Banned and flagged cosmetics in India
Creams with mercury, hair dyes with a prohibited amine, imports cancelled for false labels, and the brands people ask about. Cosmetics are regulated under the Cosmetics Rules 2020; a failed lab test is about one batch, and an alert is not a ban. We say exactly what the document says.
Numbers
Latest actions
The newest alerts, cancellations and lab findings, with the document linked.
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Pakistani beauty creams in India
Maharashtra FDA reports 29 cosmetic unit inspections, three licence suspensions and one cancellation since June.
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CDSCO public health alert on Goree and Chandni whitening creams (Sep 2026)
Press reports both creams still on sale in Ahmedabad markets.
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Skintl Enterprises
CDSCO cancels Skintl Enterprises' cosmetics import registrations.
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Operation Soundarya: Kerala's cosmetics drive, 2023 to 2026
Four phases complete: Rs 9.64 lakh seized; withdrawal and legal action announced.
Is it banned? Cosmetics rumours, checked
What really happened, with the source.
Is Goree cream banned in India?
Yes in effect: Goree Beauty Cream has no import registration, all imports from Pakistan have been barred since 2 May...
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Is Johnson's baby powder banned in India?
No. Johnson's baby powder is not banned in India: Maharashtra FDA cancelled the manufacturing licence for the Mulund...
Read more Is Fair & Lovely (Glow & Lovely) banned in India?
No. Fair & Lovely has never been banned in India; Hindustan Unilever dropped the word 'fair' and renamed the cream...
Read more Is hydroquinone banned in India?
Not banned, but restricted: topical preparations containing hydroquinone were added to Schedule H by a 2018 amendment...
Read more Is kojic acid banned in India?
No. Kojic acid does not appear on India's prohibited-ingredient list (IS 4707 Part 2, Annex A) as far as public...
Read more Are glutathione skin-whitening injections legal in India?
They are not lawful as a cosmetic and not approved as a drug for whitening: CDSCO's public notice of 18 May 2026...
Read moreBrowse the record
Recent failed tests
From CDSCO's monthly "not of standard quality" alerts. One row is one batch.
| Product | Manufacturer | Reason | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kojic Acid Dipalmitate, Vitamin E & Glycerin Soap | D R Skincare | Assay for Vitamin E Acetate only | Aug 2026 |
| KT Kids Cleansing Shampoo Soothes the scalp 200 ML | CCIGMAA LIFESTYLE Pvt LTD. 12 ACO-OP 2 nd Floor | The Sample Does Not Comply With Is 17117:2019 (Reaffirmed 2024) For Hair Shampoo For... | Jul 2026 |
| Iron, Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin & Zinc Sulphate Syrup | Biva Healthcare | The sample does not conform to claim as per Schedule V of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules... | Jul 2026 |
| Culse The Beauty soap papaya Fruit Mix | Goodbuy Beauty Prohtets Door no. 13/515 A | Test for Matter Insolubic in Alcohol | Jul 2026 |
| Shubham Kumkum | Shubham Enterprises | The sample does not comply with specification for kumkum powder for the test of pH.... | Jun 2026 |
| Neeta Mehandi Cone | Yutika Natural Pvt. Ltd | The sample of cosmetics ? (C) Does not conform to the claims made on the label as to... | Jun 2026 |
| Neeta Mehandi Cone | Yutika Natural Pvt. Ltd | The sample of cosmetics ? (C) Does not conform to the claims made on the label as to... | Jun 2026 |
| Kumkum Pinjar | M.V. Vaze Consumer Products House No. 107/3 | The sample does not comply with specification for kumkum powder for the test of pH.... | Jun 2026 |
Read this first
What the rules say, and how to read a cosmetics lab result.
The Cosmetics Rules 2020: who licenses what, and what a lab result means
Cosmetics in India are governed by the Cosmetics Rules 2020 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. States license manufacturers;...
Mercury in fairness creams: the Kerala and Maharashtra drives, 2025 to 2026
Kerala's Operation Soundarya and Maharashtra FDA's 2026 raids found mercury far above the 1 ppm limit in unregistered Pakistani...
Brands with a record
Some brands have a clean record. We say so.
Dove
Dove is not banned in India and no Dove product appears in any CDSCO lab alert, import cancellation or public notice...
Read more Himalaya
Himalaya's cosmetics (face washes, creams, baby care) are not banned in India and none appears in any CDSCO lab...
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Lakme
Lakme is not banned in India and no Lakme product appears in any CDSCO lab alert, import cancellation or public...
Read more Mamaearth
Mamaearth is not banned in India; the only regulator finding against the brand is one batch of Vitamin C Daily Glow...
Read more Nykaa
Nykaa is not banned in India and neither its own-brand cosmetics nor its marketplace appears in any CDSCO lab alert,...
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