Winny Wang/ Shanghai Daily news

Olay, L'Oréal and Pond's are among advertisers who aired 10 illegal commercials, according to a crackdown by the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau.

Aside from one commercial on stocks, the other nine illegal commercials were promoting cosmetics, mostly global brands, Shanghai Morning Post said.

"It's the commercials, not the products, that have problems," said Li Hua, an official of the bureau.

In Olay's commercial, freckles and other skin imperfections on a model's face disappear magically after using one of the company's products. The commercial used a strong comparison to show the product's effect, which violates the law on advertisements, the report said.

Some illegal commercials use absolute promises such as "dandruff never comes" or "effective in one week," the report said.

Head & Shoulders, a dandruff fighting shampoo, made more illegal commercials than other brands such as Pantene, Clear and Garnier, the report said.

An employee from Unilever's public relations department said the company has stopped the screening of illegal commercials. It also changed ads for its brands Clear and Pond's.

The bureau last month gathered nearly 10 cosmetic producers in Shanghai to remind them of illegal commercials.

More illegal commercials about cosmetics have been aired since April, accounting for 19.13 percent of total cosmetic ads, the bureau said.