Maharashtra bans Pak beauty cream with mercury & lead level above safe limit, 18 women fall ill

Eighteen women in Nagpur, Maharashtra, reported kidney issues over two years after using Goree Beauty Cream bought via social media and e-commerce sites. Tests by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found mercury and lead levels in samples of the cream at several times above the legal limit, prompting a statewide crackdown and a ban on the product.

Eighteen women in Nagpur developed kidney disorders over a two-year period after using Pakistan-made skin-lightening creams, according to UNI report. The cases prompted the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to raid local shops and seize cream samples for laboratory analysis.

The cream, made in Pakistan, is used for skin lightening by blocking melanin, but the FDA said it can also lead to mercury absorption and kidney damage.

In a release issued on July 4, the FDA also warned against two other skin-lightening products found unsafe for use: Face Fresh Gold products listed as Beauty Cream and Beauty Serum, and Golden Star Beauty Cream. The department ordered an immediate stop to the use, sale and distribution of all three products after laboratory tests found mercury and lead levels far above the permissible limits.

The FDA said prolonged exposure to these toxic heavy metals can damage the skin, kidneys and nervous system. It also said the products did not carry mandatory labelling details such as the manufacturer’s name and address, batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date, in violation of cosmetic regulations. Consumers have been advised to stop using or buying the products immediately.

Retailers, wholesalers, distributors and e-commerce platforms have been directed to stop the sale, stocking and distribution of the products. Stockists have been asked to recall available stocks and report the quantity recovered to the nearest FDA office.

One of the products, Goree Beauty Cream, is reportedly of Pakistani origin. The alert comes days after Mumbai Police registered a criminal case against a Chembur shopkeeper for allegedly stocking and selling Goree cream despite the Centre’s ban on imports from Pakistan.

The action is part of a wider statewide drive against unsafe and substandard products. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Munde said that the department raided 34 manufacturing units in June and acted against illegal drugs, medical products and cosmetics worth ₹4.12 crore. Of this, products worth ₹2.86 crore were seized and the sale of products worth ₹1.26 crore was prohibited.

In June, FDA laboratories tested 787 samples of drugs, cosmetics and medical products, of which 752 met quality standards and 35 were declared Not of Standard Quality. Nine FIRs were registered and two people were arrested.

Dangers of mercury in cosmetics 

The US FDA warns that illegally marketed skin-lightening creams frequently contain high levels of mercury, a toxic heavy metal absorbed through the skin. 

Prolonged exposure causes mercury to accumulate in the body, leading to: 

• Organ damage: Severe kidney impairment. 
• Neurological issues: Nervous system disorders, tremors, numbness, headaches, memory problems, and depression. 
• Systemic symptoms: Chronic fatigue and skin rashes. 

The US FDA notes that mercury contamination easily spreads to family members via shared towels, clothing, and bedding, exposing the entire household to toxicity risks that scale with usage frequency. 

Global crackdown on Pak beauty cream

The Maharashtra actions follow a string of international regulatory bans targeting Goree-branded skin-lightening products: 

• 2021 (New Zealand): Medsafe ordered consumers to stop using Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene after lab tests detected both mercury and lead. 
• 2025 (The Philippines): The Philippines FDA issued a public health advisory against Goree Beauty Kit products due to a lack of regulatory authorization and unassured safety. 
• Environmental Action: Philippine environmental watchdog BAN Toxics verified extremely high mercury levels in independent laboratory tests of the creams, demanding stricter enforcement against their sale.