How To Spot Fake Skin Care Products (And Why You Should Avoid Them)
We've all heard of fake designer goods – but fake beauty? With the increase in online shopping (and bargain hunting), it is becoming more common to find counterfeit beauty and skin care products. Read on for our guide on how to spot and avoid fake beauty – and why you should be on the lookout for reality.
The fake beauty industry
The spread of fake beauty has become so problematic that the US Department of Homeland Security started a department called Plastic beauty surgery, specially designed to prevent its expansion. The results of an investigation found that 20 out of 47 products bought from third-party suppliers were counterfeit. In each case, the seller had a customer rating of at least 90 percent, which resulted in a false trust that can hurt the end user.
Why Avoid Fake Skin Care Products?
What's the big deal? When customers don't buy what they think they pay for, the results can be problematic. Here you can see the risks you are taking when buying counterfeit skin care products.
Ineffective ingredients
If you buy counterfeit personal care products, they are likely to be ineffective. In some cases, you've bought "authentic" products that have passed their prime (and have lost their effectiveness). In other cases, they are cheap imitations that disguise themselves as real. These typically include filler ingredients that have a lower proportion of active ingredients and are more chemical based than natural and organic based.
Possible health risks
Counterfeit products are not regulated and do not adhere to safety and hygiene guidelines. This means there is no way of knowing what they contain, where their ingredients are from, or how they're made. According to the US Chamber of CommerceThis represents "a safety risk for consumers because dangerous or prohibited alternative ingredients are incorporated into formulations". Studies of confiscated cosmetics have shown that some contain high levels of bacteria as well as toxic ingredients such as lead, arsenic and mercury.
Peace of mind
When it comes to peace of mind, there isn't any. Manufacturers can only stand behind their products if they are purchased from authorized resellers. Counterfeit cosmetics do not have a retention chain that dictates when the product was made, where it was and how it was stored. Candice Li, VP of Global Public Affairs and membership in the International coalition against counterfeiting tells Refinery29: "Counterfeits are dangerous because the people who make the products take short cuts in the making … Ultimately, all counterfeiters really care about your money. They don't care if they give consumers a bad product – or nothing at all Product. "
At the end of the day, all counterfeiters really care about your money. They don't care if they give consumers a bad product – or no product at all.
So make sure you are buying authentic products
If counterfeit beauty products are such a problem, how do you tell the difference? If the product does not come directly from the manufacturer or its authorized sellers (even if it is from a huge online retailer) there is usually a high probability that it is counterfeit. When purchasing our products, please note that we do not sell through Amazon. For genuine Eminence Organics products, you should shop either from our spa partners, authorized online retailers, or from our website.
Below are some guidelines to keep in mind when shopping online.
Check the label
Forgers often skip important details. Business Insider recommends examining the label and looking for these common tricks: “Tags, typos, misspellings, and bad prints should be on your radar. The packaging should contain all retail packaging for new products such as manuals or printed matter, as well as UPC barcodes. “Make sure you compare the product to the one on the brand's official website to make sure everything matches.
Use common sense
If a retailer's offer seems too good to be true, it likely is. Sonia Batra MD says: “Pay close attention to the prices, packaging and quality of the product. If the price is too good to be true, if the packaging is discolored or a barcode is missing, or if the consistency or texture of the product is different from the original, it is most likely a counterfeit product. “If it looks suspiciously cheap or is being sold in bulk, it's likely a fake.
If the price is too good to be true, if the packaging is discolored or a barcode is missing, or if the consistency or texture of the product is different from the original, it is most likely a counterfeit product.
ask questions
If something doesn't feel right, ask! Check with the brand itself to verify that you are shopping from an authorized retailer or to alert them that something is wrong. At the Eminence OrganicsWe are happy to advise you on your purchase decisions and direct you to a real reseller in your area.
The best place to find our award-winning skin care products is through an Eminence Organics spa partner. When you visit an authorized spa, not only are you getting fresh and authentic products, but you are also being assessed by a trained professional who can recommend the best products for your skin type and concerns.
Find out more about why Authenticity is important to us and use our spa locator to find an authorized spa partner in your area!
This post was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.
