Today, the problem of low-quality products is very relevant. Cosmetics, clothes and perfumes of well-known brands are most often counterfeited. How not to make a mistake when choosing an expensive product of a famous brand and not to buy low-quality cosmetics? This will be discussed in today's topic.
There is an erroneous belief among most people that the high price of a product is an indicator of its quality. Nowadays, this is something from the realm of fantasy, and many are convinced of the opposite by personal example, since not a single person is immune from acquiring fake goods. Buying low-quality products can turn out not only to be a waste of money, but also to harm your own health. There is little comfort in this situation. To avoid it, just follow a few rules.
The simplest way that allows you to verify the quality of a product is a certificate. Before purchasing any cosmetic product, you must ask the seller or another store employee to show a quality certificate. It is the quality certificate that fully confirms the safety and quality of products. However, it is not always possible to familiarize yourself with this document. Therefore, there are some signs by which you can distinguish high-quality cosmetics from a fake.
Package.
Manufacturers pay as much attention to the packaging of a quality cosmetic as to the product itself. As a rule, the packaging should be made of thick cardboard, on the inside of which a company drawing or logo must be applied. In addition, all inscriptions on the packaging must be written in a neat, clear, understandable font. The packaging itself must be made in such a way that no glue is visible. Manufacturers of fake cosmetics do not spend money on good packaging, so cheap soft paper, blurry small print immediately indicate that you have a fake.
Name.
When buying cosmetics and perfumes of well-known brands, it is very important to carefully read everything that is written on the packaging, especially the name of the product. Most often, manufacturers of low-quality cosmetic products deliberately distort the well-known name by swapping letters or adding some others. A person who purchases cosmetics of a well-known brand for the first time may not even notice the catch. Remember that the composition, product name, manufacturer, date of manufacture, storage conditions (if required), expiration date must be indicated on a genuine cosmetic product.
Barcode and batch code.
The barcode indicates the country of manufacture. Knowing the barcodes of the main producing countries, you can distinguish a fake from the original. For example, if the initial digits of the code are 400-440, then the manufacturer of the goods is Germany, 00-09 - the USA or Canada, 300-360 - France, 80-83 - Italy. If the barcode indicates one manufacturer of a cosmetic product, and a completely different country is indicated on the package, then you have a fake product. In addition, this product must have a batch code, consisting of letters or numbers, or a combination of both, on the bottom of the package. This code must be applied in a non-printing way.
Price and place of purchase.
The place of purchase of cosmetics is very important. Remember, you should not buy allegedly high-quality cosmetics in transitions, the subway, stalls, small shops, in the market. It is in these places that they distribute cheap and low-quality products, acquiring which you can seriously undermine your health. Price is also important when choosing a cosmetic product. If it's too tempting, it's most likely not the original. It is best to buy cosmetics only in specialized stores. Of course, you can also find low-quality products there, but the likelihood of this is much lower than, for example, purchasing cosmetics on the market.
Exhibitions.
In cosmetics stores there is an opportunity to try the product you like, which is very convenient if, for example, you are allergic to any components. Sales consultants can also help you choose the right cosmetics for you. If everything suits, then the goods can be purchased even at a discount.
Compound.
When advertising this or that cosmetic product, they talk about its miraculous effect: it smoothes wrinkles, contains nanoparticles, enlarges lips, etc. This should not be trusted, all this is a complete PR. Always pay attention to the composition of the purchased product, which is written in descending order. Namely, the substance that is most contained in the product is written in the first place. Accordingly, in last place is the one that is less. Knowing this, it is very easy to distinguish a cream based on natural ingredients from “chemistry”, even if the manufacturer claims that it is natural cosmetics. It is also important to know that not a single cosmetic product is without petroleum products, somewhere there are more of them, and somewhere less. In addition, you need to know if you are allergic and to which components. To test for the presence of an allergy to a particular cosmetic, you must apply the product to the elbow and wait for an hour. If no reaction has occurred, then this tool can be used without fear.
