Hong Kong consumer watchdog finds 1 in 4 face washes fall short on ingredients

About a quarter of face washes tested contain only some or none of their claimed active ingredients, Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has revealed.\nIt also urged users to try a small portion on their skin beforehand as a precaution when using cleansers that were highly acidic.\nThe Consumer Council on Monday said it tested 25 face washes with exfoliating properties and found that six of them, which were labeled as containing alpha-hydroxy acids, salicylic acid, or both, failed to meet their claims. In these cases, the ingredients were either not detected or only partially detected.\nThe two types of acids are commonly used in exfoliating products and must be present at certain concentrations to be effective.\nBut high levels of alpha-hydroxy acids may cause mild discomfort such as temporary skin redness, stinging and burning sensations, while prolonged overuse or excessive concentrations of salicylic acid could also be harmful, the council said.\nAmong the samples, 16 products were found to contain alpha-hydroxy acids and 14 salicylic acid. All levels met the standards in mainland China, but concentrations varied from 0.05 to 3.4 per cent for alpha-hydroxy acids and 0.001 to 0.497 per cent for salicylic acid.\nThe tests also found that six products claiming to contain certain acids on their labels had either undetectable or only partially detected levels of those ingredients.\nIn response to the council’s inquiry, the suppliers explained that the active acid content in certain products was below the detection limit specified in mainland standards.\nThree products were also found to have pH values that were lower than the relevant standard, raising the risk of skin irritation.\nThe pH of a substance is a measure of how acidic or basic it is. The scale runs from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline), with 7 being neutral.\nOne product from the Japanese brand Rosette, which contained alpha-hydroxy acids, had a pH of 2.6, lower than the standard of 3.5.\nTwo other products – one from Japanese brand Detclear and another from Collagen by Watsons – both claimed to contain alpha-hydroxy acids but but did not test positive for them. They had pH values of 2.6 and 2.7, respectively, both lower than the standard threshold.\n“Using products with excessively low pH may cause irritation and allergic reactions, leading to skin inflammation,” said Kenneth Chan Kin-nin, the vice-chairman of the committee on sustainability, public affairs and education at the council.\n“Users experiencing discomfort should discontinue use of the product and consult a doctor.”\n\nAbout 70 per cent of the tested products were found to contain between one and 11 restricted fragrance substances, with limonene being the most common.\nUnder the European Union Cosmetics Regulation, fragrance allergens exceeding 0.01 per cent in concentration must be declared on ingredient lists.\nTen were detected with fragrance allergens exceeding this threshold, but only half provided proper labelling.\nThe council urged manufacturers to pay attention to the latest international regulations and recommendations, and proactively improve formulations and ingredient information transparency to protect consumer health, even though Hong Kong currently has no such mandated legislation.\nIt reminded customers, particularly those with sensitive skin or prone to allergies, to test face washes and skin care products containing acids on a small patch of skin before use. It recommended starting with infrequent applications and monitoring for any reactions.\nUsers should also follow product instructions carefully, noting recommended frequency and duration, and reduce the use of exfoliating products during dry winter weather, it said.\n