Counterfeit beauty products: mercury at 13,200ppm and a fake perfume 80% methanol

Mercury, lead, nicotine and methanol have turned up in counterfeit beauty products seized across the UK, according to testing by Trading Standards. The findings come as new official research suggests growing numbers of young people are knowingly buying fakes.

Cosmetics, skincare and perfumes are now among the 10 most commonly investigated counterfeit goods, Trading Standards says. Reports of the testing say four in 10 seized cosmetics contained potentially harmful substances. The Guardian reports that the tests covered a cross-section of 50 seized products.

What the tests found in counterfeit beauty products

The most striking result was a skincare product containing 13,200 parts per million of mercury. Lipsticks, eyeshadows and contour products carried high levels of lead. One perfume contained nicotine, and a counterfeit fragrance was made up of around 80% methanol, a toxic alcohol that can cause serious poisoning.

The health risks are not always visible. Mercury is increasingly being found in skincare, and repeated exposure through the skin can damage the kidneys and nervous system. Lead can harm the brain, nervous system and kidneys, with particular risks for children and during pregnancy.

Independent toxicologist Rani Ghosh said some reactions, such as irritation, swelling or skin changes, can be seen. “But what concerns me as a toxicologist is what you might not see,” she said, adding that the internal effects of mercury and lead “may not be immediately obvious”. She also warned that the packaging gives nothing away: “You cannot tell from the packaging what chemicals are inside, how the product has been made or what risk it might pose.”

Young shoppers are driving the shift

Around 20% of 18- to 24-year-olds who bought beauty products last year knowingly purchased counterfeits, according to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Counterfeit Goods Tracker. In 2023 the figure was 6%. That is more than a threefold increase in two years.

The internet appears to be the main route. Trading Standards surveys found that nearly three in four people who bought counterfeit cosmetics and toiletries did so online. Helen Barnham, the IPO’s head of enforcement engagement, said the sharp rise among young adults is why the agency wants people to understand the risks and “know how to protect themselves”.

Raids and warehouse seizures

Two recent enforcement operations show how much of this material is in circulation. In July, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit and Greater Manchester Police seized 1,666 counterfeit hair products, including hair extensions, shampoo and conditioners, from a warehouse in Manchester. A separate raid in Bolton by Trading Standards officers uncovered £2m of counterfeit goods at a production facility in a commercial property. The haul included perfume, cosmetics, clothing and vapes.

The sources do not report any arrests or charges linked to these seizures.

Why fakes bypass safety checks

Counterfeit products are more likely to contain harmful substances because they do not have to go through health and safety testing or carry accurate ingredient lists, according to the Guardian’s report. Barnham said fakes “can be made in appalling, unhygienic conditions”, and that counterfeiters “exploit the names and reputations of brands that consumers know and trust, while bypassing the rigorous safety standards that legitimate businesses work hard to meet”.

Dr Emma Meredith, director-general of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association, set out what legitimate products must meet. Ingredients are tightly controlled, products must be made in clean and hygienic conditions, and each must undergo a safety assessment. Companies carry clear legal responsibilities for what they place on the market. Counterfeits, she said, can bypass all of those safeguards.

What the Face the Fakes campaign advises

The IPO has launched a campaign called Face the Fakes, working with content creators and the beauty industry to highlight the harms of counterfeit beauty products. Its practical advice is to check who is actually selling a product and to buy from trusted sources. The British Beauty Council’s chief executive, Millie Kendall, said safety and trust run through the UK beauty industry, from brands to retailers and professionals.

The message from regulators and experts is that a convincing label is no guarantee of what is inside the bottle. Where a bargain price on a well-known brand comes from an unfamiliar seller, the seller’s identity is the first thing to check.

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