Combine the reports carried by this newspaper and the public complaints received, and the authorities cannot but act to curb the sale of dangerous cosmetics containing carcinogens, like cadmium and mercury. The Health Ministry’s pharmaceutical bureau and enforcement arm are carrying out raids to remove these dangerous products from shelves and beauty salons. That beauty is a multi-million-ringgit industry suggests the extent to which such products have exposure, and consequently, the danger they pose to the public, in general, and to women, especially. The cheaper the brand, the bigger the danger, as many are virtually backyard enterprises and unregulated, given that the licence to trade is easily procured without the need to prove the products’ effectiveness and declare their contents. Customers are “promised” that beauty can be “found” in the bottles and jars containing these products, which can supposedly transform dark, pockmarked and freckled skin into a fair and smooth complexion.
When these concoctions work, the danger is even greater as customer loyalty is established. Unfortunately, cheap cosmetics are able to keep their “promise” because of the carcinogenic elements in them. So, please, remove suspect products from the shelves immediately. And, it would be fantastic if the ministry tests every product, regardless of its origin, whether locally or foreign-made, for safety.
When the law was promulgated, the leniency was aimed at promoting a money-spinning industry. Globally, beauty is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Market leaders are owned by people who have grown rich as the purveyors of beauty. Therefore, it is natural that there is a desire to tap into this highly lucrative market, which has now been proven to be very vulnerable. That the latter is true is evidenced by the fact that despite there being numerous scary stories of cosmetic surgery gone wrong, there is no end to those willing to go under the knife in the hopes of becoming replicas of Barbie dolls. While this falls under an individual’s right to decide how they want to look, poisons, on the other hand, are regulated and cannot be doled out with impunity.
Licensing, then, becomes a means to control, to ensure that the products sold are safe and effective. While this is covered under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and Poisons Act 1952 (Revised 1989), there obviously exists a loophole where the cosmetics industry is concerned. The loophole must be plugged, and those found to have knowingly contravened the law must be punished and the victims, duly compensated. Products must be certified fit for use before they are marketed, and certification must be based on laboratory tests conducted by the ministry, not manufacturers. Cosmetic surgeons must show proof of their skills before they are licensed. Products used in beauty salons must be certified locally, following stringent testing. Sentences for those convicted of trading in dangerous substances and practices must be made stiffer to act as a deterrent. Most importantly, enforcement must be stepped up. The beauty industry promises to deliver Barbie dolls in the flesh, but a Quasimodo here and there cannot be discounted. So, shelves cannot be filled with suspect products, the vetting of online beauty consultants must be a constant and direct sales enterprises should be closely monitored.