China’s beauty industry has been jolted by a safety scare just as Singles’ Day promotions gather pace. Consumer testing channel Dad Lab (老爸测试) reported finding traces of a banned industrial dye, Sudan Red (苏丹红), in several skincare and makeup products, igniting a public safety scandal over ingredient safety and supply-chain transparency.
- #MultipleBrandsRespondToSudanRedFindings# gets over 5.3 million views on Weibo
Sudan dyes are synthetic colourants used in plastics and lubricants, not cosmetics. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies Sudan I–IV as Group 3 carcinogens, and China’s National Medical Products Administration explicitly bans their use in beauty products, potential toxicity and long-term health risks being the point of concern.
Dad Lab’s tests traced the contamination to raw-material blends containing herbal extracts allegedly supplied by Singapore-based Campo Research (S) Pte Ltd, which has not commented publicly. Industry reports estimate as many as 800 products across 400 brands could be implicated.
On Weibo, the hashtag #MultipleBrandsRespondToSudanRedFindings# (#多品牌回应产品检出苏丹红#) has attracted over 5.3 million views, with consumers posting ingredient lists and refund screenshots in a grassroots hunt for answers.
Brands including Florasis (花西子) have reportedly withdrawn or delisted affected items, while some consumers have complained of refused refunds, fuelling frustration. Retailers and e-commerce platforms have issued statements pledging product audits, and several listings appear to have been temporarily removed pending verification.
The timing of the Sudan Red safety scandal could hardly be worse. As the world’s largest online shopping festival hits full swing, a controversy better confined to chemistry labs has spilled into China’s biggest consumer moment. It’s not a great look for beauty companies. Perhaps worse, the scandal could put the market right under the noses of regulators – an undeniably necessary move.
That’s only speculation at this point. We can add to the specualtion that China’s beauty companies are likely haemorrhaging Double 11 sales. If you’re looking for something more concrete, it’s a safe bet to say that this is the biggest reputational hit China’s beauty industry has taken in a good long while.
