Lost Mary vs Bloody Mary: genuine vapes, lookalikes and what to check

The short answer: Lost Mary is an established vape brand, and Bloody Mary was a separate product from a different company. The earlier version of this article described Bloody Mary as a lookalike: a single-use vape whose name and styling sat very close to Lost Mary's BM600.

Both were single-use devices, so neither can be sold in the UK now. Single-use vapes have been banned from sale since 1 June 2025. Lost Mary's current range is rechargeable, and that is what Vapeology sells.

The question behind the search is still a good one, though: how do you know the vape in your hand is the real thing, and legal to sell in the UK? This guide covers exactly that.

Lookalike, counterfeit or non-compliant?

These three words get mixed up, but they mean different things:

• Lookalike: a different product, sold under its own name, styled to resemble a popular brand. It is easy to buy one by mistake if you are shopping by colour and shape.
• Counterfeit: a fake that uses a real brand's name and packaging without permission. You cannot know who made it or what is in it.
• Non-compliant: any vape that breaks UK rules, whoever made it. Think oversized tanks, nicotine above the legal limit, missing warnings, or a single-use device sold after the ban.

A lookalike can be perfectly legal if it meets the rules. A counterfeit or non-compliant vape is the real risk, because none of the UK safeguards can be assumed.

The quick checks

Check the health warning and packaging

Nicotine vapes sold in the UK must carry this warning on the front and back of the pack: "This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance."

If the warning is missing, printed in another language, or stuck on as a label over someone else's packaging, the product was probably not made for the UK market.

Look at the rest of the pack too. Genuine UK products list the ingredients and nicotine content, carry a batch number and come with an information leaflet. Spelling mistakes, blurry printing and colours that do not match the brand's own product pictures are all reasons to stop and check.

Many larger brands also print a security code or QR code on the pack, which you can check on the brand's own website.

Check the numbers: 2ml and 20mg/ml

Two UK limits catch out most illegal vapes:

• Pod and tank size: no more than 2ml.
• Nicotine strength: no more than 20mg/ml, shown on packs as 20mg or 2%.

Some countries allow stronger nicotine, so packaging that mentions 3% or 5% was made for somewhere else. It should not be on sale here.

A big number on the box is not proof of a problem on its own. What matters is that each pod or tank holds 2ml or less, and that the device is rechargeable with replaceable pods or refills. A sealed device with no way to refill it or change the pod should not be on sale in the UK at all.

Check where you are buying

Where you buy matters as much as what you buy. Reputable UK retailers:

• trade under a clear company name with UK contact details;
• check your age at checkout, because it is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under 18;
• sell products that have been notified to the MHRA, the UK regulator, before going on sale.

The MHRA publishes a list of notified products, so you can look up a vape if you are unsure.

Be wary of sellers on social media, market stalls, prices far below everyone else, and anyone still offering single-use vapes. If a seller is ignoring the ban, it is fair to question everything else they sell too.

The post-ban landscape

The UK vape market looks very different from when this article first appeared:

• Single-use vapes have been banned from sale since 1 June 2025. Kits on sale now are rechargeable, with refillable or replaceable pods.
• A Vaping Products Duty applies to e-liquid from 1 October 2026.
• The 2ml, 20mg/ml and 10ml limits still apply to everything.

Illegal stock still turns up, which is one more reason to stick with a retailer you trust.

The NHS says vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, but it is not risk-free. That advice is about regulated products: with a counterfeit, you have no idea what you are inhaling. Vapes are for adult smokers and ex-smokers aged 18 and over, not for non-smokers or young people.

Genuine Lost Mary at Vapeology

Lost Mary's range at Vapeology covers rechargeable pre-filled pod kits, replacement pods and 10ml nic salts. The BM600 name lives on as a rechargeable kit:

For a closer look at what the range includes and who each part suits, read our Lost Mary brand spotlight. If you are moving on from single-use vapes in general, our guide to Geek Bar alternatives covers the options.

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