Just recently, a large group of Malaysians and Singaporeans shared the horrifying side effects they experienced after using a skincare product sold by a Malaysian influencer.
Many suffered skin-related diseases, and some also claimed to have suffered miscarriages after using the mercury-containing product, which was earlier banned by the Ministry of Health.
After nearly two weeks, the influencer, Beautrice Mok, finally broke the silence and explained why she took some time to respond to the matter. On her Instagram post @beautrice_mok, the woman said she didn’t want to respond before she had a clearer picture of the matter.
“As a long term user of the product, I was shocked too when the Ministry of Health (MOH) banned the product. I would like to apologise to all of you.”
“The product testing reports would take two weeks, and anything I say may impact legal proceedings.”
In her video, Mok clarified that she is not trying to evade responsibilities, and it was never her intention to harm her customers. She also realised that her four years of experience in business were not enough, and added that she should’ve been more careful and had all the other products tested independently.
“I always believed that having permits from MOH, safety reports, and ingredient lists from manufacturers were enough.”
Acknowledging the criticisms online, Mok expressed gratitude for positive and negative feedback from those who know her, and at the end of her video, she once again apologised with a bow. Mok also left her contact number for refund purposes.
Mok’s apology came almost a week after her husband stepped forward to clarify the situation, saying that they had no idea about the mercury content before and during the selling period.
“We have never tried to escape. We are actively participating in the investigation with the police,” her husband said in another Instagram post.
If you have a lot of skincare products at your disposal, it is best to check your product via the official website of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).
