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A UK Intellectual Property Office investigation found that 20 of 50 seized counterfeit cosmetic products tested by Trading Standards failed safety checks. Tests detected mercury, high levels of lead, methanol and other prohibited substances; the IPO is using the findings in its Face the Fakes campaign.
A UK investigation found that 20 of 50 seized counterfeit cosmetics tested by Trading Standards failed safety checks, with tests detecting mercury, high levels of lead and methanol, among other substances. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is highlighting the findings through its Face the Fakes campaign and urging beauty businesses to check where the products they buy, use and sell come from.
The testing covered a cross-section of 50 seized counterfeit cosmetic products. The IPO’s investigation reports that 20 failed on safety grounds and that potentially harmful or prohibited substances appeared across skin care, make-up and fragrance. The results describe products selected from seized goods; they do not establish how common these substances are across all counterfeit cosmetics or the wider UK market.
One counterfeit skin-lightening cream contained 1.32% mercury, equivalent to 13,200 parts per million. Mercury is prohibited in cosmetics of this type. The investigation also found high levels of lead in counterfeit lipstick, eyeshadow and contour products, including 40 milligrams per kilogram in one contour kit. A counterfeit fragrance contained about 80% methanol, while testing also detected nicotine in a perfume. One skin-lightening cream contained 8.1% hydroquinone, which the source says is prohibited in cosmetic skin-lightening products in the UK.
The source describes potential health hazards associated with these substances, including risks to the kidneys, nervous system and eyesight at sufficient exposure. It does not report injuries or establish that a person was harmed by any of the tested products. The IPO campaign is working with beauty industry organisations, scientific experts and social media creators to raise awareness. It is also calling on salons, retailers and beauty professionals to strengthen checks on products they purchase and offer to customers.
Risks Behind Unverified Beauty Products
The results point to a practical risk for consumers and the businesses that supply beauty products: counterfeit goods may not follow the safety controls applied to legitimate cosmetics. Substances such as mercury, lead and methanol can pose health risks depending on the product, route and degree of exposure. The tests identify hazards in particular seized items, but do not measure how often consumers encounter them or the level of exposure from using them.
For salons and retailers, the IPO’s warning concerns both product safety and the reliability of supply. A product’s appearance or branding alone may not establish that it came from the named manufacturer. The British Beauty Council says counterfeiters benefit from the reputation of established businesses without meeting the same standards. The campaign’s focus is on buying through sources businesses can trust and checking products before they are used or sold.
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Recent UK Counterfeit Seizures
Cosmetics, skin care and perfumes are among the ten types of counterfeit goods most commonly investigated by Trading Standards, according to the supplied report. The latest testing sits alongside enforcement activity involving other beauty products. In July 2026, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit and Greater Manchester Police seized 1,666 counterfeit hair products from a warehouse in Manchester, including extensions, shampoo and conditioners.
The source also reports a separate Bolton raid in which Trading Standards officers seized counterfeit goods, including perfume and cosmetics, at a production facility in a commercial property. It gives the value as “£2mi,” an unclear figure, so the amount cannot be reliably stated here. These seizures show enforcement activity, but the source does not say that the Manchester or Bolton products were included in the 50-product safety tests.
The industry groups quoted in the report contrast counterfeit goods with legitimate cosmetics sold in the UK, which they say are subject to safety assessments and legal responsibilities. Those statements explain the campaign’s message; the specific test findings remain the reported results from the seized sample.
““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 Seized-Product Tests
The reported findings come from a sample of 50 seized products, not a survey of all cosmetics sold in the UK. The source does not explain how the products were selected, where they were bought, how long they had been available, or whether the sample represents the wider counterfeit market. The result that 20 failed safety checks should not be read as a rate for all counterfeit cosmetics.
The report also provides no details about specific sellers, brands or supply chains linked to the tested items, and does not identify any affected consumers. It gives no further test methods or enforcement outcomes tied directly to the 50 products. The precise date of the IPO investigation’s release is not supplied; the separately mentioned Manchester seizure took place in July 2026.
Checks and Campaign Activity
The IPO’s Face the Fakes campaign is using the investigation to raise awareness with support from beauty industry organisations, scientific experts and social media creators. The source says businesses across the UK are being urged to strengthen checks on the cosmetics they purchase, use and sell. It does not set out a new regulation, a deadline or a specific inspection schedule.
Consumers and professionals can watch for further information from the IPO and Trading Standards about counterfeit products and enforcement. The source does not announce additional test results or say whether more seizures are planned. Any future claims about the scale of the problem will need evidence beyond this sample of seized goods.
Key Questions
How many seized products failed safety checks?
Twenty of 50 products in a cross-section of seized counterfeit cosmetics failed safety checks, according to the IPO investigation’s reported Trading Standards testing.
Which substances did testing find?
Reported findings included mercury in a skin-lightening cream, lead in make-up, methanol in a fragrance, nicotine in a perfume and hydroquinone in a skin-lightening cream. The products were counterfeit items selected from seized goods.
Does the 20-out-of-50 result apply to all cosmetics in the UK?
No. The tests covered a cross-section of 50 seized counterfeit products. The source does not say the sample represents all counterfeit cosmetics or all products sold in the UK.
Did the investigation report that consumers were harmed?
No injuries were reported in the supplied account. It describes potential hazards associated with substances found in particular products, but does not establish that anyone was harmed or quantify consumer exposure.
What is the IPO asking beauty businesses to do?
The campaign is urging salons, retailers and beauty professionals to strengthen checks on the cosmetics they buy, use and sell, including paying attention to the source of products.
Source: cosmeticsbusiness.com
