The great debate...is it real or fake?!

[Tabitha]

I realize I'm probably going to get bashed for my opinions on the authentic vs. fake Mac debate, but I feel it must be said. Just because an item may be different in comparison to a previously owned item doesn't necessarily mean that's it not authentic. For example, older Mac brushes do have a larger font with mid-handle placement. So, if you come across brushes like that it doesn't necessarily mean fake, chances are it's probably just old. Also, Mac did have larger shadows. Does anyone else besides myself remember the now discontinued large shadow 8 pan? Some of the older shadows also had screw-on lids. Now, there's talk about barcode labels and whether or not handles have glimmer. To answer that...yes, some authentic Mac brushes have a slight shimmer on their handles. Don't take my word for it...please scout out several Mac counters to see for yourself. As for barcodes, most I've seen look like they're printed on the plastic sleeve, but on the ones I have if I look closely I can see it's printed on a clear sticker. I have no doubt about that fact because the last brush I purchased came from the Mac counter at Macy's and the barcode is on a clear sticker.

It's best to do your homework and get opinions from several different sources. I realize that Mac is really popular with the younger generation...yes, I'm older, but there are authentic Mac items out there that can no longer be found at a counter. Some might can be found at a CCO, but then again some items are so old even CCO's may no longer have them in stock. As for sa's working at a counter, there's a good chance a lot of these ladies aren't familiar with the older stuff. So, before one goes screaming something is a fake please be sure to have all the facts.

As for authenticity, my advice to anyone (esp. those with a suspicious nature) would be to stop trying to save a buck by looking on ebay, etc. and just buy your items at a counter or from the Mac website or any other reliable store site. (i.e., Macy's, etc.) Then there will be no worries about authenticity regardless of whether the barcode is printed directly on the sleeve or on a sticker, or if the handle has shimmer, etc. In my opinion, biting the bullet by paying retail would be worth the peace of mind it would ensure.

 

[sleepyhead]

i completely agree

 

[red]

Thanks for your note. You and I, and many on Specktra, are pretty lucky because we have access to Mac stores, Macy's, Nordstrom, etc. where we can shop with confidence knowing the product is genuine. But if you live in a remote little town in Hungary (as an example) and have never seen the real thing what do you do? I don't think they are trying to save a buck, just trying to gauge whether a product on the web (i.e. Ebay as an example) is genuine. This is why people come on Specktra to get an idea of what others have bought, and to get some help making decisions.

You make a very valid point, just want you to know this. And yes, on some of the brushes I have bought, the barcode is on a clear label affixed on the clear sleeve. But its hard to tell, it looks as though its stamped on it. Not sure whether it was always like this, that's why I read what others have to say about their experiences, just make me a better consumer. Knowledge is our best defense.

 

[panda0410]

No-one is going to bash you

People often come here to ask - and when people are asked for an opinion they often give it, usually based on their own experience - most posters will acknowldege a mistake or limitations to what they know.

Mac Pearls were listed here recently and the seller was jumped all over - why? - because nobody else had ever seen them, they automatically assumed they were fake. They are in fact authentic from a bona fide mac collection. Bit like the brush barcodes - one poster has clearly never seen a printed barcode on an authentic brush and went to tell innocent information seekers that the brush they bought MUST be fake because (in her limited experience) they are all stickers..... Brush barcodes are not always stickers, my own experience with MAC pro is that they were printed - as have MANY other people had the same experience, so you simply cant write that off just because YOUR experience was not the same. Where does this leave the person asking the question, the person holding an item which may well be REAL? Or the seller on the other end of the stick now being accused of selling fakes when in fact they are not? A little FORETHOUGHT often goes a long way...

MACs own labelling can be inconsistent it STILL leaves people confused sometimes as to whether or not they bought authentic MAC. People have often come here with questions about items directly bought from the store itself because the wrapping or primary packaging might have changed since they last bought it and are looking for confirmation of authenticity.

And between countries labelling changes as well - look on the pigments for example and you will see different text both on the back of the boxes and jars, and this is normal.

I dont always see ebay buying as saving a buck - some items like old or DC/LE items are often not found anywhere else and I can assure you that you wont be saving a buck by buying those items there! You are more than likely going to be wroughted for a song, and often these items - All Girl pigment for example - are floating around ebay in large quantities of FAKE!! Other people buy because of limited distribution - example - Moonbathe lashes were not made available retail here (AU), people who want them either have to get a CP (and not everyone has that luxury) or look to ebay.

