Cosmetics fail quality tests

Eighteen batches of cosmetic products have failed quality tests, the Shanghai Drug Administration announced on Monday.

A batch of body wash branded Perfumelife provided by the Shanghai Jinhua Hotel Co was found to contain bacterial colonies totaling 110,000 CFU (colony-forming units) per gram, 110 times the national limit, according to the administration.

The methanol content of another batch of hair gel provided by Shanghai Ouyang Jinmei Hairdressing Co was 82 times the national standard.

Two batches of RAY facial mask were found to have excessive clobetasol propionate, a steroid. Long-time use of cosmetics with clobetasol propionate can lead to corticosteroid addictive dermatitis, doctors warned.

The companies have been ordered to halt the sales of the substandard products and issue a recall.

An investigation is underway.

More than 1,700 cases of adverse reactions to cosmetic products were recorded in Shanghai last year, a surge of 41.6 percent from 2017, with almost half involving online sales, the city's drug watchdog reported.

Among the 1,706 cases reported by medical institutions and manufacturers, two were serious adverse reactions.

A total of 1,583 cases, or 92.79 percent, involved women, while the age of patients ranged between 1 and 92, with the majority between 20 and 50 years old.

These cases involved 2,049 products, with majority intended for skin care. 

Other products included beauty treatments, deodorants, anti-freckle cream, perfumes, hair dye and sunscreen.

Erythema, papula and edema were major symptoms.