Expensive cosmetics of well-known companies should either have a signature scent or not smell at all. Extraneous synthetic odors are a clear sign of fakes. Decorative cosmetics should lie down in an even layer, without the formation of lumps. It is worth knowing that if the composition of the cosmetic product includes mineral oils, then it is better not to purchase it. Ingredients in cosmetics can be hazardous to health: 1,4-dioxane, nitrosamines. The shelf life of a natural product (eg cream) is about 2-3 months. If the packaging indicates a longer shelf life, then such a product contains a huge amount of preservatives, and it is better not to purchase it.
If you remember these small rules, you can always distinguish a real branded product from a low-quality fake.
Fake cosmetics is not only a waste of money, but also the risk of getting skin problems in the form of allergic reactions or serious inflammation. Most often, well-known brands of luxury segment cosmetics are faked, and you can buy a fake not only in cheap markets, but also in decent cosmetics stores. The most counterfeited products are lipstick and gloss, nail polish, perfumes, and mascara.
It is more difficult to face a fake powder and foundation - beige shades are much more difficult to match with the original. Be careful! It's one thing to paint your eyelashes with fake mascara, which, although it will not give the desired super-volume, will not cause much harm to the eyes, and it is quite another to apply a cream containing cheap and dangerous ingredients to the skin daily. Therefore, before buying, it is important to arm yourself with knowledge and be able to distinguish original cosmetics from fake ones.
Fake cheap creams are the worst cosmetic evil!
With the least suspicion of a fake, do not take risks and do not buy such cosmetics, even if the financial benefit seems obvious to you. Fake cosmetics are a ticking time bomb that can lead to irreversible consequences at any moment. If your usual face cream suddenly began to irritate the skin, as well as if the new packaging of a cosmetic product you know turned out to be different, be sure to make sure that it is not a fake.
Differences between fake cosmetics and the original
In fact, with a responsible approach to buying, you can always protect yourself from fake products. The main thing is not to rush and give enough time to the choice of cosmetics, paying attention to every detail.
Step #1: Packaging
This is the first thing to check carefully. Manufacturers of luxury cosmetics not only do not save on packaging, but, on the contrary, make it the “face” of the brand, spending a lot of money on production. Inspect the box - it should be intact, without dents or scuffs. In addition, reputable brands pack the cardboard box in a special film that protects the product from moisture. If there is a sticker with a distributor's hologram on the seam of the film, it is almost certainly an original product.
Also take a close look at the brand name on the packaging. A very common fraudulent scheme is when only one letter is changed in the name, and if the name consists of several words, then they are simply swapped. This makes the scammers immune from the law, although the cosmetic product still looks almost identical to the original. Also, after opening the package, take a closer look at the seams of the box.
If the cardboard is glued poorly, and the box has completely lost its presentation after opening, there is a high probability that you are holding a fake in your hands. Another reliable way to test packaging is to use water. After removing the carton from the film, dip your finger into the water and rub the writing on the front of the box. The fake logo will start to bleed due to the use of poor quality dyes.
Step #2: Composition
Even without being a chemist, you can easily determine the authenticity of products by looking at the composition. The list of ingredients is distributed in such a way that the first places are always the substances that are most in the product. The most expensive and most effective substances are a variety of herbal extracts, rare types of natural oils, extracts from plants growing in limited areas, collagen, highly purified hyaluronic acid.
Other useful components of cosmetics that have passed more than one clinical trial are also acceptable. The cheapest and most useless, and sometimes harmful to the skin, are synthetic substances and petroleum products, such as mineral oils, paraffin, phthalates, silicones and formaldehyde. It is not necessary to have special knowledge to guess that the first places in the composition of fake cosmetics are occupied by petroleum products.
