Piracy has always been present and the world of beauty and makeup is definitely no exception since many people take advantage of the fact that sometimes the economy is not enough to buy the original products that become more expensive. Something that no one ignores is that pirated or fake products can generate very bad results and expose us to very great damage.
What woman doesn’t like makeup deals? I think all of them! But something you should know is that there are prices to prices and if you end up buying “cheap” products because they are fake, they will end up costing you more than the original product could cost you, don’t you think? One of the biggest dangers of fake makeup is that it can be tempting due to its low cost and accessibility, but you must be careful because we are not sure that the ingredients it contains are safe for our skin.
Something that is different from “buying pirated” is that we buy original products at more affordable prices, on sale or buy the original product in smaller packages. There are those who are aware that they are buying imitation cosmetics, but in other cases, people buy innocently thinking that it is the original, but it turns out that it is not and they end up being the victim of a scammer. Hasn’t it happened to you?
Sometimes we don’t need to be super masters in makeup to know that what they are selling us is false. It’s like they want to sell you a Loreal foundation for $20, it doesn’t add up, right?
One of the main reasons why people go to markets or bazaars to buy their cosmetics is because the big makeup brands that we find in different virtual or physical stores are not always within the monetary reach of many people, so they are seen in the need to buy these products in places because they are cheaper when purchasing them. And if there is one thing that is true, it is that multiple low-quality imitations have been unleashed on the market that can threaten the health of those who are unaware of the content of the product.
That is why, if you buy cheap makeup or in places other than authorized stores, I want to share with you some very useful tips, recommendations, and advice to identify if the makeup or beauty products are original or fake.
Don’t forget what your mom says: “Sometimes cheap is expensive.”
No to piracy!
Risks of using fake makeup or beauty products
Lack of knowledge of the ingredients with which the product was made: If the product is counterfeit, logically it will have the same ones recorded on the packaging as the original product, not exactly what it actually contains.
Abrasive or skin-aggressive chemicals: Neglect of ingredients (cheap and unknown) can damage our skin, no matter what type it is.
Allergic reactions: redness, irritation, and itching may occur. If we are exposed to this, it is highly unlikely that we will know exactly which ingredient caused it.
Appearance of stains: The marks that can be left by any type of allergic reaction can take a long time to remove or even last longer than we can imagine.
Peeling or burns on the skin: Given the various consequences of the fake product, one more is that it can cause skin peeling.
Skin sensitivity: In the future it can cause consequences and make your skin vulnerable to any product.
What are the factors to know if a product is original or fake?
The Packaging
Comparing the packaging of the product that arouses your suspicions with the original is essential when unmasking a hoax. Normally the packaging in which the product comes says a lot, when buying makeup it is no exception. If you previously knew the product, compare the colors, the letters, the texture of the boxes, or the thickness.
If it is the first time you buy it, your main tool is the official website of the brand you want. Go in and carefully check the size of the box and containers, the typography, the colors, the shapes, the materials, the logos and labels, then compare with the one you are going to buy. There are times that details as small as having white letters on one package and pastel pink letters on the other can be the key to distinguishing what is real from what is fake.
Check carefully because there are fakes that are very well made as well as others that are not and are obvious. Look at the colors, slant and size of the font, whether the text is blurry, the size of the packaging or even its weight. The information always includes weight and size, do not ignore those details.
Don’t forget to look at the logo! They almost always look alike, but they are almost never the same. Compare with a photo of the original logos so you can easily identify them.
Also read: 9 Tricks To Always Keep Your Clothes Looking New!
The price
Unless it’s a corporate sale and the brand supports it, the amount you pay for the makeup of your choice may be what gives you the final say in detecting if it’s fake. I recommend that you look at the original price first and even if it is cheaper, it should not go much lower than the price that is online.
As in any other purchase, the price is a great indicator to know if we are looking at the original or a product of dubious origin. Therefore, having a direct reference from the seller will be your best tool, check on the supplier’s official website how much they sell their cosmetics for. If in the store the lipstick you are looking for costs 300 pesos and someone wants to sell it to you for 80, you will surely think that something is not right there and it is definitely fake or expired.
