Have you ever purposefully picked up off-brand/fake/faux/knockoff makeup that you knew was nowhere near legit, but you got it anyway?
Different versions of this story have been making the rounds over the past few months. I saw one recently in Allure. It was a story about people who hunt down people who sell counterfeit makeup in the United States, and how companies like Estée Lauder have teams of private investigators who work on sting operations to shut down the fake makeup black market.
Counterfeit makeup is big business. In Los Angeles, there’s a well-known place called Santee Alley, where people will go and visit the small shops to buy knockoff Too Faced, Urban Decay, MAC — you name it — palettes from almost every popular line you can imagine.
I’ve never purposefully purchased counterfeit beauty products, but I did accidentally get some fake makeup years ago. It was BECCA, back before they were a mega brand, and back when they were only carried in hard-to-find corners of the world, like the small counter at Neiman Marcus in SF or the Pure Beauty store (do those even still exist?).
They used to do limited edition seasonal makeup collection launches, and they had a dual-ended eye liner called Cabrera, from the 2012 Balearic Love collection, which was so, so good!
One side had purplish bronze, and the other had a beautiful warm golden bronze, and they were painfully pretty.
After I finished mine, I looked for another one online, and the only place I could find it was Amazon, so I bought four (!) pencils from an Amazon seller at a too-good-to-be-true price, thinking I’d be set for life.
Nope.
Right away, I noticed something was off. The pencils had very little pigment, refused to stay on my water lines, and they made my eyes water, even when I only wore them on my lash lines — things that never happened before with the original Cabrera I fell in love with.
I should’ve thrown them out right then and there, but I didn’t want to feel like I’d wasted my money (the third-party Amazon seller didn’t take returns), so I used them a few more times before accepting that I’d been taken and tossed them out.
I’m not interested in knockoffs now, but I think I might have been as a kid, when I was a naive, trusting teen with very little spending money. I could see myself having been REALLY tempted by a deeply discounted counterfeit UD Naked Palette. Like, if I were walking home one day and came across a card table on a corner covered with identical “Urrrban Decay Palettes” for $10 each? Hell, yeah, here’s my lunch money!
But now? Nuh uh. There’s too much risk.
How about you? You can say “picked up” instead of “purchased,” and go anon on this if you want. Have you ever purposefully “picked up” counterfeit makeup? Inquiring minds want to know.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I don’t think I would purposely buy fake makeup. If I’m on a budget (which I am now) I tend to use more drugstore makeup which can be just as good as high end brands.
Hi Rachel,
Drugstore makeup has come so far in the past 10 years! There’s so many options that are just as good (if not better) than the pricer things. What are your drugstore must-haves? I’d love to know!
Hmm One product I repurchase is Revlon Colorstay foundation. Walmart’s equate brand makes dupes for lots of products including Clinique’s dramatically different lotion which is on sale online right now for $4! I stocked up because I think they are phasing it out. You can get some good deals on beauty at CVS if you have their ExtraCare card.
Ya know, I have a friend who’s a makeup artist and she loves the Revlon foundations and concealers. They make a lot of really great skin stuff; I need to get on that! From what I recall they have a lot of color options too.
For drugstore foundation I like L’Oreal True Match Lumi (been through two bottles). If you like a dewy finish you might want to try it!
Nope. If I want to save money, I’ll buy DS brands or wait for a sale. As I’ve gotten older, I buy more high end make up, but part of the enjoyment for me is buying the real thing as a treat to myself.
Hi Swooz,
I’m with you on that. When I treat myself part of it’s the experience, like going to the counter and going home with my goodies in a bag that says Chanel. 🙂
I haven’ t but I remember that my best friend once bought a benefit blush (the two-sided one, called 10 or something like that) and the quality was awful. We ended up throwing it away as it was obviously fake. I’d hate to use something that is bad quality and I’d rather spend my hard-earned euros on something trusted. Speaking of which, do you think that the shimmery bronzer from the Jade Jagger Mac collection would suit a gal with light skin? Have a lovely afternoon, Karen.
Hi Martyna,
I think you could do it, but depending on your undertones it could pull orange to a degree. Of course it’ll look much more dramatic on your skin than mine. When my hubs comes home I can try swatching it on his arm if he’ll let me and there’s some light left! I’ll make a note to do that and I’ll post it here so you can see. Will that help?
It would be lovely! Thank you!
I just remembered that he has to work late tonight so I’ll have to do it tomorrow. I wrote a big Post-it reminder to myself!
Whenever it’s ok for you. You’re too kind Karen!
I didn’t even know this was a thing!!! But, I do occasionally look for dupes. There are only so many shades of red lipstick so if I find a color I really like from a pricey brand I’ll look for a lower priced “dupe.” There is a whole website for it called http://www.dupethat.com I think!
Hi Jaclyn,
I knew there was a Instagram; didn’t know they had a blog. Cool!
Are you sore from your squats yet?! I did some last night with kettle bells in HIIT class.
I know even duping is controversial but you know, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
I woke up feeling a little sore but now I’m fine! My body is used to my heavy lifts by now. But, if I went to Body Pump I know I’d be sore for days!
Just recently, accidently! Bought Dermacol off Amazon. I thought if I bought from Amazon as the seller, it would be legit. Should have investigated more! I don’t get the appeal in a knock off consumable item since the ingredients are a big unknown and it’s not like you’re using it in a situation where people could see you. Though I can maybe get it in that middle/high school age!
Oh gosh, really? I thought that if you bought from Amazon as a seller and if it’s from Prime that you get legit products. I think I’m done with Amazon and beauty items. DONE!
Did you return the item?
Not yet, I ordered one from a known good eBay seller that I plan on comparing it with and doing a quick post or video about. So frustrating!
I bet. I hope you didn’t have any bad skin reactions!
You’re lucky that fake eye pencil only made your eyes water – it could have done much worse damage. This is the real reason to never buy fake products – you have no idea what’s in them, if they are safe to use or if you are risking permanent damage by using them. There was a news story recently about arsenic being found in fake beauty products, that’s arsenic as in the poison of choice for murderers back in Victorian times. You really don’t want to be putting that stuff on your skin, near your eyes or on your lips.
Hi Fiona,
Oh, I know. There’s lots of scary things in those fake products (besides arsenic). I’ve seen stories of women who’s eyes and lips have swollen shut… Frightening stuff.
Absolutely not. I loathe fake or knock off anything. In my 20s I would look at ebay for real designer bags and learned how to tell a fake from the real thing. Still, I accidentally bought a fake Botkier bag because I missed one tiny detail. To be fair, it was not pictured, but I should have asked to see that one detail. I never used that bag because I was so mad that it turned out to be a fake. Even though it was a really really good replica. That was a very expensive mistake. I think I finally donated that bag.
Hi Fngirl,
I’m the same way with purses. I don’t buy the really expensive ones because I would rather carry the real thing. Maybe someday when I win the lottery. 🙂
I found out about this over five years ago while browsing YouTube videos. I’ve read the horror stories, and the tests they’ve done on the products which had things like fecal matter and even horse urine in them. Fact of the matter is, if you care at all about your health, do not partake in this! So dangerous. Take it from someone who has suffered an infection on her face! From catching something on the phone. It is not not not worth it. Save your money and get the real thing or don’t get it at all.
Nope I haven’t. The cheaper price is not worth what could be in those products. If it is something really want, I can wait for a sale or pay full price. There is always some kind of promotion or discount at authorized retailers and the brand boutiques throughout the year. I won’t purchase those types of products from TJMaxx, Ross, Ebay, or third party sellers on Amazon either. I have noticed an uptick in salon only hair products at places like Ross and TJMaxx. I would always question those too. I have had allergic reactions to certain products just in my daily makeup use. No need to throw a knock off into the mix with who knows what in it. Not worth it to me.
Hi Amber,
I’ve been seeing a lot of hair care lines like Biolage and Joico at Marshalls lately and have wondered the same thing, too. Recently I was at TJMaxx and saw a bunch of products from higher end makeup lines — Kat Von D, Too Faced, Estee Lauder, Origins. Everything looked legit but who knows? Maybe they were really good knockoffs.
I asked my hairstylist about that kind of stuff a couple of times because I was surprised to see salon only products there. She told me that you can report it to the brands directly because it isn’t legal for their products to be sold in unauthorized retailers. Like walking down the aisle at the grocery store and poof there is Pureology on the shelf. Last time I checked Albertson’s didn’t have a hair salon on their premises.
I thought this article explains it pretty well ?https://www.xojane.com/beauty/why-you-should-avoid-salon-products-at-the-drugstore
Thanks, Amber! That was very insightful.
I’ve never purposefully bought counterfeit makeup because not only I’m scared of what it would do to my skin but also because I only use cruelty-free makeup and I couldn’t even imagine wearing something that could’ve been tested on a poor animal. But I accidentally bought a fake Too Faced palette recently. It was an Instagram store and it was from my country and the price was the same as a retail price in the USA which isn’t very weird here, sometimes there are people that can get stuff from other countries and sell it off the record for a cheaper price than if we went to a store here that obviously makes the prices higher because they’re imported products so I didn’t think it was fake until I got it in the mail and the thing was practically falling apart. I went online and immediately searched for videos and blogs on how to tell a real product apart from a fake one and that’s when I was sure that the product was fake. I was so mad that I even considered going to the police and tell them about it since it’s a crime to sell counterfeit products but I decided not to because they probably wouldn’t do anything since it all happened through the internet and they’d also probably blame me for buying things online. I thought about making a post on my blog about the subject and make sure people don’t buy stuff from that store anymore or maybe even shut it down but I’m kind of scared of what the people from the store would do. Any advice?
I asked my hairstylist about that kind of stuff a couple of times because I was surprised to see salon only products there. She told me that you can report it to the brands directly because it isn’t legal for their products to be sold in unauthorized retailers. Like walking down the aisle at the grocery store and poof there is Pureology on the shelf. Last time I checked Albertson’s didn’t have a hair salon on their premises..
Never knowingly, and since I read that article in Allure, too, I’m a lot more cautious as well. I don’t think I live in an area where fake stuff is widely available and don’t shop places where it might be. I don’t buy much premium stuff anyway, and I don’t think there’s much money to be made faking a $10 Revlon lip color.
No, I wouldn’t knowingly buy counterfeit makeup. I would spend more money on the real thing to ensure it’s the quality I would expect of a name brand. There’s so many quality brands at all price ranges these days.
No, but when I started in makeup I bought “MAC” from eBay to save on eyeshadows. Quite a few were very disappointing in quality and I even own one that isn’t in (and never has been) known to the official MAC website…
Ah, good old me.
I once bought a harajuku lovers perfume from ebay. It was not in the original packaging because it was a “tester” bottle, which was the seller’s explanation for why it was so cheap. It wore fine for like a week then smelled terrible. Later, when I was in China, I saw those “tester” bottles for sale everywhere the counterfeit products were!
I’ve also been on the other side though. I once bought a multi pack of OCC lip tar from Sephora, on sale. I already had 2 of the colors in the pack, but it was a good deal so I bought it anyway for the other 4 colors and tried to sell the two from the multi pack that I didn’t need on ebay. The buyer contacted me and said the quality wasn’t good and they were going to report me for selling counterfeit products! I responded that I bought them from Sephora, but I think I ended up refunding their money because I was afraid they were going to ruin my ebay rating! I have to assume they were legit if they were from Sephora, but perhaps because the lip tar shelf life is only supposed to be a year, they might have been expired?
In response to another post…. I think the products at Tjmaxx and nordstrom rack are probably legit. I don’t think a retailer that large would risk selling counterfeit products! Also, it is reasonable to believe that the retailers that move their overstock clothing to TJs would move their beauty products as well, especially last season’s gift sets. I just bought a bite beauty spring fling set at Marshall’s, and I can tell you the lipstick smells and feels exactly like my other bite lipsticks and I’m pretty confident it is legit.
I agree with you about Nordstrom Rack. The products are coming directly from their stores. Iwas referring more to salon only products being sold at grocery stores and pharmacies. Sorry if I didn’t clarify that in my earlier comment ?
They’re not supposed to be sold at TJ Maxx, either. That’s diversion. A lot of the time, those products are expired or diluted. Salons will sell off their excess product that they can’t moved to make back their purchase price.