The basic composition of cosmetics can tell a lot about its quality. Step #3: Barcode
The easiest way to check cosmetics for authenticity is to check the barcode on the packaging against the manufacturer's database. This can be done on specialized sites, or by contacting the brand support service. As a rule, a fake is detected when one country of origin is indicated on the package, and another is determined by the barcode. You can also check products by batch number. It is indicated on the bottom of the package with numbers and letters. According to the presence or absence of this batch on the official website of the manufacturer, you can easily determine the authenticity of cosmetics.
Step 4: Instructions for use
Expensive cosmetics brands take care of their customers and without fail add instructions for using the product with a brief description and additional tips in different languages to the box. Manufacturers of high-quality cosmetics with a high content of natural ingredients must indicate the features of the storage of their products. But scammers only care about profits, not paying attention to details.
Step #5: Tube
Regardless of what kind of product you have purchased - a bottle of perfume or a jar of cream, the tube must be of high quality, smooth, without scratches or defects. The lid, dispenser, rim must be in good condition, fit snugly, not scroll and give out exactly as much product as necessary. An expensive brand differs from a cheap one in high quality parts, because luxury products must be not only effective, but also beautiful.
If you are buying decorative pressed cosmetics, pay attention to the included brush for applying the product. All original accessories must have an engraved or embossed brand name. You can also evaluate the quality of the bristles of brushes - self-respecting brands make accessories from high-quality natural bristles, which do not shed or stick when in contact with water. But scammers always save on tubes and accessories, which is easy to see.
Step 6: Smell
As a rule, original cosmetics either do not smell at all, or have a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma - the manufacturer does not need to mask the unpleasant smell of second-rate raw materials. You can also focus on the branded smell of some cosmetic products - for example, the world-famous meteorite powder has a recognizable violet aroma, which is very difficult to fake. But if the cosmetics you purchased smell too sharply of cheap perfumes or chemicals, then you are almost certainly faced with a fake.
A pungent smell is a sign of cheap low-quality cosmetics! Step 7: Consistency and Application
Perhaps the most obvious sign by which you can determine the authenticity of cosmetics is its quality. There should be no sediment at the bottom of liquid products, and creamy and gel-like cosmetics should not delaminate, contain lumps, flakes and impurities. Mascara should smell nice, and the brush should not give out too much product, which indicates the quality of the stopper on the tube.
Checking lipstick is also easy: unscrew the stick completely and look at the structure of the lipstick - if it is heterogeneous, contains chips, seams and condensate, it is highly likely that you have a fake in front of you. Please note - eye shadow, blush and powder should be easy to pick up on a brush or sponge, evenly distributed over the skin and not contain foreign particles.
Step #8: Testers
You have probably noticed that cheap firms of unknown origin never exhibit testers to familiarize themselves with their products. Manufacturers of original cosmetics always give their customers the opportunity to test products and make sure that they suit their skin type and do not cause allergies. But scammers are well aware that their cosmetics are of poor quality and contain allergens, which means they will hide it in every possible way, not allowing customers to check the quality of products.
Step #9: Price
Never buy into the low cost of cosmetics. It's one thing - discounts and promotions that are periodically arranged by well-known cosmetic brands, and quite another - a frankly underestimated cost. Fraudsters usually set the price of counterfeits at 20% to 30% of the cost of the original product. And now objectively assess whether it is profitable for a manufacturer of expensive and high-quality cosmetics to arrange an auction of unprecedented generosity?
Why would he give you a 70% and 80% discount on his products? Most likely, it's not about stocks at all. It only means that under the guise of a final sale, they are trying to slip you a fake. Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to purchase luxury cosmetics, it is better not to take risks, but buy high-quality and, most importantly, original mass-market products.
Step 10: Place of purchase
Of course, one should not rely on buying original cosmetics in an underground passage or on the counter of a Chinese clothing market. The same applies to the purchase of cosmetics "from hand" through ads. Unless the seller will first show you the barcode and batch number of the product, so that you can check the authenticity of the purchased goods in advance.
But buying cosmetics in large chain stores will give you more guarantees, because at verified points you are required to provide product quality certificates and a license for their implementation in a particular store upon request. If a counterfeit is found, you can contact the consumer protection society and, if there are confirmations in the form of checks, prove your case.
