The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has issued a strong warning to Kenyans about the dangers of using banned cosmetics and skin lightening products, which could cause serious health complications.
Products such as bleaching creams, lotions, gels, and soaps—many of which contain harmful chemicals like hydroquinone, steroids, and mercury—are at the heart of the concern.
KEBS has listed banned products on its website, including popular skin lightening brands like Jaribu, Amira, Fair White, and Movate, among others.
Abdinasir Harret, KEBS Quality Assurance and Inspection Manager, highlighted that these products, often misused for skin lightening, can cause skin diseases and even cancer.
Speaking during a media training workshop in Garissa, Harret urged the media to play an active role in public sensitization campaigns aimed at preventing the use of these hazardous products.
“Some of these banned products contain hydroquinone or mercury, both of which are harmful to our health. They can lead to serious skin diseases or even increase the risk of cancer,” Harret warned.
He also noted that products such as Medfine, which are intended for medicinal use, are being misused as skin lighteners, especially in regions like Garissa and Wajir.
Despite the official ban, these harmful products continue to infiltrate the Kenyan market, often smuggled across porous borders such as the Kenya-Somalia border.
Harret assured that KEBS surveillance officers remain vigilant, taking swift legal action against traders and importers found dealing with such products.
