincare products can be harmful, she explained, “Mercury and lead are bad for our health. If we use these products for a long time, we can get very sick. Most products that we buy from stores are safe. Some products might not be. These products might not have been checked to make sure they are safe, or they might have ingredients that are not good for us.”

What can we do to stay safe?

She suggests, “We need to ensure that we read the labels on the products before we buy them. A good product will list all ingredients. It will have the name of the company that made it. It will also have a batch number, the date it was made, and the date it will expire.”

She further stressed the importance of buying skincare products from trusted companies: “If we buy products from a store or a website that we do not know, we might get a product that's not safe. Some products are fake. They might not be good for our skin.”

Moreover, some vendors sell products on social media, and they might not be telling the truth about what is in them. Just because someone famous is using a product does not mean it is good for us. We need to be careful and do our research before buying anything.

Moreover, if we end up using a product that makes our skin red or itchy, we need to stop using it immediately. If the problem persists, it is pertinent to see a doctor. “We should also keep the product and its packaging so we can show them to the doctor or the company that made it,” she advised.

Lastly, Dr Riya noted that we need to become smart buyers when it comes to skincare and beauty products and keep a checklist to ensure we are not making any mistakes: Read the labels and buy products from trusted companies to keep your skin healthy and safe.