MAC is an elite brand of popular and expensive cosmetics, which many people try to get at a price below retail. In search of great deals, people browse listings on eBay.com and find cosmetics at a discount, not even suspecting that some sellers are making good money selling fake cosmetics under the guise of the MAC brand. In addition to being considered a scam to sell such counterfeit cosmetics, the ingredients they contain can harm your skin. If you suspect the authenticity of cosmetics, it is better to refuse to use it for the sake of your own health. Instead, contact MAC directly and report the counterfeit.
Steps
- Compare the fonts on the packages if you have a genuine MAC product. If there is an obvious difference between them, then it is likely that you bought a fake.
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Look carefully at the case. MAC products are sold in cases with tiny, shiny particles on the surface that give them a slight shimmer. Counterfeit goods are usually produced in duller cases with a different sheen. As a rule, in addition to this, they also have a slightly different shape, larger in size and volume than the original ones.
Study the label. The label on the bottom of the package is a sure sign of the authenticity or fake of the product. MAC uses capital letters on the logo, and the label itself is usually done in gray with black letters or white with light gray lettering. Counterfeiters usually make the type more voluminous and less streamlined.
Smell the cosmetic. MAC lipsticks have a slightly sweet vanilla scent. Fake cosmetics usually smell like plastic or cheap perfume. If you doubt the authenticity of the product, smell it and immediately understand the difference.
Check the product name. Some counterfeit products are sold under other names than genuine MAC products. To verify the authenticity of a product, simply go to the company's website www.maccosmetics.com and click on the magnifying glass symbol in the upper right corner. Look for the product name. If it is not there, then it is either a fake or a discontinued product.
Watch the pigmentation of cosmetics. Fake MAC products usually have less pigmentation than the original ones, so during their application it is necessary to stroke the skin with a brush several times, and only then the color will appear on the surface. Comparison of similar or identical products will help to find the differences between the original and the fake.
Examine the company logo and letters on the packaging. MAC has its own brand name with an easily distinguishable font that is used on all packages, which in turn are distinguished by their glossy sheen and distinctive stylistic performance. Fake cosmetics have the same logo, but in this case, the letters will either be stretched or distorted in some way. In addition, the letters may be located in the wrong place, which will help to distinguish such products from the original. For example, the MAC logo is usually centered on genuine cosmetics, while the logo on counterfeit products is placed closer to the top or bottom of the package. In addition, MAC uses capital letters on all packages.
We all understand: if the packaging of a cosmetic product says "Canel" instead of "Chanel", then we have a clear fake. However, modern manufacturers of "fake" products have learned other tricks that can mislead an inexperienced buyer. the site has made a selection of useful tips for its readers on how not to make a mistake in choosing.
A genuine product on the packaging cannot have a crookedly glued sticker or a sloppy imprint of the name. Any branded product, be it a cream or perfume, is packed in cellophane. Moreover, such a protective shell should tightly “tighten” the box, without forming wrinkles or folds.
Often, the original product, in addition to the sticker on the package, contains an additional insert with information. You can see it by pulling the bottom edge of the sticker. This practice is also found in the design of a tube with mascara.
Pay attention to the serial number or article of the product! Its digital data on the package and tube must match. If there are inconsistencies, you have a fake.
The manufacturer's data may be embossed or printed in a printing house, but in no case should it be inked over the packaging.
Tip #3: Don't buy into a suspiciously low price
Branded cosmetics cannot be sold at the cost of low-quality products. Today, many private sellers from social networks offer to purchase a cheap "Mac adaptation". You can take a risk, but in case of instability of decorative cosmetics or an allergy, no one will be responsible to you.
Mini-investigation from Barb. On the example of the same Mac cosmetics, we decided to see if it is worth trusting seductively low prices. On one of the popular trade portals, a private person offers to purchase a palette of 120 (!) shades of shadows for 195 UAH. Can such a price be considered adequate?
