Many people use various beauty products to enhance their appearance, a habit that can impact their skin. India’s drug regulatory authority, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has issued a warning regarding two cosmetic creams directly linked to Pakistan: ‘Gori Beauty Cream’ and ‘Chandni Whitening Cream’. The use of these two cosmetic products is completely unsafe. Questions have also been raised regarding their availability in the market.
While the government is taking strict measures against these products, they have managed to reach households through online channels, thereby casting a shadow on the practices of e-commerce companies. The CDSCO brought the entire matter to light by issuing a notification on September 8. The notice states that no registration certificate has been issued by any competent authority for the sale or import of these two Pakistani cosmetic products in India. These products have been launched in the Indian market illegally. Most alarmingly, these creams contain heavy metals in excess of permissible limits. Toxic ingredients present in them can harm your skin as well as internal organs.
The question now arises: how are these creams entering India? Following ‘Operation Sindoor’ last year, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade imposed a complete ban on goods originating from Pakistan. Yet, the manner in which these products are reaching India has become a major issue. Rishi Agrawal, CEO of the compliance management software company TeamLease Regtech, has stated that many Pakistani companies are misusing their distribution networks. Instead of shipping goods directly to India, these companies route their products into the Indian market through friendly nations like the UAE and Nepal. According to reports, imported goods are required to bear the name of the country of origin; however, to circumvent this rule, product packaging is often slightly altered in the UAE to create the impression that the goods were manufactured there. Illicit cosmetic products are entering India by exploiting this loophole.
The government has issued an advisory to the public regarding this matter. In its advisory, the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) has explicitly warned consumers not to purchase this cream under any circumstances. If anyone has already bought it, they should discard it immediately. According to experts, the central authority has directed state drug regulators to compile a list of distributors and retailers operating within their respective jurisdictions.
