Is It Safe To Buy Makeup From Other Countries

Buying products from overseas, either while travelling abroad or through online stores, can be a great way to find specialty products or save coin (Australians often pay more than people overseas for everything from IT products to chocolate bars).

But while bagging a bargain abroad can be a smart move, it's important to recollect that some products from some countries may not measure upwardly to Australian safety standards. That's not to say that everything yous buy in Australia is safe – just a modest number of products are subject to mandatory prophylactic standards (see Australia's production prophylactic laws still demand strengthening, below).

Hither are five products yous should think twice about buying from overseas, and why.

On this folio:

one. Children's and babies' toys
two. Nursery products and auto seats
iii. USB chargers, travel adaptors and power banks
iv. Cosmetics
5. Weight loss products and other medicines
What are the main dangers when buying products from overseas?
Product safety tips for buying overseas or online

i. Children's and babies' toys

In 2017, children'due south products accounted for almost 40% of all product safe reports to the ACCC relating to online sales.

The 2016 OECD Online Product Safety study offers some insight into the possible reasons behind these high numbers, with research revealing that dangerous recalled or banned toys are often widely bachelor to buy online. In fact, research participants were able to find more than one-half the products from a list of banned or recalled toys and games still available for sale in online stores and auction sites.

However, even toys that aren't banned or recalled may not exist safe if bought from overseas. Australia has safety standards for toys designed for children nether three, such as aquatic toys, baby walkers, balloon bravado kits, projectile toys (like toy guns) and toys containing lead or magnets.

That said, there are nonetheless plenty of unsafe toys available in Australian stores and people shouldn't assume that merely because a product's for sale here that it's safe.

Buying online vs ownership while abroad

If y'all're travelling abroad and purchase a toy from a local retailer, it'south important to recollect that the laws of that country employ. And depending on the forcefulness of their local laws and standards, these products may pose a hazard to your kid.

However, if you're in Commonwealth of australia and ownership a product online from an overseas retailer, that business organisation must comply with our product safety requirements. Unfortunately, equally these retailers are based overseas, it can exist harder for regulators to deed against companies doing the wrong thing.

According to CHOICE child product good Kim Gilmour, some of the main risks associated with buying toys online include:

bereft warning labels which can lead to incorrect use
poor quality construction which can cause the production to break into small pieces that are choking hazards
unsecured button batteries.

"You lot as well run across rip-off 'faux' branded or licensed products which clearly expect flimsy and not very durable," she warns. "Although even genuine products tin sometimes exist unsafe besides."

ii. Nursery products and auto seats

Some baby products including cots, portacots, dummies, prams and car seats also need to meet mandatory standards in Commonwealth of australia.

Mandatory safe standards for these products have been specifically designed to preclude injury and decease of infants and young children. But not all baby products sold here are legally required to meet safety standards – find out more about Australia's weak production safety laws.

It may be tempting to purchase slick-looking plant nursery products at rock-bottom prices from overseas retailers, but it simply isn't worth the hazard.

"Nursery products like cots purchased online from overseas could accept inferior construction such as bars which could cause head entrapment risks, dodgy dropsides, or chemicals in the paint which aren't up to Australian requirements," says Gilmour.

She says ownership from third-political party sellers on sites like eBay, Amazon, Catch and Kogan Marketplace can exist risky.

"You've got to keep an middle out on whether they claim their products meet Australian standards," she says. "You may recollect you're buying from an Australian seller, but the product might be sent from offshore."

The ACCC has recently recalled several prams sold on eBay due to multiple safety hazards.

As for car seats, Gilmour reminds parents that the law requires that automobile seats encounter Australian standards: "It's not just unsafe to utilise a car seat that doesn't meet Australian standards, information technology's also illegal."

3. USB chargers, travel adaptors and power banks

A recent investigation by UK consumer watchdog Which? has found hordes of hazardous USB chargers, travel adaptors and ability banks existence sold by international online retailers including AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace, eBay and Wish.

