Of 25 eyeshadow samples tested by the watchdog that come in the form of sticks, cream or liquid, 18 carried two types of heavy metals that can either cause irritation or allergies.
Angel Cheung, the council’s director of research and survey, said people, in particular those who are allergic to heavy metals, need to take particular care.
“Not many of the products list the ingredients on the packaging,” she said.
“And even if they have the ingredients’ list on the packaging, they will not indicate the presence of the heavy metal.
“So for individuals who are allergic to heavy metals, they need to be aware when they are using or applying their newly bought eye shadow products.
“They can look out for any adverse effects related to allergies and our suggestion is to stop using a product if there is an adverse reaction.”
Only products made by Excel, Fasio and Giorgio Armani are in the clear for allergenic heavy metals.
The watchdog also found that 10 samples have no list of contents or, if they do, they only come in Japanese.
As it has already found in previous tests that some cosmetic products lack lists in English or Chinese of ingredients, the watchdog said there is an urgent need to improve on the practice.
Nine samples had neither expiry dates nor suggestions regarding the timeline that people can still use the products after opening the package, and the council said users should get rid of cream or liquid eye makeup products three months after their first use, according on the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
