Cosmetic products caused allergic reaction in 15% of Indian households: LocalCircles

• Around 34% of the respondents said that they received a counterfeit cosmetic product via online platforms in the last three years.
  
• 17% of the respondents encountered quality issues in the products they purchased.
  
• The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated in a report that more than 40% of fairness creams use mercury, which is banned in several countries.

Fake products are the bane of the online universe, but the problem is bigger when these fake products lead to ailments. A new survey by social network LocalCircles revealed that around 15% of the Indian households in India had an allergic reaction or severe ailment from cosmetic products they purchased in the last three years.

Shockingly, 34% of the respondents said that they received a counterfeit cosmetic product via online platforms in the last three years and 45% of them couldn’t return the product.

Over 17% of the respondents encountered quality issues in the products they purchased in the last three years, according to the survey report. Overall, 56% have had no issues at all with products purchased.

The platform conducted a pan-India survey and got over 37,000 responses from household consumers residing across 305 districts of India, including tier 1,2,3 and 4 cities.

“Unfortunately, due to lack of proper regulation, many of the cosmetic products, particularly those promising to make an individual fair and lovely, often contain ingredients that are not advised for use on humans,” the survey says.

LocalCircles also shared that as per a 2014 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), more than 40% of fairness creams use mercury, which is banned in several countries. Similarly, 60% of lipsticks tested had a presence of heavy metals, including chromium (toxic), which is a carcinogenic and nickel.

The CSE report said, “It is possible to eliminate these toxins from lipsticks, (but) the industry is not doing it, nor is the government forcing them to adhere to the set norms.”

According to LocalCircles, Indians have a greater love for cosmetic and skincare products and some even choose to undergo beauty treatment or therapy using varied products, including herbal and natural produce.

The beauty and personal care industry in India, which is said to be the 8th largest market in the world, was valued at $20 billion in 2020 as per LocalCircles report. The market is fuelled by both offline and online sales. In recent years, Nykaa, Mama Earth, Sugar Cosmetics, and others, have emerged as leading e-commerce players in the beauty and cosmetics segment in India.

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