Are Your Beauty Products Safe? How to Verify KEBS Certification After Mombasa Raid

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has raised an urgent public health alarm over dangerous chemical additives discovered in personal care products following a major enforcement operation along the Coast.

Market surveillance teams intercepted outlawed cosmetics during targeted inspections across the Tudor Estate and Marikiti commercial zones in Mombasa County on Thursday, October 22.

The regulatory authority warned members of the public that unregulated chemicals in cosmetics pose severe, long-term health hazards, strongly advising consumers to verify standard compliance before purchasing any beauty or skincare items.

The agency officially confirmed the raid through a public alert, cautioning shoppers about the silent dangers hiding on retail shelves.

“KEBS Market Surveillance today seized banned cosmetic products in Tudor Estate and in the Marikiti area, Mombasa. Some prohibited cosmetic ingredients can cause serious harm,” the regulator announced.

Following the successful operation, the standards body highlighted mercury, hydroquinone, and high-potency corticosteroids as the primary hazardous ingredients detected in several blacklisted creams, lotions, and treatments circulating in the domestic market.

Medical evaluations shared by KEBS show that prolonged mercury exposure, a heavy metal frequently added to skin-lightening creams and soaps to suppress melanin production, can trigger severe nervous system disorders, memory loss, tremors, and permanent kidney damage.

Hydroquinone, another common prohibited chemical agent in over-the-counter beauty items, is known to cause contact dermatitis, severe patchy pigmentation, and a stubborn bluish-black skin discolouration known medically as exogenous ochronosis.

Meanwhile, high-potency corticosteroids severely weaken the natural skin barrier. Prolonged application leads to visible skin thinning, deep stretch marks, prominent blood vessels, and a significantly heightened susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections.

To curb consumer exposure to counterfeit and hazardous personal care goods, KEBS advised buyers to always inspect product packaging for the official Standardisation Mark of Quality prior to making a purchase.

The agency outlined a simple, instant verification method that allows shoppers to check the legitimacy of cosmetics while standing in a store:

1. Locate the Standardisation Mark (SM#) or Import Standardisation Mark (ISM#) code printed on the product label.

2. Open the SMS application on any mobile phone.

3. Type the product code preceded by SM# or ISM# (for example, SM#Code or ISM#Code).

4. Send the message to the official shortcode 20023.

5. Receive an instant reply detailing the product's valid certification status.

“Before you buy your beauty products, check product labels for the KEBS mark of quality, and verify when in doubt through the 20023. You can also report concerns anonymously through the KEBS Whistleblower Policy,” the standards body advised.

The enforcement operation comes amid a growing appetite for personal care and beauty items among Kenyan consumers.

The market spans a wide array of categories, including moisturizing creams, skin treatments, toilet soaps, decorative makeup, and specialized hair care preparations.

Alongside expanding domestic production, Kenya imports vast quantities of personal care preparations from major global manufacturing hubs, including China, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uganda, and Tanzania.

This massive volume of trade across various regional and maritime entry points creates complex distribution networks where illicit traders frequently attempt to sneak unapproved, high-risk formulations onto commercial shelves.

The cosmetic sweeps in Tudor Estate and Marikiti are part of a wider, aggressive enforcement campaign targeting substandard, contraband, and banned imports across the country.

Just hours before the Mombasa cosmetics raid, KEBS issued a stern warning to second-hand clothing importers after intercepting a shipment containing prohibited used garments.

Importers were reminded that Kenyan trade and health regulations strictly forbid the importation of second-hand intimate apparel and related personal items due to hygiene and health concerns. Banned second-hand items include:

Underwear and briefs

Brassieres

Camisoles

Socks and stockings

Swimwear