Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS)

Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has urged the public to find right information on genuine cosmetics as ways to support efforts to eliminate toxic skin beauty products from the market.

The advice was given by the TBS Quality Control Officer Ms Hidaya Kabelege when she speaking with the citizens on the effects of toxic cosmetics and the importance of registering both food and cosmetics premises at the 2022 Cosmetics Day Festival held in Dar es Salaam recently.

“It is important for the public to seek right information on cosmetics before buying in order to avoid using cosmetics with toxic ingredients that have negative effects on the body,” she said.

She said for example, some Tanzanians had been using toxic cosmetics which contained mercury and hydroquinone ingredients for skin change with disregard to side-effects.

The festival was organized by the Tanzania Cosmetology Association (TCA) that aimed at giving education about cosmetics and their side effects and the importance of registering the production premises.

“This event has been so important to our company since we offer the education about the effects of using products that have toxic ingredients to the human body,” Ms Kabelege said.

In addressing the effects, Ms. Kabelege cited some of the cosmetic effects containing toxic substances highly affecting the skin mentioning skin irritation, swelling, total skin damage when the applicant is exposed to sunlight, and harm to women's reproductive system, adding the skin becomes softer leading to skin diseases like fungus or other disease infection.

Ms Kabelege also added that TBS has been carrying out the obligations following the 2019 and since then, TBS has been educating the citizens about the types of cosmetics that contain toxic substances that have been restricted over the effects.

According to Kabelege, before the agency was given the mandate in 2019, the registration of both food and cosmetics premises were placed under the previous Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA).