Luton Borough Council

13/01/2026 - Luton Trading Standards warns residents about unsafe cosmetic products

Luton Council’s Trading Standards officers are advising residents to be cautious when buying certain imported skincare products after testing revealed unsafe levels of mercury in some creams.

During routine inspections of local shops, officers seized several products for testing. Laboratory results confirmed that two of these creams contained dangerously high levels of mercury, a chemical banned in cosmetic products due to its serious health risks. One cream, ‘Faiza facial cream’, was found to contain 19,170 mg/kg of mercury, while ‘Tibet facial cream’ contained 85.92 mg/kg.

Mercury is highly toxic and can have serious health effects, including damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Exposure can be particularly harmful to unborn children and mercury can accumulate in the body over time, even at very low levels. Mercury from these products can also pollute watercourses and enter the food chain, posing wider environmental risks.

The products tested were also found to be poorly labelled, lacking essential information such as the importer’s name and address. Without this information, consumers cannot be assured that the product has undergone the required safety assessment, or that a Cosmetic Product Safety Report is available for Trading Standards inspection.

Councillor Maria Lovell, portfolio holder for Trading Standards, said: “Protecting the health of our residents is at the heart of what Trading Standards does. These illegal and unsafe products were removed from sale before anyone could be harmed, but it is important for shoppers to be vigilant.

“Residents should be particularly careful when considering cheap, imported skincare products that do not provide full labelling information. If you already have these products at home, please stop using them immediately. If you suspect similar unsafe products are being sold, report it to Trading Standards.”

Anyone with information about unsafe cosmetic products being sold in Luton - whether in shops, online, or from domestic premises - can report it via Citizens Advice or by calling the consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 and asking to refer information to Trading Standards.