NAIL POLISH NEWS ALERT!

After arriving to HK yeaterday the first thing I have in mind is to clear up our flat in St. Joan Court and have my nails done. Sadly, I was only able to de-clutter the space and never came up to do my nails. :(

Anyway, before going to bed last night  I promised myself that in the morning  I'll be doing my nails and no one is going to stop me. Morning comes  and sure enough luck is playing a game on me as hubby heard something about the danger of nail polish over the radio while he's taking his morning shower.

Immediately I got up from bed and took in the paper that's lying infront of our doorstep. And this is what I saw.

Wtitten by Amy Nip

Ladies, with colourful nails, beware.

The consumer Council has found a cancer-causing substance and other harmful chemical in nail polish. The watchdog tested 42 brands costing from Hk$ 5.00 to Hk$180.00 for their levels of heavy metals, solvents and chemicals

Carcinogenic benzene, which is banned in cosmetic products according to mainland safety standards, was detected in four models: BNC manicure's vitamin super nail hardener, Violili 846, Skin food's jojoba pure nail PK004 ans Skin Food's milk creamy nail base coat.

BNC manicure also contained 41,000 parts per million  of methanol-a level 20 times that of the mainland standards.

"Methanol can be absorbed by skin. An excessive amount of it could cause poisoning and pose harmful effects to the liver and kidney," The head of the council's publicity and community relations committee Ambrose Ho said.

Nausea, tiredness and headache are some symptoms of poisoning according to the council.

Apart from benzene, two chemicals commonly referred to as DEHP and MMA were detected in Volili's polish sample. DEHP, a plastic softener, shoud not exist in cosmetic products according to mainland and EU standards. MMA could cause allergies and Health Canada advises against its use in cosmetic products.

Toluene is another solvent that demands attention. It was found in a flower polish with a concentration of 27 per cent, slightly higher thatn the 25 per cent limit specified in the Cosmetict Directive in the European Union. Its toxicity could affect the central nervouse system and irritate the respiratory tract.

The President of the Hong kong Medical Associataion, Dr. Choi Kin, said benzene could affect bone marrow, and prolonged exposure could cause leukemia. He said a lab test had showed that DEHP caused liver cancer in mice. and the substance can irritate human eyes and noses.

Choi said  it was not easy for nails to absorb the substances, but it would be dangerous if women applied the polish then touched their face or mouth.

The council advised women not to use polish every day and said they should buy the products at shops with good reputation.

Frequent use of nail removal solutions may also harm the nails, the council's chief executive, Connie Lau Yin- hing said. Instead of removing the polish on a chipped nail, users can apply additional colouring on the affected areas, she recommended.

The four nail polish models with benzene were passed to customs. According to test results of the government laboratory, BNC manicure failed the safety standards. The Customs Department, which is responsible for consumer law ans uses mainland standards for cosmetic product, has seized 100 samples.

A person incharge at Dr. Hair & Beauty, which sold BNC manicure polish said the product was no longer on its racks.

Skin Food said the amount of benzene in its polishes complied with the EU's limit of 1,000ppm. However, customers with receipts could get refunds. The chain also stop selling the two polishes.

After reading this article now I'm more curious if companies should include ingredient list on their very small bottles of nail polish and if that happens will I bother reading them? hmmmm....

Nail polish containing benzene

《顏色指甲油》 "Color Nail Polish"


牌子： BNC manicure Brand: BNC manicure


型號： vitamin SUPER NAIL HARDENER Model: vitamin SUPER NAIL HARDENER


售價：$5　來源地：韓國苯含量： 260ppm Price: $ 5 Source: Korea benzene content: 260ppm






牌子： Volili Brand: Volili


型號： 846 Model: 846


售價：$8　來源地：不明苯含量： 30ppm Price: $ 8 source: Unknown benzene content: 30ppm






牌子： SKIN FOOD Brand: SKIN FOOD


型號： Jojoba Pure Nail PK004 Model: Jojoba Pure Nail PK004


售價：$45　來源地：南韓苯含量： 9.7ppm Price: $ 45 Origin: South Korea benzene: 9.7ppm






牌子： CHANEL Brand: CHANEL


型號： LE VERNIS Nail Colour 507 Tendresse Model: LE VERNIS Nail Colour 507 Tendresse


售價：$180　來源地：法國苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 180 Origin: France benzene content: micro-level is less than 5ppm






牌子： JILLSTUART Brand: JILLSTUART


型號： Nail Lacquer N41 romantic berry Type: Nail Lacquer N41 romantic berry


售價：$110　來源地：日本苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 110 Source: Japan benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






牌子： BOURJOIS Paris Brand: BOURJOIS Paris


型號： false nail effect 52 Rose precieux Model: false nail effect 52 Rose precieux


售價：$68　來源地：法國苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 68 Origin: France benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






牌子： BEAUTE de KOSE Brand: BEAUTE de KOSE


型號： ESPRIQUE PRECIOUS PK 811 Model: ESPRIQUE PRECIOUS PK 811


售價：$60　來源地：日本苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 60 Source: Japan benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






牌子： CALLAR Brand: CALLAR


型號： Nail Polish N5 Type: Nail Polish N5


售價：$19　來源地：法國苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 19 Origin: France benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






牌子： Pinkey Brand: Pinkey


型號： Nail Colors code:353 Type: Nail Colors code: 353


售價：$9.5　來源地：不明苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 9.5 source: unknown benzene content: micro-level is less than 5ppm






牌子： Touch Color Brand: Touch Color


型號： Nail Enamel Type: Nail Enamel


售價：$8　來源地：不明苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 8 source: Unknown benzene content: micro-level is less than 5ppm






牌子： Flower Brand: Flower


型號： Nail Polish Type: Nail Polish


售價：$6　來源地：不明苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 6 source: unknown benzene content: micro-level is less than 5ppm






《底油或多用途指甲油》 "Multi-purpose base oil or nail polish"


牌子： SKIN FOOD Brand: SKIN FOOD


型號： Milk Creamy Nail Base Coat Type: Milk Creamy Nail Base Coat


售價：$50　來源地：韓國苯含量： 11ppm Price: $ 50 Source: Korea benzene content: 11ppm






牌子： SHISEIDO（資生堂） Brand: SHISEIDO (Shiseido)


型號： MAQUillAGE Top and Base Coat Model: MAQUillAGE Top and Base Coat


售價：$90　來源地：日本苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 90 Source: Japan benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






牌子： REVLON（露華濃） Brand: REVLON (Revlon)


型號： Quick Dry Base Coat 955 9689-93 Model: Quick Dry Base Coat 955 9689-93


售價：$50　來源地：美國苯含量：少於5ppm屬微量水平 Price: $ 50 Source: USA benzene: trace level is less than 5ppm






資料來源：消委會《選擇》 Source: CC "Choice"

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