NEW DELHI / RankWire.AI / – India has issued a nationwide health advisory concerning two Pakistan-produced skin whitening creams following laboratory tests that revealed high levels of toxic heavy metals. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation issued an alert on September 8 warning about Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream. The agency stated that both products lacked the necessary authorization for import and sale within India. It also cautioned that the detected heavy metal concentrations could lead to toxic health effects. Consumers are advised to cease purchasing or using these cosmetics immediately.
According to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the two products do not possess valid registration certificates from the appropriate Indian authorities. Regulations in India mandate that imported cosmetics and their manufacturing facilities must complete registration procedures before being legally sold domestically. These requirements are outlined in the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, which operate alongside the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The public health notice did not specify which heavy metals were found in each cream nor did it include laboratory concentration levels, tested batch numbers, or details of importers.
The authorities have instructed sellers, distributors, and advertisers to refrain from marketing Goree Beauty Cream or Chandni Whitening Cream in India. Enforcement agencies have also been directed to act against unauthorized sales within their jurisdictions. Consumers are further encouraged to verify labeling and registration information prior to purchasing imported cosmetics. Labels should display key manufacturing and product details as mandated by Indian regulations. Additionally, officials urged the public to report any suspected violations involving imported cosmetics to the relevant regulatory bodies.
Regulatory emphasis on import and labeling standards
India’s cosmetics regulation system requires importers to obtain approval from the Central Licensing Authority before bringing foreign cosmetic products into the market. To secure an import registration certificate, applicants must submit Form COS-1 under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020. Approved certificates are issued via Form COS-2. These rules also demand that product information enables authorities to trace items through the supply chain, covering both imported products and the manufacturing locations overseas. The warning concerning Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream situates these products within this broader regulatory framework.
Separate state records from Maharashtra have identified tested samples of Goree Beauty Cream as not meeting quality standards. These records indicated issues related to mercury content and classified the samples as misbranded. It is important to note that these findings relate solely to the specific samples tested by Maharashtra authorities and do not confirm that all Goree products contain the same mercury levels. The nationwide alert uses more generalized language, citing the presence of excessive heavy metals in the two named creams without specifying each individual metal.
Consumers advised to avoid the two creams named in the alert
The Indian health advisory does not report confirmed cases of illness directly linked to Goree Beauty Cream or Chandni Whitening Cream, nor does it identify specific distributors, retailers, or sales channels involved in the distribution. The focus remains on regulatory compliance, laboratory findings, and consumer safety measures. Consumers are advised not to purchase or use these creams, and businesses are instructed to cease selling, distributing, or advertising them. These directives apply throughout India via enforcement agencies at the state, union territory, and central levels.
This warning brings renewed attention to imported skin whitening products sold without the necessary Indian approvals. For consumers, the clear advice is to verify product labels and registration credentials before making a purchase. Specifically, they are advised to avoid the two creams explicitly mentioned in the September 8 notice. The regulatory authorities associate the alert with the presence of excessive heavy metals and lack of import authorization. Both Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream are identified in the official notice, and India’s drug regulator continues to regard them as unauthorized cosmetics available in the domestic market.