We find the official website of the manufacturer and go to the products section. In the subsection "Palettes and eye sets" there was only a palette of 15 shades - this is the maximum when it comes to eye shadow. Its cost is 65 dollars, which in terms of the national currency is 1759.55 hryvnia. Think about it: is it really possible to buy a branded product "from hand" that costs 9 times cheaper?
Often, the websites of cosmetics manufacturers indicate information about its representative offices abroad.
Conclusion: you will not find branded cosmetics either on the market or from individuals involved in trade in popular social networks.
When testing foundation pay attention to how it blends and absorbs into the skin. A high-quality product is applied without lumps, quickly absorbed, does not change color after application and does not cause irritation.
As for powder, blush or dry shadows, then their consistency should not resemble crushed chalk.
A sure sign of "linden":
- after applying with a brush, small sparkles remain on the skin, and the surface of the product becomes uneven;
- the shade of the applied product differs significantly from that presented in the palette;
- when opening the tube, a strong unpleasant odor is heard.
When it comes to perfumes, pay attention to the color of the liquid in the bottle: it should not be too bright or cloudy. The aroma of real perfume appears on the skin after a couple of minutes, and the fake "reveals" immediately, but it also disappears faster.
Tip five: check the information on the manufacturer's website
If you have clearly decided on the choice of a particular product, go to the manufacturer's website in advance. There you can study in detail the design of the packaging, find out the article number of the product or information about the palette of shades. Thus, you will come to the store already a “savvy” buyer.
Life hack: Seen a Mac eyeshadow set in the store? Check out the name of each shade presented in it. If it is marked with numbers, you have a fake: this brand assigns specific names to the samples, for example, "Neoprene Green".
For a branded product, the composition of the components is indicated in full, and they go in descending order of the concentration of active substances. You can familiarize yourself with such information in advance on the manufacturer’s website, and at the same time check it with the data indicated on the box in the store.
Buying a new face cream? We will not once again remind you of the harmfulness of sulfates and parabens, as well as a long shelf life. If the cosmetic product consists of at least 40% natural ingredients, it can be taken.
What about eco-cosmetics that are popular today?? Let's be clear: there are no products that consist exclusively of natural products. In any cream or milk there are chemical components, such as surfactants (surface active substances). As for fake eco-creams, they give themselves out by their expiration date. Since organic substances lose their usefulness after 3 months, the term of operation of such cosmetics should not exceed six months.
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Almost all women, when buying decorative cosmetics or care cosmetics, wondered how to distinguish original products from fake ones “without a microscope”. Before starting to consider this issue, it is necessary to clearly understand what is considered a fake and what is original cosmetics.
Smell
Let's start with the simplest. You don’t need to have a special skill to distinguish Dior powder or mascara from the layout near the metro for 12 UAH. from original Dior cosmetics. The first thing you should pay attention to, if you have ever held the original in your hands, is the smell, the smell of powders made in underground Chinese workshops, like “Grandma's Powder”.
External signs
In 90% of fakes of the lowest class, there is no so-called original code, these are numbers stamped on the body of the mascara or powder itself, such as “YR203”, each manufacturer has its own set of numbers and letters, by which, by the way, you can check the expiration date of the product, manufacturer, etc. And, of course, the quality of all elements of the product: plastic, cardboard, brushes, printing. Most women can easily cope with the definition of this category of fakes.
Quality copy, Chinese original
And now for those who know what they pay for:
The easiest way to deal with Loreal and some other brands that are produced with inscriptions in Russian. Here the easiest way is not to take those on which the inscriptions are made in Russian. Even if it suddenly turns out to be an original, its quality will be an order of magnitude worse than what is produced for Europe and the USA, since for our market, in principle, they produce products that pass fewer allergen tests, have a lower concentration of active ingredients, etc. etc. And there is nothing criminal in this, since it is no secret to anyone that the standards in Ukraine are far from European ones, as well as the level of control over them. And why? And they buy it too, don't they?
