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UK Trading Standards testing found that 20 of 50 seized counterfeit cosmetic products failed safety checks. The tested products included skin care, make-up and fragrance, with mercury, lead, methanol and other potentially harmful or prohibited substances detected.
Trading Standards testing found that 20 of 50 seized counterfeit cosmetic products failed safety checks, according to an investigation by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The products included skin care, make-up and fragrance, and testing detected mercury, lead and methanol among other potentially harmful or prohibited substances.
The IPO is highlighting the findings through its Face the Fakes campaign, which works with beauty industry organisations, scientific experts and social media creators to raise awareness of counterfeit cosmetics. The tested products were a cross-section of 50 items seized by Trading Standards; the results do not establish how common these substances are across all counterfeit products or cosmetics sold in the UK.
Among the examples reported, a counterfeit skin-lightening cream contained 1.32% mercury, or 13,200 parts per million. Testing also found 40 mg/kg of lead in one counterfeit contour kit, while lead was identified in other counterfeit make-up, including lipstick and eyeshadow. The source says lead can accumulate in the body over time and may affect the brain, nervous system and kidneys.
One counterfeit fragrance contained around 80% methanol, a toxic alcohol that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. The investigation also detected nicotine in a counterfeit perfume and 8.1% hydroquinone in a counterfeit skin-lightening cream. The source describes nicotine and hydroquinone in these products as prohibited; it says repeated hydroquinone use can cause irritation and potentially lasting changes to skin pigmentation. It also warns that sufficiently high methanol exposure can cause serious poisoning, including damage to eyesight and the nervous system.
Risks Across Counterfeit Beauty Products
The findings matter because the tested products were everyday categories—skin care, make-up and fragrance—and some contained substances that the source says are prohibited in the relevant cosmetics. For consumers, the results underline that an item’s appearance or branding alone cannot establish that it came through legitimate safety checks. The investigation does not quantify the health risk from any particular use, and it should not be read as evidence that every counterfeit product contains these substances.
The IPO and industry groups are also directing attention to salons, retailers and beauty professionals, urging them to strengthen checks on products they buy, use or sell. Products entering legitimate supply chains are subject to safety requirements; counterfeit goods may evade those safeguards. The reported test results make supplier checks relevant not only to consumers buying online or in shops, but also to businesses that source products for professional use.
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Testing and Recent UK Seizures
The investigation sits within wider UK enforcement activity against counterfeit goods. The source says cosmetics, skin care and perfumes are among the ten most commonly investigated counterfeit-goods categories by Trading Standards. It does not provide a date or full methodology for the 50-product sample, so the findings are a snapshot of seized goods rather than a measure of the overall market.
The report also describes separate seizures. In July 2026, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit and Greater Manchester Police seized 1,666 counterfeit hair products from a Manchester warehouse, including extensions, shampoo and conditioners. In another raid in Bolton, Trading Standards officers seized counterfeit perfume, cosmetics, clothing and vapes at a production facility. The source values those goods at £2 million; it does not give a date for the Bolton operation.
British Beauty Council chief executive Millie Kendall said legitimate businesses invest care and expertise in their products and that counterfeiters trade on the sector’s reputation without meeting the same standards. Her comments reflect the industry’s support for the campaign; they are not a separate finding from the product testing.
“Counterfeiters trade on the reputation and creativity that brilliant beauty businesses have worked hard to build, without meeting the same standards.”
— Millie Kendall, chief executive of the British Beauty Council
Limits of the 50-Product Sample
The source does not state when the 50 products were tested, how they were selected, or whether the sample represents a particular region, seller type or period. It reports that 20 failed safety checks but does not give a full breakdown of all test results, the products’ points of sale, or whether any were used by consumers.
It is also unclear whether the test findings have led to specific prosecutions, product recalls or further enforcement actions. The reported substance levels describe individual seized products; they do not establish typical levels across counterfeit cosmetics or the risk posed by any single exposure. Further details from the IPO or Trading Standards could clarify the scope and outcomes of the investigation.
Campaign and Supplier Checks
The IPO’s Face the Fakes campaign is intended to raise awareness with consumers and the beauty sector. The source says salons, retailers and professionals across the UK are being urged to strengthen checks on the cosmetics they purchase, use and sell. It does not announce a deadline, new regulation or a scheduled enforcement milestone.
Consumers and businesses can apply the advice given by the industry groups: check who is supplying a product and favour trusted sources. The immediate next developments to watch for are any further information from the IPO about its test sample and any enforcement outcomes connected to the seized goods. The source does not confirm whether further results or actions have been scheduled.
Key Questions
How many seized counterfeit cosmetics failed safety checks?
Twenty of 50 products tested by Trading Standards failed on safety grounds, according to the IPO investigation. That is a result for the tested sample, not an estimate of the share of all counterfeit cosmetics.
Which substances were detected?
The reported findings include mercury, lead, methanol, nicotine and hydroquinone. They were found in different counterfeit skin-care, make-up and fragrance products; the source does not say that every tested item contained these substances.
Does this mean all counterfeit cosmetics contain toxic substances?
No. The report describes a cross-section of 50 seized products and does not establish how common the substances are across all counterfeit goods or cosmetics on the UK market.
What advice did the campaign give to buyers and businesses?
The campaign and industry representatives urge consumers and businesses to check who is selling or supplying a product and to choose trusted sources. Salons, retailers and beauty professionals are specifically being asked to strengthen checks on products they buy, use or sell.
Source: cosmeticsbusiness.com
