Health Canada issued the recall on April 2 after tests indicated the possible presence of asbestos fibres in product samples from one lot each of Claire’s contour palette, Claire’s eyeshadows, and Claire’s compact powder.
- Claire’s contour palette, UPC #888711401947, SKU #40194, Lot No. 04/17
- Claire’s compact powder, UPC #888711839153, SKU #83915, Lot No. 07/15
- Claire’s eyeshadows, UPC #888711847165, SKU #84716, Lot No. 08/17
The UPCs and SKUs can be found on the price tickets on the products, and all batch numbers are shown on the back panels below the ingredient list.
Approximately 4,880 units of the affected product were sold in Canada from October 2016 to March 2019. The products were manufactured in China.
Health Canada says consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cosmetics and return them to a Claire’s store for a full refund. Consumers could also contact Claire’s by phone or visit their website for more information.
The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) issued an alert on March 5 warning consumers not to use those same three Claire’s cosmetic products because they tested positive for asbestos, citing the talc used in the products.
Asbestos, a known carcinogen, is the generic name for six naturally occurring minerals often found near talc, which is used as an ingredient in many cosmetic products. All forms of asbestos have been shown to cause lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The FDA sampled and had tested the three cosmetic products following reports of contaminated cosmetics marketed by Claire’s.
On March 12, Claire’s Stores Inc. announced in the United States its voluntary recall of the three cosmetic products that tested positive for asbestos during FDA testing, and that it had removed the products from its stores in the United States.
The FDA says it is not aware of any adverse reactions associated with exposure to the products. Health Canada says that as of March 26, 2019, Claire’s has received no reports of incidents in Canada.
On Wednesday, Claire’s issued the following statement: “On March 11, out of an abundance of caution, we recalled all three of the Claire’s cosmetics that are now listed in the Health Canada alert. All of Claire’s cosmetics are now talc-free, and we have confidence in their safety and composition. We are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada to ensure regulators and our customers share that confidence.”
These recent recalls in the United States and Canada follow an investigation by the FDA conducted after 2017 reports of asbestos in Claire’s cosmetic products.
Despite the rapid expansion of the cosmetics industry in the past few decades, the laws of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act have not been updated since 1938. There are currently no legal requirement for any cosmetic manufacturer marketing products to U.S. consumers to test their products for safety, nor do they have to register with the FDA or have their products reviewed and approved before being sold to consumers.
The FDA has asked cosmetic companies to voluntarily register their products and list ingredients with the agency. The FDA also said they will be looking into how talc is sourced and used in the cosmetics industry.
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