KEBS Bans 435 Beauty Products [LIST]

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), has banned 435 cosmetics from the Kenyan market after they were found to have been contaminated by mercury and hydroquinone forms of drug compounds.

A statement issued by KEBS on Tuesday, November 1 revealed that the products affected include soaps, skin-lightening creams and lotions that 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.

In addition, the quality regulator vowed legal action against any firm found selling the products in the country.

“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.

An image of KEBS offices. /CAPITAL GROUP

“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 products, according to KEBS are classified as drugs and should be applied only upon the advice and direction of a medical doctor.

The regulator further warned Kenyans about 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.

Below is the full list of products:

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 containing 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

Lotions

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

Gels

1. Ultra clear
2. Topiclear
3. Body clear

Creams

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

Speaking on Friday, October 14 during the commemoration of World Standards day, where KEBS unveiled newly approved 474 standards for different products in the country, Bernard Njiraini, KEBS managing director revealed that Kenyans are taking preference for the products banned by the quality regulator which contain harmful chemicals.

Most of the banned products are available for Ksh1,000 from cosmetic shops and online marketplaces.

The cosmetics industry in Kenya is estimated at Ksh100 billion, with products such as deodorants and antiperspirants, glycerine, hair spray, lip balm (lip salve), lip shine (lip gloss), lipstick, aftershave, baby oils, body oils, and shea butter being in circulation every day.