'Ally' Direct Purchase Eyeshadow Contains 20 Times Lead Limit... "Caution for Cosmetic Consumers"

Harmful Substances Detected in Eye Area Cosmetics

Arsenic levels approximately 20 times higher than the standard were detected in eyeshadows purchased through overseas platforms such as AliExpress. Heavy metals like arsenic can harm health if absorbed through the skin, so caution is advised.

On the 10th, Seoul City announced that out of 159 overseas direct purchase products tested, harmful substances exceeding the standard were found in five cosmetics and one hiking jacket. Heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and nickel exceeded domestic standards.

First, five eye and eyebrow cosmetic products sold on AliExpress significantly exceeded domestic harmful substance standards. Arsenic was detected in eyeshadow at 198.1㎍/g, which is 19.8 times the domestic standard, and some products contained lead and arsenic exceeding the standards by 3.6 times and 1.7 times, respectively.

Nickel exceeding domestic standards was detected in mascara, eyebrow, and eyeliner products. Mascara exceeded the standard by 1.2 times, eyebrow products by 1.8 times, and eyeliner by 2.1 times.

In a functional hiking jacket purchased from Temu, nickel release from the zipper area was detected at 1.4 times the domestic standard. Nickel can cause allergic contact dermatitis, and symptoms such as swelling, rash, and itching may occur upon skin contact.

The city plans to request the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and related agencies, as well as overseas online platform companies, to suspend sales of the six products that did not meet domestic standards.

Kim Tae-hee, Director of the Seoul City Citizen Health Bureau, said, "Since the harmfulness of overseas direct purchase cosmetics has been continuously confirmed, citizens should exercise careful attention, such as purchasing domestic products whose safety has been verified."