Wonderglow and Tati under Singapore’s watch-list over mercury levels

Singapore’s Health Service Authority (HSA) has issued a warning against Wonderglow’s and Tati’s skin care products because of very high amounts of mercury found during testing.

The products include the Wonderglow Whitening Specialist Super Ultra Glowing Cream cosmetic set, which comprises a day cream, night cream and soap bar; and the Tati Skin Care 5-in-1 cosmetic set, which comprises a day cream, night cream, treatment cream, sunblock and cleanser.

The HSA warned that the Wonderglow set contains mercury exceeding permissible limits by 7,000 times, while the Tati set is 50,000 times over the limit, as well as containing hydroquinone and tretinoin.

Long-term exposure to cosmetic products with high levels of mercury can cause serious health consequences, including damage to the kidneys, and digestive and nervous systems while inappropriate use of hydroquinone and tretinoin could cause adverse skin reactions such as redness, burning and peeling of the skin, according to an advisory by the agency.

HSA reported that a woman in her 20s was detained when bringing the cosmetic sets from Malaysia into Singapore with the intention of selling them online.

HSA seized the products and also found that ‘Wonderglow’ was being sold online by other sellers, marketed as an anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing product, with claims to brighten the skin in “as early as 3 days”.

It was also falsely labelled as “100% no mercury guaranteed”.

The Tati set had already come to the authority’s attention in 2017, when it issued warnings to the public, but has now resurfaced online.

In addition to its mercury content, the agency also recommends that hydroquinone and tretinoin are, “potent western ingredients that should only be used under medical supervision”.