LONDON -- If you like high-end, branded products but don't always shell out for the real deal, you might be a bit grossed out by a warning made on Monday by police in London.
Cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead, poison, rat droppings and even human pee have been found in lab tests on fake makeup seized by City of London police.
As well as being disgusting, they warn that fake makeup can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, swelling, rashes and burns.
"Beauty products are meant to enhance your features however the fakes can in fact do quite the opposite. Our general rule is; if it seems too good to be true then it probably is," Maria Woodall, detective superintendent with the City of London Police said in a statement.
“Not only could these products have serious implications to your health and wellbeing but by simply going online and buying from a rogue site or dealer, your personal and financial information is at risk."
Police say people in the UK are spending more than £90 million ($141 million) per year and it's likely to increase as the fake makeup business is growing, prompted by the rising numbers buying their makeup online.
In a new campaign, police say buyers should check forums and blogs to find out if sites selling makeup are legit or fake and urges people to check the spelling of a website's URL when buying something. It also suggests keeping security software and firewalls up to date as well as being on the look out for phishing emails.