THE WHAT? A Which? investigation has found that two-thirds of cosmetics purchased from third-party sellers on Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop, and Vinted appear to be counterfeit, raising serious health and safety concerns.

THE DETAILS Of 34 beauty products purchased by Which? from popular online marketplaces, 23 were likely fakes—some nearly indistinguishable from the originals without direct comparison. The suspected counterfeit items included well-known brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, The Ordinary, La Roche-Posay, and Maybelline. TikTok Shop and Vinted showed the highest rates of suspected counterfeits. Some products had misspelled labels, off-smelling formulas, or lacked safety markings entirely. Experts warn these unregulated cosmetics could contain toxic substances or be incorrectly formulated, posing risks like skin infections or chemical burns.

THE WHY? Counterfeit beauty products not only mislead consumers but may also contain hazardous ingredients and contribute to illegal trade networks. With little enforcement and growing sales on peer-to-peer platforms, Which? is urging the UK government to strengthen marketplace accountability and overhaul the under-resourced consumer protection system.

Source: Which