TANZANIANS have been advised to avoid the use of cosmetics containing toxic ingredients which have been banned in the country due to causing health effects including cancer.

The advice was given by the Tanzania Standards Agency (TBS) Quality Control Officer, Hidaya Kabelege, while providing education on the effects of cosmetics containing toxic ingredients and the importance of registering premises for food and cosmetic products.

He gave that knowledge at the 2022 Cosmetics Day festival held recently in Dar es Salaam, organized by the Tanzania Cosmetology Association.

Kabelege said the festival has been a good opportunity for the organization to provide education to the public on the effects of cosmetics containing toxic ingredients and the importance of registering premises for food and cosmetic products.

He said that TBS has been carrying out these duties due to the changes in the Financial Law of 2019 and that since then it has been educating the public about the types of cosmetics containing banned toxic substances and their effects.

According to Kabelege, before the agency was entrusted with the responsibility in 2019, the management of cosmetics and the registration of food and cosmetic products buildings was under the former Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA).

He mentioned some of the effects of cosmetics with toxic ingredients as causing skin disease and affecting the skin when the user is exposed to light.

Also, the skin becomes soft and causes disease such as fungus or infection of pathogens.

He mentioned the major side effects that the user may experience are, skin irritation, inflammation, skin damage, tearing, effects on the female reproductive system and even causing skin cancer.

In another step, Kabelege emphasized to businessmen the importance of registering their buildings through the system available on the organization's website.

In addition, he asked the citizens to continue to provide information through the contact given to them when they discover the presence of inferior products in the market.