I’ve had accidentally bought a fraudulent UD NAKED eyeshadow palette. It was at the time when actually you couldn’t get UD so easily in Europe. For me, ebay was the only choice. I found a seller who had good feedbacks so I decided to purchase from him (the price was only a bit cheaper than on UD official webpage). When I received it, I was really amazed! So pigmented, so smooth so… I applied them on my eyes once, went to job and couldn’t understand why I sense some technical/gasoline+acetone stink. At the end of the day I had very unusual headache. I could not immagine at the beginning that the reason was eyeshadows. I discovered it accidentally, when I wanted to apply them next time. I left the palette openned on the table for a while and left the room, when I came back, I could sense the same weird stink. And I realized now that it came from the palette.
I did not discard it. When I had a chance to go to Sephora, I compared mine with original, and I have to say it was a very good quality fake in the meaning that you have to try hard to see the difference. The betraying part was the shades – some of them simply did not match. But if we’re speaking about the texture, they were similar. Also packaging was quite good quality fraud.
I got taken on a bottle of perfume from Amazon once, but i have purchased other beauty items from Amazon with no issue and found them to be authentic. I wouldn’t purposefully buys counterfeit myself. My skin is wayyyy too sensitive. The one thing I would say for the brand name hair products and lotion that I’ve seen in Marshalls etc. what I’ve bought before has been authentic product, but in older packaging. I’ve taken it home and compared to authentic purchased at salons…so yeah. In my experience it’s been authentic. Funny thing though I use DevaCurl products in my hair rotation, and a few years ago when they changed formulas, I thought I had gotten taken by counterfeit products at Ulta or something… LOL .
Hi Megan,
It’s been a minute since I’ve used DevaCurl. Do they still have that strong scent?
I hope you’re doing well and happy holidays!
I don’t really see the point in counterfeit makeup. Makeup isn’t really a thing that you ‘show off’ unlike clothing or accessories. When you leave your house for the day very few people will know that you’re wearing x palette on your eyes or y LE lipstick. Like you it seems like too big a risk to me. You put these items on your face, a small savings aren’t worth any potential reactions!
Hi Jenna,
I see what you mean. I guess for some people that it’s having the ability to get something with the name for a much cheaper price. Or perhaps they’re unaware that they’re knock-offs? I don’t know. I wouldn’t do it myself.
Thanks for sharing this. Counterfeit makeup is probably unsafe to use. Both Allure magazine and a news station have done segments of this awful trade. CBS This Morning did a segment just last week on the dangers of using counterfeit makeup that contains unsafe levels of lead, arsenic, and other chemicals, as well as rat feces, etc. (yuck!). They are made in cheap, substandard “factories ” in China and Hong Kong.. Stuff that cheap to make is not going to have the same quality as better, pricier makeup. I never even buy makeup made in China/PRC. It’s cheap for a reason, and you are putting it on your face! Buyer beware!
Agreed. I’ve seen several segments (and read the Allure article) and hope that somehow an agency steps in here in the US. It’s too dangerous!
I didn’t know that counterfeit makeup was a thing. It wouldn’t appeal to me because of the questionable quality and the fact that, as you know, I’m pretty basic in my makeup needs. I wouldn’t have any issues with products “inspired” by other brands (like those pencils last week that reminded me of the Nars Velvet Mattes) but I definitely wouldn’t buy a product that claims to be from a brand it’s not. That said, 99% of my makeup comes from Sephora. There aren’t a lot of shops or markets in our area where you could buy fake goods, even if you wanted.
I never would, as my skin is sensitive. I’ve also read those articles and my mother has warned me about fake makeup, as it’s been a thing in H.K. and China for ages.
I’m so glad Sephora has opened here in Canada. I have purchased beauty products in teh past from ebay back when they weren’t around and items were hard to find. I got some items which had dodgy packaging (like a Tommy Girl glitter gel tester which had tape residue on it) but nothing fake. I think I lucked out.
Agree! It’s just way to dangerous to buy fake makeup! Who knows what’s in there and if I get an infection from it! Either it’s the real thing or -if I don’t want to spend big bucks- reaching for an affordable dupe from a well known drugstore brand. Dupe: Yes! Fake: absolutely no! ?
Never on purpose. Some of that stuff is made under horribly unsanitary conditions. I once accidentally bought a “replica” (meaning they’d paid a fee to make a replica, but otherwise no different than a counterfeit). Now I’m more careful to thoroughly read the fine print before I buy online. I don’t buy makeup off ebay or Wish or anthing like that, either.