Article about the dangers of counterfeit cosmetics (scary)

[ms_bloom]

I just came across this article on fake cosmetics and toiletries. It's a bit sobering to realise that you might be risking more than your money - e.g., fake Dove and Olay moisturisers spiked with mercury!

http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/artic...cent-of-a-fake

This is after buying the 187, 182, and 190 brushes off eBay recently and spending a couple of weeks wondering if they were fake. After checking these out at my MAC counter and reading up on this forum and other guides, I decided they weren't (although one thing no one seems to talk about is that the same brush can be slightly different - the two 190s at my counter had different handle lengths and different markings where the ferrule is clamped - I'm guessing this is because they're hand made).

But I'm now thinking that possible health risks + the stress of not knowing 100% if I had the real deal, I might just spend a bit more and buy from authorised outlets.

 

[wolfsong]

Thanks for posting this! It will save me some time (and reduce the risk of bidders thinking im exaggerating) when i contact those bidding/buying counterfeit MAC - I can just link them that with a brief explanation.

The 'Global counterfeit crisis' bit at the end is shocking.

 

[purrtykitty]

that is very scary, indeed. that's why i generally buy only from stores or the cosmetics outlet. and when i do buy stuff on e-bay, i only buy if the seller has what reasonably appears to be the actual item, and even then only from a select few sellers who are power sellers and deal primarily in cosmetics.

 

[Xqueeze_me]

Thanks for the article. I hope you won't mind me posting it on my eBay when I sell my MAC Pigments tomorrow!

I've also written a brief quick guide on how to spot fake MAC Pigments. Hope that'll help others....

 

[ms_bloom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me Thanks for the article. I hope you won't mind me posting it on my eBay when I sell my MAC Pigments tomorrow! I've also written a brief quick guide on how to spot fake MAC Pigments. Hope that'll help others....

Not at all! We need to spread the word; outside of these sorts of forums, most people are unaware of such scams.

And thanks - we (I, lol) need all the information we can get! Cosmetics are so expensive here in Australia, so eBay is so tempting. It's terrible that counterfeit products are taking away from the great bargains that can be had and the general good experiences I've had with eBay.

 

[redambition]

thanks for posting this. some people just don't understand how risky it can be to use fake products.

you may not get that infection, rash or irritiaion. but you are risking a bad reaction every time you use or buy a fake product.

 

[Xqueeze_me]

So I've put up my BNIB MAC Pigments for sale on eBay with the subtitle "Read about fake MAC Pigments flooding eBay right now!" and I added also added the article at the end of the description of the listings. WOOHOOOHOO!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms_bloom Not at all! We need to spread the word; outside of these sorts of forums, most people are unaware of such scams. And thanks - we (I, lol) need all the information we can get! Cosmetics are so expensive here in Australia, so eBay is so tempting. It's terrible that counterfeit products are taking away from the great bargains that can be had and the general good experiences I've had with eBay.

 

[wolfsong]

Thats a great guide (had a gander at your auctions!)

Thanks for taking the time to write that, hopefully people that come across your auctions will save the guide on their computers and use it at a later date - thus being less at risk of buying counterfeit in the future. Im just hoping counterfeit sellers/producers dont use it!
Its funny that they have faked pretty much all aspects of authentic pigments/glitters (though i dont think they bother with the numbers/letters on jars and clear inlays) but ive never seem them put it all together before - though maybe they have and this is the reason fakes have been sold at CCOs...

 

[Xqueeze_me]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfsong Thats a great guide (had a gander at your auctions!) Thanks for taking the time to write that, hopefully people that come across your auctions will save the guide on their computers and use it at a later date - thus being less at risk of buying counterfeit in the future. Im just hoping counterfeit sellers/producers dont use it! Its funny that they have faked pretty much all aspects of authentic pigments/glitters (though i dont think they bother with the numbers/letters on jars and clear inlays) but ive never seem them put it all together before - though maybe they have and this is the reason fakes have been sold at CCOs...

Thanks! Hehe "gander at my auctions". (PS: This is gross!!!!! Lot of 4 MAC Pigments).. I just checked. EWWWWWW SO MANY ARE FROM HONG KONG AND USA AS WELL!!!

hatr61 (Look at the batch codes and weird names for the pigments *PUKE*)
ribbit_lucky (Another THAI FAKER, dammit!!!!)
badtothebone64
thread486 (Seller doesn't know the colours? Hmm..)
ebymom (Sticker on the wrong corner and MAC Pigment called "Plumage"?!)
jtso0627 (Selling crap fake 7.5g pigments.. I wonder if the vials are even authentic now...)

You're welcome re that guide on eBay. I know some people will choose to ignore it and some will save that info for themselves. Unfortunately, I do know that counterfeiters/sellers/producers of fake crap may use the info I posted in order to improve their fake crap OR use it to gain the buyers' trust just so they can sell their fake crap. There's one particular seller that panda0410 (I miss her!!) and I aren't fond of: d.i.v.a-la-g.l.a.m She has a "guide" in her listings too... which is unfortunate. She's selling exactly the same pigments (Melon, Vanilla, Rose, Pink Opal, Cornflower, Aire-de-blu, Dark Soul and Fairylite) as other sellers such as UK seller designercosmetics2007, miss-modern-miss, buttercup531, indie250, kosmetiques_boutique (Most of her other MAC stuff seems alright though), scheepies, gailcw3 (Selling exactly the same MAC Pigments and eyeshadows as miss-modern-miss), charleyandemily and pampered*princess*products.

