UK tests uncover hazardous chemicals in fake cosmetics and fragrances
UK Trading Standards has found mercury, lead, nicotine and methanol in counterfeit beauty products seized across the country. The findings matter because fake cosmetics and fragrances can expose consumers to harmful substances, while convincing packaging makes their risks difficult to spot.
Tests of 50 seized products found 13,200 parts per million of mercury in one skincare item, high lead levels in some make-up, and a counterfeit fragrance that was about 80% methanol. The IPO says one in five 18- to 24-year-olds knowingly bought counterfeit beauty products last year, compared with 6% in 2023; nearly three-quarters of counterfeit cosmetics and toiletries buyers surveyed had bought them online.
In short
- Counterfeit beauty products contained mercury, lead and toxic methanol.
- One fake fragrance was about 80% methanol.
- One in five young adults knowingly bought fake beauty products last year.
Explained simply
Trading Standards teams in the UK check goods sold to consumers and can seize products suspected of being unsafe or counterfeit. Counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances are made or sold under another brand’s name without permission, and their packaging can look genuine.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) works on issues involving brands and counterfeit goods. Its figures suggest that younger adults are among those knowingly buying fake beauty products, many through online sales; because ingredients and production may not be checked in the same way as genuine products, buyers may not know what they contain.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Mercury, lead and methanol found in counterfeit beauty products seized across UK”.