Fake cosmetics are flooding the Irish market (and how to spot them)
We all love a bargain, but tempting deals that seem too good to be true usually are.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has issued a warning for people in Ireland to be vigilant of counterfeit cosmetics.
According to the HPRA large quantities of fake high-end beauty products including those from Mac, Urban Decay and Benefit have been found to be on sale.
The HPRA warns that the Christmas season is the peak time of the year for rogue sellers of counterfeit products and shoppers are strongly urged to avoid these potentially harmful products.
Scarily, a number of the fake cosmetics tested have even been found to contain harmful substances such as arsenic and lead!
“Long periods of exposure to substances such as arsenic and lead can have potentially harmful effects on the body such as damage to numerous organs and systems, such as the kidneys, as well as the central nervous system,” says Aoife Farrell, Cosmetics Compliance Manager, HPR.
“With counterfeit cosmetics, there is little or nothing known about how or where the products are made, the safety of ingredients included or the hygiene of the facility in which they are produced. It is clear that those involved in counterfeiting are interested only in financial gain and have little regard for the health of those who might use the product and that poses a very real health risk.”
How to spot a counterfeit cosmetic:
Is it significantly cheaper than on the high street?
Ensure the product is labelled with a European address?
Is the distributor reliable? Beauty brands usually list their licenced sellers on their website.
Physically check counterfeit cosmetics for:
– Uneven fill levels e.g. in eye-shadow palettes
– Faded packaging
– Misspelling on packaging or in information leaflet
– Name of the product or shade is slightly different
– Print (font or style) on the container is different
– Mirrors that don’t quite fit or are of bad quality