I'm extremely curious to know if the 8 pigments (Melon, Vanilla, Rose, Pink Opal, Cornflower, Aire-de-blu, Dark Soul and Fairylite) above are defects and real pigments OR the fakers are better at faking the products??

 

[wolfsong]

The pigments have just gotten more convincing - they arent selling real ones.

It seems to go in waves doesnt it! There was few fakes the other week, but then again unless i go onto other countries ebay sites i will only see those shipping to UK.

Pandas due soon isnt she? I hope everything goes well

With regards to sellers, i conversed with one that had thousands of positive feedback and sold (as far as i know) real MAC. However they had the following auction up (and had sold/were selling one or two pigments with this batch code too):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=320173909261

The code A99 means it was produced in September 2009. I have seen a few lipsticks with a 2009 batch code too. On top of this i informed her that the pigment label looked like an eyeshadow label. Her response was to tell me that they are authentic and that i dont know a thing. She even sent me the link of specktra precautions which i found amusingly ironic!

 

[ms_bloom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me So I've put up my BNIB MAC Pigments for sale on eBay with the subtitle "Read about fake MAC Pigments flooding eBay right now!" and I added also added the article at the end of the description of the listings. WOOHOOOHOO!

Ooh, I want to have a gander at your auctions, too. What's your eBay username?

 

[dmenchi]

thank you so much for sharing this article with us! i send the link to all my friends and my mom

 

[Xqueeze_me]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me You're welcome re that guide on eBay. I know some people will choose to ignore it and some will save that info for themselves. Unfortunately, I do know that counterfeiters/sellers/producers of fake crap may use the info I posted in order to improve their fake crap OR use it to gain the buyers' trust just so they can sell their fake crap. There's one particular seller that panda0410 (I miss her!!) and I aren't fond of: d.i.v.a-la-g.l.a.m She has a "guide" in her listings too... which is unfortunate. She's selling exactly the same pigments (Melon, Vanilla, Rose, Pink Opal, Cornflower, Aire-de-blu, Dark Soul and Fairylite) as other sellers such as UK seller designercosmetics2007, miss-modern-miss, buttercup531, indie250, kosmetiques_boutique (Most of her other MAC stuff seems alright though), scheepies, gailcw3 (Selling exactly the same MAC Pigments and eyeshadows as miss-modern-miss), charleyandemily and pampered*princess*products. I'm extremely curious to know if the 8 pigments (Melon, Vanilla, Rose, Pink Opal, Cornflower, Aire-de-blu, Dark Soul and Fairylite) above are defects and real pigments OR the fakers are better at faking the products??

I have found another seller selling the same crap as the ones listed above! Her eBay ID is flakeysbound. (Pink Opal, Melon, Aire De Blu, Dark Soul, Cornflower, Vanilla, Fairylite and Rose) Seller ALSO uses other people's pictures for their listings.

wiseonepink as well!!!

AND fiona759!!

Oh oh oh! AND the following are the same Eyeshadows sold by some of the "sellers" as mentioned:
JASMINE, FRESHWATER, BLACK TIED, CLUB, KID, SURREAL, HUMID, FALLING STAR, SUSHI FLOWER, GESSO, ANGELCAKE, BRUN, GIRLIE, SWIMMING

 

[wolfsong]

I think anyone with those pigment/eyeshadow colours - and not other shades - should be avoided (potentially an authentic seller could have just those up, but the possibility is so much slimmer than that of it being counterfeit - once in a blue moon type thing).

 

[erinmosh]

buttercup531 is fake?

 

[CherriChocolate]

What a great article to post! Thank You! Everyone should be warned about this!

 

[dreamerbabiiee*]

UGH i just noticed i bought a moistureblend from one of these fakes! hatr61. im so disgusted! whatever that was in there was probably fake and i had it all on my face and i was PREGNANT while using this! I actually still had some left, but im NOT using it anymore. omg, i feel scared. i hope none of whatever that was made of affects my baby. if it does i swear i will want to due something serious about this because it is my life and my baby's life at risk. im so pissed.

 

[girloflowers]

ahh! this explains the massive rash i got when i tried moisturisers from olay and dove! we're talking completely red, painful, itchy face for days and days here x.x

i just thought it was allergies.

 

[Synda31]

Hi! i bought a Cornflower pigment from Indie250 (Ebay UK), looks ok at first sight, BUT : the pigment texture feels terribly dry (like Pure Luxe minerals kinda texture) and isn't "sticky" like other MAC pigments.......... can i suppose it's fake???

 

[Synda31]

Ps : i compared it with a Pink Pearl pigment bought from janicea2001, and THAT ONE turned out fake!!! (sh*t)

Cornflower looks like a real one (nice box, jar all fine), but why is the texture so dry and scratchy? is it normal?