Consumers Association of Penang

Giving a voice to the little people...since 1970

talc-powder The Consumers association of Penang (CAP) calls on the Ministry of Health to place a warning on cosmetics containing talc.

Talcum powder has been directly used on the skin as an effective absorbent to help deodorise and for imparting a silky touch. The primary component in talcum powder is magnesium silicate hydroxide (commonly known as talc). Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powder, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powder.

Toxic black henna dyes

Henna, a 9,000 year-old South Asian and Middle Eastern tradition of painting the body, has found its way to the mainstream. Henna tattoos have been spotted on everyone from singing divas to movie stars to spring breakers. Henna is also used to dye hair.

Though the popularity of the body art rises, information surrounding it does not. Few realise that a form of henna, called "black henna," can poison us.

Home exercise equipment - How useful?

RIDERS, walkers, treadmills, abdominal exercisers ... fitness gadgets that allow you to exercise at your convenience and in the privacy of your own home are the "in" thing now. Infomercials and advertisements convince you that the pricey gizmos you see are the ultimate item to own.

What is the whole truth about home exercise machines? For the puzzled and the perplexed, we compiled several interesting facts about some popular exercise equipment from Consumer Reports and Nutrition Action Healthletter as a guide.

Toxic BPA leaches from “safe” plastics

idris-bpa01 If you frequently eat from a plastic food container or drink from a plastic bottle, chances are you are ingesting Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical compound with proven links with a wide range of health disorders, from infertility and breast and prostate cancers, to thyroid malfunction, attention deficit syndrome and recurrent miscarriage.

Soft-soled rubber clogs: A hazard to children

Reports are surfacing that young people wearing soft-soled clogs are getting their toes caught in escalators. A popular brand of these clogs known as Crocs appears to be often implicated in these reports.