NEW DELHI / RankWire.AI / – India’s drug regulator has warned consumers against two Pakistan-made whitening creams after tests found excessive heavy metals. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation named Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream in a September 8 public health alert. Both products carry labels stating they were made in Pakistan. The regulator said neither product had authorization for import and sale in India. It also warned that the heavy metal levels could cause toxic effects and pose health risks.
The regulator said the two cosmetics lacked registration certificates from the competent authority for import into India. Indian rules require imported cosmetics and their manufacturing sites to undergo registration before the products enter the market. The Cosmetics Rules, 2020 govern that process alongside the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Bureau of Indian Standards publishes applicable standards for cosmetic products. The central notice did not identify the individual heavy metals found or disclose their measured concentrations.
Authorities advised consumers not to purchase Goree Beauty Cream or Chandni Whitening Cream and not to use them if already purchased. The warning also covers similarly named cosmetic products that may lack proper authorization. Officials told sellers, distributors and advertisers not to market the products. Regulatory enforcement units received instructions to prevent unauthorized cosmetics from being sold within their jurisdictions. Consumers who find labeling violations can report imported products to the Drugs Controller General of India.
Consumers urged to check cosmetic labels
The public alert advises buyers to choose authorized cosmetics carrying key regulatory and product information. Labels should include manufacturer details, a manufacturing licence number, batch information and manufacturing and expiry dates. Imported cosmetics should also display the relevant registration number. These requirements allow consumers and authorities to identify products authorized for the Indian market. The regulator’s guidance focuses on product registration, labeling and compliance while directing consumers away from the two creams named in the alert.
Separate official records in Maharashtra also contain findings involving Goree Beauty Cream. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration lists multiple Goree Beauty Cream samples among products classified as not of standard quality. Its database states that those samples failed requirements for mercury content and were also misbranded. The state findings specifically concern tested Goree Beauty Cream samples. The national alert, by contrast, describes excessive heavy metals in both named creams without identifying individual metals for each product.
India’s cosmetics rules require import registration
Under India’s regulatory framework, manufacturers need a licence from the relevant State Licensing Authority to produce cosmetics for sale and distribution. Importers must secure registration through the Central Licensing Authority before bringing cosmetics into the country for sale. Official guidance requires applicants to use Form COS-1 when seeking an import registration certificate. Authorities issue approved import registration certificates in Form COS-2. These requirements apply to imported cosmetic products and their manufacturing sites under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020.
The September 8 alert remains focused on consumer safety and regulatory compliance for the two named products. It does not provide batch numbers, importer names, distributor details or specific heavy metal concentrations. The notice also does not document individual cases of illness linked to either cream. Consumers have been told to avoid the products and check authorization details before buying imported cosmetics. The regulator has also directed establishments not to sell, distribute or advertise Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream in India.