Fashion

The Knockoff Makeup You're Using Might Contain Rat Poop And Human Pee

by Emily Arata
Stocksy

Rubbing rat feces across your face doesn't seem like a good idea. But if you're passing on quality products and replacing them with cheap cosmetics, you may be doing just that.

A press release from London's Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, spotted by Mashable, warns locals against purchasing illegally made beauty products created with less-than-sanitary ingredients.

According to lab tests, counterfeit perfumes can contain ingredients such as human urine and cyanide.

Products applied directly to the face reportedly have traces of arsenic, mercury and lead. The press release even alleges rat waste is occasionally found in products.

The news comes as part of the legal effort to put an end to more than $139 million in counterfeit cosmetic purchases made yearly in the UK. Among the items are fake styling tools that are liable to overheat and burn both hair and the person using it.

Police warn it's particularly easy to accidentally buy fake items online because you're incapable of examining the products.

Double-check the website for grammatical errors before purchasing, as that can be a clue the website's not all it's cracked up to be.

Before you buy the product, the FBI recommends price checking your item against other online stores.

If the price is comparable, you're probably safe from potentially toxic fake cosmetics.

Citations: Your fake makeup could contain rat droppings and pee (Mashable)