What are the dangers of fake cosmetics?
There are many important reasons why you should avoid fake products, not just because they may be poorer quality but also for safety reasons:
Fake products won't have gone through a safety assessment which is required for all legal cosmetic products in the UK and are unlikely to contain the same thoroughly and scientifically assessed ingredients as legitimate products.
Moreover, legitimate products must be manufactured under strict levels of cleanliness to avoid contamination. Fake products have been found to contain microbes and debris from unclean premises and equipment which could be harmful to health.
Not only could you end up with products that aren’t genuine, presents you give to family and friends could be dangerous to their health.
So how can you avoid buying a fake product?
Official retail channels are the best. Always buy perfume, makeup and personal care products from a reputable source and be suspicious of products offered for sale from unusual places such as car boot sales and markets.
Be wary of products being sold at a greatly reduced price from less known Internet sites.
Check the product packaging. Does it look legitimate? Are there any spelling mistakes? This could tell you whether a product is genuine or not.
And if you are worried about a purchase, let your local Trading Standards Office know - they are on the watch for fakes and online fraudsters impersonating authentic websites.
More reading:
Top ten tips for avoiding fakes - Phil Lewis, Director-General of The Anti-Counterfeiting Group
Thefactsabout - Counterfeiting
