Some experts also say there are defects in the inspection system.

The country only looks for heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead in cosmetics, Yan Shixiang, an expert with the cosmetics commission under the All-China Federation of Industry of Commerce, was quoted as saying by the Beijing-based newspaper China Business.

Chromium and Neodymium are not listed for regular inspection. So this means the two chemicals might have been neglected for a long time, said Yan. Chromium, a metal which can lead to instant whitening of the skin, has been the focus of the SK-II dispute.

Meanwhile, Yan also believes that the country's procedure for licensing sales of imported cosmetics is problematic. "A product is licensed based on samples. But this inspection is loose and ineffective, which creates loopholes," said Yan.

And many countries require producers to give a full list of all the ingredients on the label, but China doesn't have such a regulation, said Yan.

A new twist developed in Hong Kong this weekend. Two media organizations separately sampled popular foundation and powder products and took them to Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre.

The result: chromium was found in samples of Clinique, Estee Lauder, Christian Dior, Max Factor, Lancome and Shiseido. The level of chromium in some samples was even higher than SK-II.

Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department on Saturday announced its test results on nine SK-II samples. The samples were found to contain chromium, but they can still be safely used, according to the department.

Beauty store chain Sa Sa, a mecca for mainland cosmetics shoppers, said affected products have already been taken off the shelf. The company is yet to calculate the impact on sales.

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