A recent spot-check by China's Ministry of Health has found that 10.5% of imported cosmetics and 8.3% domestic products fail to meet quality standards.
The MOH examined 43,125 cosmetic products across the country last year, of which 91.5% met quality standards, equaling that of the previous year. The unqualified cosmetics mainly used banned materials or excessive ingredients.
In September last year, the sale of SK-II cosmetics was suspended in China after quarantine quality and control authorities discovered chromium and neodymium in twelve SK-II products imported from Japan. Thousands of angry consumers demanded refunds following media reports suggesting that Chromium could cause eczema and neodymium could cause skin irritation, along with damage to the lungs and liver if inhaled.
China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, later commented in a joint statement with the MOH in October that traces of the banned substances would not affect the health of customers. They subsequently revoked the ban on the sale of SK-II cosmetics in China.
