Kanebo Cosmetics (China) said on Tuesday that its products in question bought overseas by Chinese mainlanders are also being included in its recent recall, National Business Daily reported.

The Japanese cosmetics maker announced on July 4 that it is recalling 54 skin-whitening products from all over Asia due to complaints that it could cause white patches and uneven coloring.

The products contain a substance called Rhododendrol, or 4HPB, a synthetic version of a natural compound developed by Kanebo, which may be linked to the discoloring cases.

The recall covers Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam.

According to Kanebo Cosmetics (China), products on sale on the Chinese mainland do not contain 4HPB because the newly-added substance had not been approved yet. But considering consumers may buy items through agents or from abroad, any involved products entering the mainland will also be recalled.

There are more than 2,000 online shops on Taobao, China's largest online retail site, selling Kanebo's products, including the recalled items.

"We know that many mainland consumers may buy our products from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, or buy them through Taobao agents. So if the 54 skin-whitening products enter the Chinese mainland, they will also be recalled," a person in charge from Kanebo Cosmetics (China) told National Business Daily.

"The mainland buyers could register first through the customer service hotline and send the products to our Shanghai office by express. If it is confirmed that the products contain 4HPB, Kanebo will offer compensation equal to the products’ yen price by bank transfer with the exchange rate of 1-to-15.97," the person said.

According to Kanebo Cosmetics (China), more than 10 mainland customers' products have been recalled. Since many customers may not know about the recall, it will last for some time.