Myths about original cosmetics
Now let's debunk a couple of myths that guide novice lovers of original cosmetics.
First myth: the original is always soldered
This is a myth, and a very dangerous and popular one, if you visit any market in your city and find the cheapest cosmetics kiosk there, you will be surprised - almost all mascaras and foundations are sealed in a neat film with small slits. They also like to solder in a powerful cellophane peel and the "pseudo-original" beloved in our country.
The second myth: the original (especially premium brands) is always in the box
And here it is not. Again, turn to the market in your city, and you will again see that all the carcasses there are in beautiful boxes.
Sub-myth of the second myth: a tester is not an original, and if without a box it means a tester
Both of these statements are false. Firstly, the tester often comes in boxes, but often it differs by a complete mismatch of the bottle / case, it is made simply, but! Inside the tester there is always an original, real full-fledged substance, judge for yourself - the goal of the tester is to make a person buy, how can it be done poorly?
And in this category, unlike the first, codes are printed, just like on the originals, but especially attentive representatives of the beautiful half of humanity may notice that the codes in the real original are laser embossed on glass, for example, on Loreal toner, and not printed on paper or film.
If we are talking about a store, then there are a couple more ways to distinguish products, for example, the presence of goods that are only in Duty Free, as in our store, for example. They are simply not available from stores selling from Ukrainian warehouses and suppliers.
Also, you should not try to get reliable information when asked about the availability of certificates, have you personally seen him at least once in your eyes?
Price
And the third is the price! Don't fall victim to offers at low prices, well, how much can you? A real European original, especially a premium brand like Lancome, Chanel, Dior, will not cost UAH 150 or 200. No confiscation will ever be sold at such prices and in such quantities, and even more so sold openly. I will not advertise our site, but we do not work with any Ukrainian supplier.
On the right we see a fake, on the left - the original. At first glance, there are few differences, except perhaps the color of the box, but this is far from being the correct and not important indicator for judging whether the product is original or not. Product models often change and most often, first of all, a new model is emphasized by the manufacturer precisely in changing the color of the box or something similar, it is difficult to keep track of this for a simple user of cosmetics. Even the fact that the manufacturer's country Japan is indicated on the fake on the left, the same is not in all cases (in this case it is an indicator of fake cosmetics) comparing and checking cosmetics that the cosmetics are fake. There are brands that make their products for the "Top" countries and they are indicated by the country of origin - "Top". We can see that the fake box is very sloppy and the original lipstick is much heavier than the fake one. Let's move on to more obvious differences.
This photo shows that in a fake, the lipstick number does not match the one stated on the box, this is a very important criterion that is easy to notice.
Photo No. 3 shows that in the original lipstick we see the “original number”.
Photo #4, #5 shows that “the original number on the lipstick matches the original number on the box.
Photo No. 6 shows that fake lipstick does not contain the "original number" on the box or on the lipstick.
Photo No. 8 shows the most obvious difference: the correct cut is visible on the original lipstick and the inscription "Dior" - lipstick on the right.
Photo No. 9 and photo No. 10: Left - original, right - fake
L "Oreal, which is presented in our store, is made for the domestic market of Germany, which is an indicator - a characteristic text in German. You can also see the difference in the quality of printing.
On the original foundation, not only the number is indicated, but also the name of the color that corresponds to this number.
Often counterfeit goods have numbers that, in principle, do not exist in the original product.
On the left, the original is a different placement of the text, the original shows only the “original number”, which carries the end and start dates of use, the non-original shows the number under which the information is duplicated as the date of end use.
Left is original, right is fake. We see the difference in the mascara tube, to the touch there are very noticeable differences in the original, it is “bumpy”, coated. In non-original, it just shines on a flat surface
We see that the “original number” is indicated on the bottom of the carcass of the original, which matches the one on the box. In the non-original, it is absent in principle.
Photo No. 17 - fake mascara brush.
Photo No. 18 - the original mascara brush.
