Hair and eyelash dye product recall

22 June 2010

The voluntary recall of certain hair and eyelash dye products has created widespread confusion among retail pharmacies.

1000 Hour Eyelash & Brow Kit, Grecian 5 Five-Minute Haircolour 30ml, Grecian 2000 Cream and Conditioner 60g, Grecian 2000 Lotion with Conditioner 125ml and Silvercheck Hair Cream 150ml have been voluntarily recalled by their suppliers as they contain the banned substances lead acetate, m-Phenylenediamine and p-Phenylenediamine.

An investigation by Top Shelf Productions, producers of the consumer television series What’s in our……? found the products do not comply with the Cosmetic Products Group Standard 2006, regulated by the New Zealand Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).

The public is being advised to return the products to the retailer they purchased it from for a full refund. Community pharmacy is being asked to contact suppliers to effectively manage the recall.

However, until late in the afternoon community pharmacy was still not clear which specific products in the 1000 Hour Eyelash & Brow Kit range were involved, the exact banned substances they are supposed to contain, and what the possible risks to the public are from those substances.

Christchurch-based Gary Harris Limited that supplies Silvercheck Hair Cream 150ml says it is not its responsibility to inform individual retail pharmacies of the recall and staff should check newspaper notices issued by the product’s manufacturers to find out what they are supposed to do.

Auckland-based Wilson Consumer Products says it is responsible for the recall of only two Grecian products and is accordingly informing community pharmacy.

Phillico (2002) Limited, suppliers of 1000 Hour Eyelash & Brow Kit, says only natural black and blue/black variants of its products are being recalled.

When contacted by Pharmacy Today, neither ERMA not the Ministry of Consumer Affairs was aware of the specifics of the recall and the substances and products involved.

An ERMA spokesperson says the recall was initiated voluntarily by suppliers. However, the recall highlights the failure of the regulatory mechanism under which banned substances were allowed to be sold in New Zealand in the first place.

Top Shelf Productions producer Belinda McLeod says she was shocked to learn many retailers did not know they were stocking products containing banned substances.

“It’s a self regulating industry and if the retail shops don’t know what some of these banned substances are, it is unlikely consumers would either.”

The ERMA spokesperson says it is the responsibility of manufacturers and importers to ensure the products they manufacture and import comply with the Group Standard.

“However, retailers should also seek assurances from their suppliers the cosmetics they are being supplied with are safe,” senior communications advisor Sarah Kenward says.

“We would strongly advise any retailer with concerns to contact their suppliers to ensure the products they are selling comply with the Cosmetic Products Group Standard.”

Meanwhile, the Cosmetic Toiletries and Fragrances Association that represents the suppliers says most of the products involved in the recall are freely available in Australia and the US and do not pose risk to consumers.

Executive director Garth Wyllie says New Zealand follows European standards and since the named substances are banned in Europe, New Zealand followed suit and the recall is essentially erring on the side of caution.

Meanwhile, the suppliers say they are finding it difficult to reach out to all pharmacies to effectively manage the recall.

“It was easier to contact the pharmacy banner groups such as PBL and Radius and convey the message to their member pharmacies. But we are trying to reach independent pharmacies through (pharmacy management software vendors such as) Toniq and LOTS,” Phillco director Belinda Hill says.

Submit Comment

<< Back