Every day beauty influencers & celebrities are promoting new palettes and lipsticks. Fans are always looking for ways to enhance their beauty & want to get their hands on these highly coveted products.
Consumers want the brand name product but don’t want to pay the price so they turn to counterfeit makeup and/or skin products. Most of the time people are unaware they are purchasing a fake.
Most of us are aware of handbag & sunglass knockoffs but the business of counterfeit beauty products is on the rise. Consumers are always on the hunt for a good discount, sometimes this discount can seem too good to be true & it most likely is.
Counterfeit cosmetics are dangerous! The formula is most likely different and can contain harmful ingredients such as mercury, arsenic, animal feces, paint thinner, and more. Gross right?!
Not only is this downright disgusting but these knockoff cosmetics can cause severe reactions. Skin rashes, eye infections, chemical burns, scaring and other conditions have all been reported from using counterfeit cosmetics. What’s even worse is that these reactions are happening on people’s faces, a part of the body that is hard to hide.
Fake packaging often looks exactly like the real product & the texture of the product can look similar. We have compiled a list on how to avoid buying counterfeit cosmetics.
1. Buy directly from the brand or trusted retailer:
When buying directly from a brand, you know exactly what is in the product. This is the best & safest way to go about purchasing skincare & makeup products.
2. Research the seller:
Most counterfeit cosmetics come from third-party sellers. Mostly they are legit but always be careful when purchasing from a third-party. Amazon, Poshmark, and eBay are popular websites for third-party vendors.
It’s always a good idea to read the reviews and make sure there are A LOT of good reviews. Check to see if anyone has reported the product being fake in the reviews.
Research the vendor as well and visit their website outside of Amazon.com.
3. Be skeptical of discounts & extremely low prices:
If the deal is too good to be true it probably is. A $10 Kiley Lip Kit might seem tempting but save yourself and avoid the consequences. Try finding a similar product at the local drugstore. There are thousands of articles out there with “drugstore dupes” of literally any pricey product.
4. Look closely at the product packaging:
Clues can be found by looking at the brand logo, coloring, and finding misspellings. Compare it to the real product.
“I was sold a fake product…now what?”
1. Stop using the product immediately.
2. If a rash occurs get in to see your dermatologist.
3. Reach out to the vendor:
They may not be aware they are selling counterfeit products and might give you a refund. Sometimes sellers are not that genuine and will deny a product is fake or simply not respond. If you purchased an item from Amazon, Poshmark, eBay or another third-party selling company, reach out to the company directly.
4. File an official complaint:
You can do this at
https://www.usa.gov/state-consumer or
https://www.stopfakes.gov/Reporting-an-Online-Vendor-Selling-Fakes
“As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.” –Emma Watson