Looking for a makeup bargain online? You might want to think twice.
A new investigation has found that most beauty products sold by third-party sellers on popular platforms like Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop, and Vinted are likely fakes—and not just disappointing dupes.
Many could actually be dangerous to your health.
While the low prices and big brand names might be tempting, the study suggests you could be rubbing toxic, unregulated chemicals right onto your skin without even knowing it.
Cheap Deals, Serious Dangers
The consumer watchdog group Which? recently purchased 34 popular makeup and skincare items from third-party sellers on those platforms.
These included products from beloved names like Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Maybelline, The Ordinary, and La Roche Posay.
What they found was pretty shocking: 23 out of the 34 items (that’s 67%) were likely counterfeit.
Where the Fakes Were Found
Here’s how the fake count broke down across platforms:
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Amazon: 4 of 11 products were fake
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eBay: 8 of 11
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TikTok Shop: 5 of 6
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Vinted: 6 of 6
These items weren’t just off-brand. Some contained odd smells, weird textures, and packaging that didn’t quite match up with authentic products.
Others had missing safety marks or differences you’d only spot if you were holding a real version next to the fake.
What’s Really Inside These Products?
This isn’t just about dodgy labels or clumpy mascara.
Counterfeit beauty products have been found to contain some seriously gross and harmful stuff. Think:
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Animal waste (yes, really)
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Arsenic
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Lead
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Mercury
Dr. Aamna Adel, a consultant dermatologist, warned that even if these fakes contain real active ingredients (like retinol or glycolic acid), the lack of proper regulation means they could cause skin irritation, infections, or chemical burns.
Spotting the Fakes Isn’t Easy
Many of these products looked almost identical to the real thing.
A Charlotte Tilbury setting spray, for example, had a similar bottle—but smelled totally different.
A MAC lipstick from Vinted had a smudged logo and slightly off coloring.
One La Roche Posay serum smelled suspiciously like shampoo.
Meanwhile, fake CeraVe retinol serums came in odd packaging and had inconsistent textures when testers finally got them to pump out of the bottle.
Even more worrying? The fake versions of The Ordinary products were among the most popular listings researchers found—some sellers had moved thousands of units.
Why This Keeps Happening
One big problem is that the profits from selling these fakes are huge, even when the products are cheap.
That’s why counterfeiters keep flooding online marketplaces with them.
And because they’re priced just low enough to seem like a great deal—not suspiciously cheap—it’s easy for shoppers, especially teens, to get fooled.
Which? Says It’s Time for a Crackdown
The team behind the investigation is urging both the government and online retailers to step up.
They want to see reforms in the UK’s consumer protection system and clear rules holding platforms accountable when fakes are sold through their websites.
Rocio Concha, Director of Policy at Which?, said:
“It’s alarming how easy it was to find so many potentially dangerous counterfeit products.
We need Trading Standards to take this seriously, but limited resources mean it’s often deprioritized.”
What the Brands and Platforms Had to Say
Most of the online platforms involved said they already have rules against selling fake goods and take steps to prevent it.
Meanwhile, L’Oréal Groupe—which owns CeraVe, Maybelline, and others—said it’s actively working with law enforcement to fight counterfeits and protect consumers.
However, Charlotte Tilbury and The Ordinary didn’t respond to the investigation’s requests for comment.
How to Stay Safe When Shopping for Beauty Products
So what can you do if you still want to shop online? According to Which?, the safest way is to buy directly from brand websites or their official retailers and stockists—whether online or in-store.
If the deal looks too good to be true, or the product arrives looking or smelling slightly off, it’s worth being cautious.
When it comes to what we’re putting on our faces, it pays to be picky.