Some people are just not prepared to look past their own knowledge to take on something new. And as packaging changes so too will our knowledge base. Its important not to exclude another opinion because its doesnt fit your own, and its equally important to recognise that things can and do change. Extending and sharing information - right and wrong - can only benefit us ALL, people learn from experience and mistakes, but it wont work if people arent open to learning from others as well.

 

[Tabitha]

I will be the first to agree that there can be a lot of inconsistencies from one Mac product to another. My problem per se is that if something is a little different there seems to be a rush to deem it as fake, when that's not necessarily the case.

In regards to the ebay/save a buck comment, if I offended anyone I apologize, but when I go to ebay I'm usually looking to buy an item at a better price than I can find in the store. It's the main reason I buy there, and one reason why I'm not overly upset if I should happen to get an item that may be questionable. Fortunately, I've been pretty lucky, however, I'll admit that I do not scout for the LE or hard to find items.

As for sellers with questionable items, how does one know with 100% certainty that the seller's items are fake unless it's stated as so or it's really obvious? Example: Trying to pass a Mac shadow as real when it only has a number on it? When I took a look at the listing with the shadow lot, my first thought was that they were the older, larger Mac shadows. I'm curious as to what made them questionable. Was it because of the location of the seller, the feedback or the price they started the auction at? I've read to beware of items being sold from China, esp. Mac brushes, but isn't it possible that since some of the items are made in these regions that they could be authentic, but maybe just seconds...meaning there's a little something wrong with them? i.e., a ferrule with a slight dent, etc. I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just curious as to how a conclusion is drawn when there's so many inconsistencies among the items.

 

[wolfsong]

Hey i posted my answer to the end question on another thread before reading this - so sorry about the double post:

The window of the pots are rimmed - MAC has never (please correct me if this is wrong, and somewhere in MACs dark past they did once have these) had rimmed windows on their e/s. Also ive seen the old style pots and they look nothing like these to me - they look more like something smashbox would sell. Also check the logo on MAC as someone has mentioned (i think it was caffn8me, but again correct me if im wrong) MAc is anal about their printing - they wouldnt sell e/s that have font differing in both size and thickness. These are fakes - there is not doubt about it, even if i said above MAC did once upon a time have rimmed windows (not much shocks me after seeing smashbox's old style logo....)
Please see the following link that some kind and wise member wrote about MAC e/s
fake v authentic:

http://community.livejournal.com/uk_makeup/6330.html

Hope this helps.

Edit: Made by minisprite/alterego = sarah

 

[panda0410]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tabitha I will be the first to agree that there can be a lot of inconsistencies from one Mac product to another. My problem per se is that if something is a little different there seems to be a rush to deem it as fake, when that's not necessarily the case.

Look I agree - there have been a few items mistakenly taken for fakes. A blush - albeit a very old (screw top) blush - was listed here as a fake too, though the poster did admit she was mistaken later, I dont think she honestly knew until some of the specktrette ladies here helped her out - and by doing so helped all of us. I think we all have to make allowances for honest mistakes, because familiarity with certain items or collections is not a generalization among mac users.

Admittedly some of the rarer items or very old items are questioned, I saw a lippie once that was labelled fake because it was in the very old flat top style lipstick packaging that MAC used to use. Now the item was real - real batch code etc - BUT at that time not only was the packaging at least 9 years old and therefore unfamiliar with many mac users, but there were also several lipsticks being flogged that were in the same packaging but WERE fake - differences in batch codes etc etc. The point I want to make is that it wasnt necessarily a bad thing that it was questioned - it gave members a heads up that there were fakes like that floating about, but also gave members some better details to go by if they were interested in purchasing anything like it.

To be fair to the members who post here frequently most of the items listed here ARE fakes - a lot of them have actually been items that were bought directly by specktrettes who were able to compare to mac shelf stock themselves and verify the authenticity, or lack thereof - this includes swatching the item in question, not just comparing packaging.
Lots of good guides have been posted here by these same members, one good guide was posted by xqueeze_me on fake pigments. She bought a few fakes unfortunately, and I have actually yet to see her be wrong in spotting a fake pigment, she has helped me a lot and picked up fakes that slipped past me too - even in the face of my initial objection....LOL! She is VERY good at pigment spotting. Some of the members have excellent knowledge of e/s, or blush, or MES and are happy to share what they know. Plenty of members here are collectors and have highly detailed product histories and information on particular items. Additionally some of the members here have detailed history on particular sellers - some of those dubious Thai counterfeiters for example are known to many members on the board, and their name changing doesnt change the authenticity of the product they are flogging.

Really, IMHO conclusions here are usually drawn by collaborative experience and concensus on a particular item drawn from histories and product knowledge of members who own or have used the item in question.