FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Bender, mercurypolicy@gmail.com
Online Pakistan Stores in USA Urged to Stop Selling Illegal Mercury-added Skin Lighteners
Companies out of compliance with NY AG’s October 7, 2025 ‘cease & desist notifications”
N.Y., N.Y., June 22, 2026—Mercury watchdog groups are calling on two New York businesses to remove illegal mercury added skin lightening products from their websites.
Aleena Cosmetics and Axabee Skincare were served “cease and desist notifications” on October 7, 2025 by the Office of the New York Attorneys General (OAG) for selling dozens of skin lightening products with mercury concentrations above the legal limit. The orders require the two NY businesses to stop sales and sales offering of mercury added skin lightening products.
However, online market surveillance by the Mercury Policy Project last week of the N.Y. websites revealed that several of these products are still being offered for sale. They include the following brand names or variations there of: Chandni Whitening Cream; Noor Gold Beauty Cream; Goree Beauty Cream; White Gold Anti-Marks Cream; Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream; Face Fresh Beauty Cream.
“We strongly encourage all businesses selling skin lightening products to take the necessary steps to remain in compliance with the law,” said Michael Bender, Executive Director of the Mercury Policy Project and co-coordinator of the Zero Mercury Working Group. “By regularly checking government websites, businesses can identify toxic products in advance, keep them from being sold and avoid any potential litigation and penalties.”
N.Y. Law prohibits the offer for sale or sale of cosmetic products containing more than “trace amounts” of mercury. Independent lab testing of products revealed mercury concentrations exceeding 30,000 parts per million (ppm). Both N.Y. state law and the Food and Drug Administration dictate that cosmetics may not contain more than 1 ppm of mercury. Uncompliant sellers face civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, per day.
Screen shots were presented not only of the above-mentioned illegal products identified by the OAG, but other suspect products as well. All told, more than twenty (20) suspect products were identified that are likely to contain dangerous and illegal levels of mercury. Almost all of the illegal or suspect products found on the two websites were previously lab tested by multiple government jurisdictions, including the N.Y. City Department of Health, and consumer warnings issued.
Mercury, when added into creams, lightens the skin by suppressing the production of melanin. Regular use of these toxic creams may lead to rashes, skin discoloration and blotching. Long-term use may damage the eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive and immune systems.
The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has suspended the licenses of six beauty cream brands after they were found to be in violation of safety and quality standards, including the presence of hazardous substances such as mercury. Some of these same brands are still being offered on the NY websites—as one, Aleena Cosmetics, advertises itself as the “Skincare Pakistan Online Official Store.”
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Endnotes:
MPP letter: https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/MPP_Hg_SLP_Letter_Aleena_Axabee_June_2026.pdf
Screenshots of illegal and/or suspect products: https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Aleena-screenshots-18June2026-1.pdf https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Axabee-screenshots-18June2026.pdf
N.Y.C. DOH warnings: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/mercury-in-soaps-and-creams.page, and https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/press/pr2025/health-department-warns-new-yorkers-about-skin-lightening-products.page
OAG press release: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-takes-action-protect-new-yorkers-illegal-mercury-skin
OAG October 7, 2025 ‘cease and desist notifications’: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/aleenacosmetics-inc-cease-and-desist-2025.pdf, and https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/axabee-skincare-cease-and-desist-2025.pdf
Recent PSQCA action in Pakistan: https://www.unep.org/globalmercurypartnership/news/blogpost/government-bans-sale-6-popular-beauty-creams-pakistan
ZMWG Campaign: https://www.zeromercury.org/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign/
ZMWG database: https://www.zeromercury.org/projects/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign-database/
Download the PR here: https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ZMWG_MPP_PR_21_June_2026.pdf
