Your face cream can be a dangerous fake: Large research shows that most skin care is sold online, forget – full list of affected brands

Most cosmetic items that are sold by external sellers on Amazon, eBay, Tiktok and Vinted are fake and can be a health risk, suggests an investigation.

Researchers described their findings as ‘alarming’ and warn people ‘seduced’ by discounts on the risk of counterfeit designer goods that are damaged by ‘toxic’ ingredients.

They bought 34 make -up and skin products from sellers who have jointly sold thousands of these items.

This includes products advertised as being eight well -known brands, including Charlotte Tilbury, La Roche Posay, Maybelline, Mac and the ordinary.

But researchers from consumer champion which? Concluder 23 out of 34 items (67 percent) are probably forged.

In any case, they carried out visual checks on the packaging and content and compared with the real products purchased from trusted retailers.

Four of the 11 products ordered on Amazon were considered fake, just like eight of the 11 products bought on eBay, ordered five of the six products from Tiktok Shop and six of the six items bought on Vinted.

Doctors say that the consequences of the use of counterfeit products can be ‘serious’.

False cosmetics, perfumes and other beauty and hair products have previously been found that they contain animal faeces and urine that are used as a stabilizer, as well as carcinogenic and toxic ingredients such as Arsenen, lead and mercury.

Consultant -Dermatologist Dr. Aamna Adel said that the lack of regulations or supervision in the production of fake products means that they can be formulated incorrectly, even if they contain real active ingredients, such as glycolic acid or retinol.

This is the risk of skin irritation, skin infections or even chemical burns, she added.

Legitimate cosmetics, on the other hand, undergo safety controls and are manufactured under controlled circumstances.

Which one? Said that many of the Dupes were difficult to recognize and only became clear compared to the real monsters.

A bottle of Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray looked from the outside, but on further inspection researchers noted that it had a cloying floral scent, clearly different from the real monster.

Likewise, a Mac Macximal Silky Matte lipstick in Shade Ruby Woo bought from Vinted for £ 15 – £ 10 less than the recommended selling price – arrived in packaging that looks very much like the real version, but when they were closely compared, the lipstick bullet itself was subtly different with the originally that did not match with the origin.

A tube of La Roche Posay Effaclar -Serum bought on prisoner in the edge suspicious as shampoo, while the monster bought from Vinted had completely different text on the side of the box.

Which one? Said that many of the Dupes were difficult to recognize and only became clear compared to the real monsters

When which? Researchers bought reduced tubes from Cerave who re -emerging Retinol Serum from Amazon, Ebay and Vinted, all three came to the real product in various packaging and missed the safety markets that researchers would expect.

It was difficult to remove a serum from the bottles with the help of the pumps, but when they did, it was clearly different in consistency and color.

The ordinary product listings were found some of the most popular researchers.

The two offers on eBay had jointly sold more than 2,600 items and almost 1,000 were sold in Tiktok Shop.

This was ‘all the more surprising’ because they were up to some of the most affordable items in the research, with products that all his retail trade in less than £ 10, researchers said.

Phil Lewis, director-general of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, said that even cheaper fake products are the profit margins ‘extremely high’, which means that consumers must be wary, even if discounts seem realistic.

Which one? The government calls on to reform the enforcement system and advise shoppers to be vigilant when buying items from online market places.

It said that the safest way to buy cosmetics products online or in the store is to buy directly from the brand website, or one of their affiliated retailers or approved sellers

Doctors say that the consequences of the use of counterfeit products can be ‘serious’

Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy on which?, Said: ‘It is alarming that which? Was able to find such large quantities of what potentially dangerous forged cosmetics seemed to be on popular online market places, where teenagers are probably tempted by what large discounts seem to be on popular brands.

‘Consumers must be just as trust in the products they buy online as the items they buy in the main street, but in reality they risk buying non -regulated, non -regulated and potentially toxic cosmetics.

‘Trading Standards must take decisive action to prevent these products from making their way to the houses of people, but due to limited resources and competing requirements, forged studies are demidized in many parts of the country.

“The government must ensure that there are clear tasks on online market places to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods and to urgently commit itself to the reforms needed to ensure that our consumer enforcement system is suitable for the 21st century.”

The online retailers all said they prohibit the sale of forged items and take action to prevent fake tendon from being sold.

Fake products are the risk of skin irritation, skin infections or even chemical burns

A spokesperson for L’Oréal Groupe, the parent group for Cerave, La Roche Posay, L’Oreal and Maybelline said: ‘L’Oréal Groupe takes the threat of counterfeit products very seriously.

“We are committed to the fight against counterfeit to protect the health and safety of consumers, and the integrity of our brands,” it added.

“We actively work together with law enforcement authorities worldwide and with online platforms.”

Charlotte Tilbury and the ordinary have not responded to the requests of the researchers for comments.