Scroll through social media for long enough and you will eventually be offered a luxury serum for €9, a cult mascara for half its usual price or a "limited-time" fragrance deal that promises top quality on a budget.
It can feel like a small victory, but in reality, it may be something far more dangerous.
Counterfeit beauty is one of the fastest-growing corners of the fake goods market. According to the UK Government’s Intellectual Property Office, the purchase of counterfeit cosmetics and toiletries online saw an increase of 6% at the end of 2025, and many Irish shoppers will certainly have come across fake or misleading products online.
"Counterfeit beauty products might look like the real deal, but that’s where the similarity stops," warns director-general of Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) Dr Emma Meredith OBE. "Behind the copycat packaging, you could be buying something that doesn’t work as promised and could even put your health at risk."
Unlike legitimate cosmetics, fake products do not have to comply with Ireland's and the EU's strict safety laws.
Every genuine cosmetic sold in Ireland must meet the requirements of the EU Regulation 1223/2009, which mandates strict safety, labelling, and notification requirements across products such as toothpaste, fake tan, skincare, makeup and personal hygiene products. This regulation is then enforced in Ireland by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Each product must undergo a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR), a rigorous safety assessment by a qualified professional, and list a Ireland-based "Responsible Person" and their address on its packaging.
Fakes bypass all of this. "We don’t know what is in the fakes and counterfeits, nor how or where they have been made," Meredith explains. "They are highly unlikely to have been through the thorough safety requirements which are mandatory for legally compliant cosmetic products."
But why the sudden surge? Partly it is structural. Online shopping surged during the pandemic and never fully retreated and counterfeiters followed the traffic. Digital marketplaces and social platforms make it easier to hide behind false identities, use stolen imagery and vanish overnight.
Economic pressure also plays a role. "The cost-of-living increase may drive consumers to look for discounted or cheap options," Meredith notes, "and they may be buying counterfeit items believing they are saving money on the real product."
The result is a market flooded with convincing lookalikes, from prestige skincare to everyday make-up.
What fake beauty actually contains
When the UK Intellectual Property Office tested a range of counterfeit beauty and hygiene products as part of its "Choose Safe Not Fake" campaign, the results were grim to say the least.
Samples of setting sprays, hydrating serums and moisturisers contained carcinogenic substances such as beryllium oxide, banned heavy metals including arsenic, lead and mercury – and evidence of rodent urine and horse faeces, pointing to the unsanitary conditions in which they were produced.
Using these products can trigger allergic reactions, chemical burns, infections and long-term skin damage. Fake perfumes often fail to declare ingredients, which leaves people with allergies unable to protect themselves. Counterfeit make-up has also been linked to skin burns and serious irritation.
This is why the industry insists that safety is not a marketing add-on. It is built into the law.
How to spot a fake before it reaches your bathroom shelf
There is no foolproof way to verify authenticity before you buy, particularly online, but there are patterns.
Price, place of sale and packaging remain the biggest clues. If a product is dramatically cheaper than every other retailer, caution is warranted.
"If the product is being offered at a very cheap price, the chances are that it is an untested and unsafe look-alike that’s not worth the potential cost to your health," Meredith warns.
Packaging often gives counterfeits away. Misspelt brand names, slightly "off" logos, flimsy boxes, odd wording or missing information are common. Legitimate cosmetics sold in the Ireland must list a full ingredients panel and an EU Responsible Person with a physical address.
Online, the danger signs multiply. "Flash sale" ads that push urgency, social accounts that use brand names but are not linked from the brand’s official website, poorly written product pages with no customer service details, and sellers who post constantly but never engage with comments are all common counterfeit tells. So are unverified influencers promoting "too good to be true" deals.
The safest route remains boring but effective: buy from the brand’s own website or from established, reputable retailers.
Why "grey market" isn’t the same as fake
Confusion often arises around the idea of "grey market" beauty – products sold outside official distribution channels but still genuine.
The CTPA does not arbitrate commercial arrangements, but stresses that the grey market is not the same as counterfeit. A grey market product may be legal but unofficial; a counterfeit is illegal and unsafe.
The same rules apply: consider the retailer, the price and the product itself. If something feels off, it usually is.
What to do if you think you’ve bought a fake
If a product smells wrong, performs badly, irritates your skin or looks unlike previous purchases, stop using it. If you suspect it is counterfeit, you can report it to the HPRA via their online report form. The HPRA also suggests reporting any sellers of counterfeit cosmetic products to An Garda Síochána on 1800 666 111, and any undesirable health effects to your healthcare professional and the manufacturer (using the contact details on the product packaging).
You can also alert the brand. Most companies track counterfeit activity closely and work with authorities to shut sellers down.
The safest route remains boring but effective: buy from the brand’s own website or from established, reputable retailers. In Ireland and the EU, that means well-known beauty specialists and high-street names with clear customer service and returns policies – the likes of Boots, Cult Beauty, Space NK or Look Fantastic – rather than pop-up sellers on social media or unfamiliar marketplaces.
