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【Philippines】The 44th Pakistani Product with Toxic Mercury

Jul 26, 2026

Editor’s Note

**Editor’s Note:** The EcoWaste Coalition has flagged a dangerous skin-lightening cream from Pakistan containing nearly 15,000 ppm of mercury—far above safe limits. This alert underscores the urgent need for stricter regulation of online cosmetics sales to protect public health.

Exposure of Toxic Skin-Lightening Product

On July 20, the EcoWaste Coalition exposed a skin-lightening product made in Pakistan with mercury concentrations approaching 15,000 parts per million (ppm).
In a statement, the toxics watchdog group said it purchased a Bio Gold Papaya Whitening Beauty Cream with Honey from an online seller for P320, and which was manufactured last December and expires in December 2028.
Upon using a handheld analyzer, the group detected 14,880 ppm of mercury in the facial cream.
It was the 44th Pakistan-made product that had big amounts of the deadly chemical.
EcoWaste said the detection of mercury in the skin cream, which promised “wrinkle-free face, visible whiteness and reduced dark spots,” violated the Minamata Convention of Mercury, which bans the use of mercury in cosmetics.

“While the label includes a list of ingredients, the omission of mercury and its compounds leaves consumers uninformed,” the group said.

List of Suspected Products

Apart from the Bio Gold Papaya Whitening Beauty Cream, the other products were also thought to have excessive amounts of mercury and were reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: Aima Gold Beauty Cream; Aneeza Gold Beauty Cream; Aneeza Safron Beauty Cream; AQME Beauty Cream; Arayna Papaya Glow Beauty Cream; Arena Gold Beauty Cream; Arena Gold New Fairness Cream for Men; Armena Gold Beauty Cream; Biocos Beauty Cream; Bio Gold Papaya Whitening Beauty Cream; Chandni Day & Night Whitening Cream (black packaging); Chandni Whitening Cream (white packaging); Chandni Whitening Cream Men’s; Due Beauty Cream; Face Fresh Beauty Cream; Faiza Beauty Cream; Fresh & White Beauty Cream; Golden Pearl Beauty Cream (gold and red packaging); Golden Pearl Beauty Cream (gold and yellow packaging); Golden Pearl Beauty Cream with Gluta Serum; Golden Pearl Ultra Glam Beauty Cream; Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream; Goree Gold 24K 3-in-1 Beauty Kit; Goree 4-in-1 Beauty Kit; Jhalak Beauty Cream; Morning Face Beauty Cream; Navia Gluta Bright Beauty Cream; Parley 24K Gold Gleam Beauty Cream; Parley Beauty Cream; Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream; Parley Whitening Cream; Pure Pearl Beauty Cream; Safora Beauty Cream; Sandal Whitening Beauty Cream; Sativa Beauty Cream; Seven Herbal Beauty Cream; Seven Herbal Ubtan; Super White Anti-Marks Cream; Super White Beauty Cream; Tibet Snow; Yaz Beauty Cream Double White + Vitamin C; Yaz Gold Beauty Cream Active White + 24K Gold Dust; Zartaaj Beauty Cream; and Zoya Gold Beauty Cream.

Consumer Advisory

EcoWaste Coalition called on consumers to read product labels and watch out for red flags, check e-commerce listings and visit the FDA’s verification portal.

“Embrace your natural skin color and challenge colorism, a form of discrimination or prejudice that favors people with lighter skin. Reject chemical whiteners entirely and take pride in your innate skin complexion,” the group said.

“If you have used skin-lightening products from unknown sources or with unknown composition and experience skin rashes, discoloration and other symptoms, immediately seek medical attention,” it emphasized.

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⏰ Published on: July 26, 2026