Their testing institute that more than than 75% of the 35 products from 'unknown' brands (those their experts didn't recognise) failed electrical safety tests, carrying risks of overheating, fires or electrical shocks, which may cause damage to electrical products, serious injury or even decease.

Just although cross-border websites may be the main offenders, there'due south also a risk of buying dangerous chargers in bricks and mortar Australian stores selling inexpensive imports.

In 2014, a woman was killed afterward being electrocuted by a faulty USB charger bought from a Sydney mobile phone accompaniment stall which was constitute to exist selling uncertified chargers, travel adaptors and ability boards that didn't meet Australian Rubber Standards.

Pick product safety expert Chris Barnes says information technology tin be tricky for people to check if electronics meet Australian standards.

"It'south like shooting fish in a barrel for manufacturers to add imitation compliance markings to their products," he says. "If y'all want to be confident the production you lot're ownership is safe, buy from a local retailer like JB HiFi or Harvey Norman or purchase licensed branded accessories."

four. Cosmetics

Co-ordinate to the ACCC, cosmetics accounted for approximately xxx% of injury reports in 2014. That same yr, the ACCC raised concerns well-nigh an ongoing lack of information about ingredients used in cosmetic products offered online.

Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Ritu Gupta says she's seen patients with permanent scarring as a issue of using cosmetics bought overseas.

"Products bought overseas or online may not but fail to deliver the benefits they claim to, they could too contain an unsafe concentration or formulation of ingredients causing meaning irritation, skin rashes and even colour changes on the skin," she says.

"To make matters worse, these products oft don't have an accurate ingredients list, so when patients come up in with an allergic reaction, we aren't able to identify the ingredients that have caused it."

She advises people to practise caution when ownership any cosmetics online or overseas, only to particularly avert anti-ageing creams, skin lightening products, sunscreen or steroid-containing products.

And if you however want to buy cosmetics from overseas, attempt to cull products that listing their ingredients and so yous have something to reference in example of an allergic reaction.

Apocryphal cosmetics

Many of these problematic products come from the booming counterfeit cosmetics and perfumes industry, which in 2016 was estimated to generate $37.5 billion annually.

According to the BBC, seizures past police and councils in the UK in 2015 and 2018 revealed that counterfeit makeup being sold online contained toxic levels of chemicals and harmful substances such as arsenic, mercury and lead, while imitation perfumes contained poisonous chemicals similar cyanide as well as human urine.

A 2018 investigation by The Guardian institute counterfeit products readily available from online retail behemothic Amazon, including a highly convincing counterfeit Kylie Jenner lip gloss which was manufactured in China.

5. Weight loss products and other medicines

Electric current enquiry shows there's little evidence for the effectiveness of weight loss pills. Just the weight loss pills spruiked online are not only unlikely to help y'all shed those extra kilos, they may really be hazardous to your health.

Weight loss products seized by the Therapeutic Appurtenances Administration (TGA) sold by overseas websites accept been institute to contain heavy metals and undisclosed dangerous substances such as sibutramine, which has been linked with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and phenolphthalein, associated with an increased risk of cancer.

In 2018, NSW Wellness issued a public alarm later on several deaths were linked to weight loss products containing 2,4-dinitrophenol, or DNP, which was being marketed and sold online. DNP is prohibited for human being use.

"DNP is a plant fertiliser and a highly toxic substance when ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Consumers should be aware that DNP presents a significant run a risk to health and has been associated with a number of deaths worldwide," says a TGA spokesperson.

Merely weight loss drugs aren't the only offender. The TGA advises consumers to exercise extreme caution when buying any medicine or medical device from online overseas retailers, as these products are not regulated by the TGA and may contain dangerous ingredients.

In 2015, an international functioning targeting the online auction of apocryphal and illicit medicines led to over xx million falsified medicines existence seized, offering some insight into the incredible book of potentially dangerous drugs available online.