Point of sale
This tip is elementary, and although it seems obvious, it doesn’t hurt to mention it. If you buy the product in a recognized store and have a problem or difficulty, the company must be held responsible by law, but not in the case of an informal business.
Therefore, there will be no better way to be sure that a product is the original than to buy it from its original store or from authorized distributors. If you want the best brands, you won’t find originals around the corner. So that you are not deceived, the best thing you can do is go to the official website of the brand you like and find out about their official points of sale, so you can be on the safe side. Review their information and user ratings or comments.
Be wary of extremely flashy discounts, such as 60, 70 or 80%. They display them like this so that you believe that the original price is very high, because it is fine, and for some strange reason you can get it for less than half the price. The best thing is to ask the seller for a certificate of originality and if he refuses, then don’t buy it.
Also read: What is the aesthetic clothing style? The fashion that everyone talks about
Check the barcode, serial number and manufacturing information
Usually people look at the logo and that’s it. Now you should know that you have to check everything!
The barcode on fake products cannot fail to match the country of manufacture declared on the packaging, and the serial number in the vast majority of cases is not even taken the time to put it. Please note that the same serial number must be on both the packaging and the product.
An original product has detailed information on the cosmetic’s compounds (what it was made with) and is often also accompanied by an instruction in several languages. So, if the information on the packaging is very scarce, it is surely an imitation.
Investigate tones in the name of tones
All cosmetics have a name that is printed below the lipsticks, powders, etc. or in the same shadow palettes, they all have specific names. They are not just red or lilac. Counterfeiters love to invent colors and put numbers on them that don’t exist. So again, check the brand’s official website and compare.
Also read: How to combine Neutral Colors with Other Colors in clothes?
Color, texture and smell
This tip can be complicated because here there is no other option than to have the original product, unless you have already tried the original and know what you liked about that product. What is well known is that cosmetics from good brands have incredible presentations and exquisite smells, in addition to meeting quality standards.
Original cosmetics do not have any suspicious shine or inlays, especially if the product is matte. Liquids, such as lipsticks, should not have any type of residue. Creamy ones should not be divided into layers or contain additional compounds. If they are shadows or lipsticks, focus on the pigment, sometimes the shadows look like talcum powder, without color.
For example, a fake mascara, in addition to an unpleasant smell and a suspicious texture, may also have a different brush. Neither the smell, nor the color, nor the consistency will be the same because those factories do not have access to the real ingredients.
Check brushes, brushes and applicators in general
If you get brushes that look like a plucked bird or a broom, it is surely a fake. The thick texture gives them away, since brand makeup almost always has a soft brush with great precision to apply. If not, it is false.
In addition, you can also take into account the size, they may be noticeably larger or smaller compared to the original, since at first glance the shadows are the same or very similar.
Also read: How to remove wine stains easily (8 homemade methods)
test it
It is very important that you try the cosmetic you are going to buy for any reason, to know if it is the color, for example, but by trying it you can make sure of the texture or smell it has when applied to your skin.
For example, a good cosmetic should not fade, a shadow should not gather between the folds of the eyelids, a mascara should not stick to your eyelashes, fall out or create clumps.
Product size
Normally, brands that release new collections never make giant shadow palettes or the free version of makeup. Check that the size is the same or smaller, since new collections are almost always in a smaller version.
Taking into account these tips that I have given you will surely help you have a successful purchase, but also do not forget to visit the internet to learn about other people’s experiences regarding the product you want to buy or the site where you will buy since many users who They see themselves as victims of scams, they share on their social networks warning other users that they do not recommend buying in such a place. Follow that advice and try to corroborate it, that is, sometimes a user does poorly with their purchase and posts a complaint, but maybe everyone else has done well, so don’t just stop at a comment, see what more people say on the internet.
If, due to ignorance, you bought some fake makeup and notice alterations on your face after applying it, stop using it immediately to avoid irreversible damage or your skin being affected with irritations, constant clogged pores and abundant pimples.
As you can see, the most imitated makeup products today are palettes, foundations and lipsticks, therefore, buy them from trusted sites. Now you know that consuming pirated products can cause damage to your health and the money you saved buying them could end up being used in expensive treatments to repair the damage caused.
