Ugly truth of fake beauty products

POLICE HAVE warned the lives of consumers are being put at risk after fake beauty products have been found to contain rats’ droppings, human urine and arsenic.

Make-up, perfume, electrical hair stylers and sun cream are among the counterfeit goods being highlighted in a campaign called “Wake up – don’t fake up!”.

In the UK, it is estimated that at least £90m is spent annually on fake goods, and with the rise of online shopping the production and sale of fake goods on the web is increasing. Counterfeit beauty products in particular are becoming increasingly common and easily available on the internet.

Checking the authenticity of a product is proving to be a lot harder nowadays, and police said generic stock images are also frequently used to deceive consumers into believing they are buying the real deal.

Fake electrical beauty goods, such as hair curlers and dryers, are not subject to the same vigorous safety tests as genuine items. Bogus products could cause electrocution or overheat and catch fire, potentially burning hair, skin and scalp as well as putting homes and lives at risk.

City of London Police, which is leading the campaign, said tests have shown counterfeit perfume can contain poisonous chemicals including cyanide and even human urine. Fake cosmetics have been found to contain toxic levels of substances such as arsenic, mercury and lead.

Counterfeit make-up is often produced in unhygienic factories and there have been cases where rats’ droppings and poison have also been found in the fake cosmetics.