Highlights
- Illegal skin lightening products containing banned substances are being found in butchers, specialist food shops and small grocery stores across the UK.
- The Chartered Trading Standards Institute warns products contain hydroquinone, mercury and powerful corticosteroids that can cause irreversible skin damage
- A South London beauty store was recently fined over £30,000 for selling dangerous skin lightening creams.
Regulators have issued three key warnings to consumers :never use skin lightening products on children ,never buy them from unverified sellers or social media accounts , and always speak to a doctor or dermatologist before using any product intended to alter skin tone.
Recent enforcement activity in London has highlighted a pattern of illegal cosmetics being sold alongside unlicensed medicines and prohibited biocidal products, with officers also identifying a growing social media market where influencers promote products directly to consumers without proper oversight.
Social pressures examined
BBC Morning Live has highlighted the dangers through testimonies from affected consumers.
The use of skin lightening products is influenced by complex social and personal factors, including colourism in some Black and Asian communities.
While the impact is most pronounced among people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, the safety advice applies to all consumers
Daniel from Essex described using an unlabelled skin whitening lotion as a teenager to combat acne-related dark patches, unaware it contained hydroquinone.
After seeing drastic results, he used similar products on his whole body, resulting in permanent skin damage he still deals with today.
Arlène spoke about experiencing colourism and racism related to her skin tone from a young age, including at school, which led her to use skin lightening products containing banned and harmful ingredients.
"I was unaware the products were illegal or that they could cause long term harm," she told the programme.
Tendy Lindsay, former chair of CTSI, said "As a Black woman and a long-standing advocate for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, I want to be absolutely clear: the sale of illegal skin lightening products is not only dangerous, it is unlawful.
I am deeply concerned about the social pressures that fuel demand for these products. Colourism and harmful beauty standards can create vulnerability, and unscrupulous traders exploit those insecurities for profit."
A South London beauty store was recently fined over £30,000 for selling dangerous skin lightening products.
