Resources

Skin lightening cosmetics containing mercury hurt you and the planet. Want to know more? Watch the full video here:    The color of beauty   Check the settings to select your preferred language.

During the Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury in November 2025, UNEP outreach events under the theme “Detoxifying Cosmetics and Beauty Ideals – Where Policy Meets Art” brought together artists, filmmakers, and voices from the cosmetics sector to explore the issue through creative and policy perspectives. This video captures behind‑the‑scenes moments.

“I Want To Shine”  (Official Music Video | Dr. Ajith Kannangara) is more than a song. It’s a reflection of a reality many don’t talk about — the pressure, the illusion, and the truth behind beauty.

This infographic presents the key achievements of the GEF-funded, UNEP-led project aimed at removing mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) implemented between 2022 and 2026 in collaboration with the Governments of Gabon, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka.

In Uganda, women miners partnering with the planetGOLD project are demonstrating how inclusive leadership, formalization initiatives and responsible gold mining practices can strengthen livelihoods while protecting local communities and the environment for generations to come.

The global skin‑lightening industry exceeded US$10 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$18 billion by 20341. Products are widely used across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, many containing harmful chemicals such as steroids, hydroquinone and mercury.

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This protocol was developed by Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) to share recommended guidelines for market surveillance activities related to the sampling of suspected mercury-added skin lightening products available on the market. Best practices and recommendations for the analysis of samples are also provided.

The planetGOLD programme works to make small-scale gold mining safer, cleaner, and more profitable from mine to market—by closing the financing gap, supporting formalization, and connecting miners with mercury-free technology and formal markets. 

This toolkit offers practical guidance and ready‑to‑use tools to support the collection of behavioural data and insights on the use of skin lightening products. Its purpose is to inform effective public health interventions and regulatory action.

A major barrier to the transition away from mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the typical lack of formalization in the sector. The planetGOLD programme is piloting innovative and holistic approaches to formalization, such as Jurisdictional and Landscape Approaches.

The number of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Côte d'Ivoire has steadily grown for the past two decades. Although mercury use is common in these operations and many face barriers to operating formally, the planetGOLD project is working to help overcome these challenges and bring artisanal miners into the formal economy.

The National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health (NPCSH) provides Nigeria with that coherent framework. It establishes a unified direction for regulation, coordination, and vigilance across the cosmetics value chain, from formulation and manufacturing to distribution, marketing, use, and disposal.

The infographic shows the harmful health and environmental impacts of these products, and the need for the Minamata Convention's implementation through regulation, enforcement and awareness-raising.  

The first annual skin-lightening cream stakeholder meeting was held on Dec. 10, 2025. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff, along with business and community stakeholders, shared updates and engaged in a rich discussion about ways to protect human health and the environment from contaminated skin-lightening creams. Watch the video.

Fairness at a Cost is a powerful documentary that explores the growing obsession with lighter skin tones and the widespread use of skin-lightening products—many of which contain dangerous substances like mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids.

The GEF-funded planetGOLD programme works in partnership with governments, the private sector, and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities with the objective of eliminating mercury from the supply chain of gold produced by ASGM. Watch the video to learn more.

This National Guideline has been developed as part of the project “Accelerate implementation of dental amalgam provisions and strengthen country capacities in the environmental sound management of associated wastes under the Minamata Convention on Mercury”.

This report provides a cross-programmatic assessment of the first phase (2018-2025) of the planetGOLD programme, which comprised nine country-level projects as well as a global coordination project.

Mercury found in some beauty products can enter the bloodstream, the brain and breastmilk.

This video and article from CNN explains it all and presents findings from a new report analysing cosmetics in USA and Canada.

This Tool was developed by the Health Promotion Bureau, Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Sri Lanka, during their ToT programs.

The Quiz Game is an educational resource that teachers or session moderators can use to engage with students or participants.

Level: Easy - 10 questions (multiple choices)

This report documents the ongoing availability of mercury added skin lightening products (SLPs) on Amazon websites around the world, despite a recent legal settlement with Amazon.com in the United States. The legal settlement in the U.S.—negotiated by the U.S.

Hundreds of millions of users globally use skin lightening products which are rooted in systemic colorism and cultural norms and pressures that promote certain beauty standards.

Dr Ruediger Krech highlights the urgent public health concerns posed by mercury exposure, especially to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children. He outlines WHO’s role in supporting countries through policy guidance, awareness campaigns, and implementation of the Minamata Convention health articles.

This third edition brings you updates on recent and upcoming activities as we prepare for the 6th Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention, to be held from 3 to 7 November 2025. As the sixteenth meeting of the Partnership Advisory Group is also around the corner, find out more

This WHO initiative page, guided by the Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030,  promotes environmentally sound oral health practices by addressing key challenges such as mercury use in dental amalgam, plastic waste, and carbon emissions.