Bexley Magistrates Court fined Ms Adetola Amao, owner of New Hair London, Woolwich, a total £8,515.50 after an undercover officer working for the Council’s trading standards team discovered illegal skin lightening cream, which was subsequently analysed and found to contain steroids. Without proper control or regulation by a doctor or pharmacist, products with steroids can have extremely harmful side effects, including severe burns.

On 18 February 2021, in the midst of lockdown, the business sold an illegal skin lightening cream to an undercover test purchaser. On 25 February 2021 the business was re- visited and 105 cosmetics products were seized. Six further offences were committed under the Cosmetic Product Enforcement Regulations 2013 including illicit cosmetics being sold without labels indicating correct ingredients. Lack of these details means that if users have an allergic reaction, they have no-one to contact and the manufacturer has no way to monitor the safety of their products.

Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement said, “Skin lightening creams can be extremely dangerous and cause horrific burns. Businesses who flout the law by selling these dangerous and illegal products risk prosecution, heavy fines and imprisonment. As this case shows, we will come down hard on those who put people at risk.”

In an earlier hearing, Ms Amao was fined £350 with £350 costs and a victim surcharge of £50 in relation to the covid breach on 18 February 2021.  On 22 December 2021 she was fined a further £3500 plus £4075.50 costs, and £190 victim surcharge in relation to the cosmetic offences.

In total, Ms Amao has been faced with £8,515.5 in fines and costs in relation to the sale of illicit cosmetics and covid breaches.

Residents concerned about a business selling dangerous products can contact the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Trading Standards team on 020 8921 8223 or visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/tradingstandards.