Erectile dysfunction drugs, herbal medicines, over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen, medicines for serious illnesses such equally AIDS and cancer, as well every bit other pharmacy products like condoms and contact lenses, are just some of the products that are usually counterfeited or found to be substandard.

What are the primary dangers when buying products from overseas?

Banned, recalled or regulated products

According to the OECD written report, 68% of 693 products that were identified equally banned or recalled were all the same available to purchase online.

All businesses who sell products to Australian consumers are responsible for ensuring that the products they sell are not banned or recalled, but this is hard to enforce, and information technology may take years for dangerous products to be completely eradicated from online shops.

Products and ingredients which are illegal or regulated in Commonwealth of australia for safety reasons may too be freely available to buy in other countries. Information technology's confronting the constabulary to import products containing illegal ingredients, and you may demand a permit to import certain regulated products.

Not meeting safety standards

According to the OECD report, 55% of 60 selected products sold online didn't comply with product condom standards. Foreign retailers are often non enlightened of the relevant prophylactic standards that utilise in Australia and authorities face difficulties in enforcing breaches of Australian Consumer Law across borders.

When sold in Commonwealth of australia, medicines and certain cosmetic products that make therapeutic claims are regulated by the TGA, which is responsible for the quality, safety and efficacy of listed products. Items bought overseas are not regulated by the TGA and in that location 'southward no guarantee that they're safe to utilise.

Australia's production safety laws still demand strengthening

Although buying products online or from some overseas locations may come up with added risks, you also tin't assume that all products sold in Australia are safety to use.

Mandatory safety standards merely apply to a small number of products in Australia. While countries such as the UK have general safety provision laws that state that businesses cannot supply a product unless it'southward condom, at that place'southward no such police in Australia.

We're calling for the introduction of a general safe provision that would get in illegal for Australian businesses to sell unsafe products.

Inadequate production labelling and safety warnings

In 2014, the ACCC raised concerns over product labelling issues in online stores, including:

a lack of historic period-grading on children'southward products
inadequate product descriptions
depression-quality product images
a lack of ingredient lists.

The OECD written report confirms that online buyers often don't take admission to acceptable product labelling and safety warnings earlier ownership, with merely 21% of the products inspected found to have compliant labelling.

And even when products that are bought overseas, either in person or online, do take labelling or safety warnings, they may be written in a foreign linguistic communication, meaning people tin can miss of import information.

Parallel imports

Parallel imports are genuine branded products that are beingness sold in Australia without specific permission from the manufacturer. Common parallel imports include cheap phones sold online (for case on Kogan.com) and cut-price snacks sold at 'dollar shops'.

Although your consumer rights do apply when y'all're buying parallel imports, if there's an upshot with your product, seeking a remedy from the manufacturer is more than likely to be tricky.

Product condom tips for buying overseas or online

Before buying:

Exercise your research – check online ratings and reviews or buy from a trusted store or website.
Check if the production needs to meet Australian mandatory safety standards.
If it's a medicine or medical device, check if you tin can legally import it.
Check if the product has been recalled in Australia or overseas.
Read rubber warnings, product information and instructions. If sufficient information isn't bachelor, contact the seller for more details or don't buy.
Cheque the seller has articulate systems for protecting the security and privacy of your personal and financial details, and that they brandish their business organisation registration number, phone and fax numbers and physical accost.
Cheque if warranties and render policies however apply in Australia, and if you can nonetheless become technical support.

After buying:

Use common sense, and inspect your product for obvious prophylactic issues earlier use.
If you find a prophylactic issue, stop using the product and written report it to the ACCC immediately. If the product is a medicine or medical device, written report it to the TGA.
If possible, annals your product with the manufacturer then yous can exist contacted virtually recalls or other safety information.

For more advice, read the ACCC's guide to shopping online.

Source: https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/bargain-hunting/articles/products-you-should-think-twice-about-buying-from-overseas

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