Fake vs. Real – Tips to Save You from Getting Duped

Look at you with that swollen lip; was it because of that 'MaC' lipstick you bought over the weekend? See, there you go, it's 'MAC' not 'MaC'!
But sometimes the differences are so subtle; they can escape the keenest of those kohl lined eyes. The duplicate cosmetics market out there is burgeoning like anything, thanks to excessive self-fretting, peer pressure and a heightened sense of fashion that are pushing young ladies to look pretty (aren't you already?), literally at all costs. The cheap mascara could actually be costing you more money at the doctor's! It is therefore essential, to be prepared with some tips on how to save yourself from harm, if ever a counterfeit product is thrust under your nose by a more-than-eager-looking salesperson. Knowledge is the ultimate sword in this fight, so let us sound that war cry and attack!

Price:
That's the first and foremost! Why would someone want to sell you that face powder from that top-notch brand at a rag-picker's rate when you know that it needs 2 months of judicious saving to buy it!? Nope, it's not your lucky day, if that's your answer. In fact, you should rather book an appointment in advance with the dermatologist! Your brand is sold with a promise of quality, which can also be legally challenged in court if it causes any trouble. And it's that assurance that you pay for! Beware of heavy discounts, since cosmetics generally run on tight margins. Sometimes, products with prices which seem too good to be true, can actually make you spend your waking hours worrying over some godforsaken skin disease. Would you want that? Precisely… so loosen up that wallet a bit, and invest in only the original.

Product Details:
The next thing to watch out for is the product details on the package. If time were money, you'd already have spent over a million bucks just going through the product details! However, maybe you need to put in just a wee bit more effort to read all that's important, which will help save you from getting duped! Most fakes do not have a batch number, make grammatical errors in their product description, or may altogether not have any product information at all. Some may even have a bar code to boot, but this is likely as counterfeit as it gets.

Fonts and Colour: Steer clear of packaging that screams, 'Buy Me!!' Yes, this one may not be too difficult to note, mostly because we already know our ochre from the yellow. Yet, in spite of this, many have fallen prey! Spellings, fonts, colours put together play a big role when identifying the counterfeits. For instance, a fake product might try hard to win your eye, and thus be a shade brighter! Or, due to its cheap cost of production, the lettering may simply be painted when it should have been carved instead. Or well, the whole tag line may have been mischievously modified to bluff you! So keep your wits about you when you read those delicious details on the product packaging!

Packaging:
Ah, another charmer! A cute yellow kohl pencil, a nice shimmery lipstick case, a gorgeous round bottle of nail polish are adornments that we consider important to complete the look of our dressers, don't we all? Fortunately, our love for all things cutely packaged can save us from that crook who's out there! If you are aware of how exactly a cosmetic is packaged, you'd be able to make out the difference between the real and the fake in a jiffy. However, make sure that you are also updated on the new packaging of the original brands; else you might lose out on a great product unnecessarily! For instance, being a MAC lover, you'd know that the original MAC eyeshadows do not come with an applicator. So, if you spot one, even if the packing, colours, fonts, etc all seem to be in place, you should award yourself for spotting that felon!

Other, very important points:
The above list equips you well enough for that war against counterfeits, but here's a little add-on. Sometimes, you'd have everything going for that new product that you purchased. But hey, what if it smells slightly off? Yup, there you go, chances are, that sneak has finally landed among your other precious cosmetics and you may have been cheated. There are many other such pointers, like the shape of the lipstick tip, the brush applicator of the mascara, the thickness of a gloss, you'd know it!

So, are we all set for that counter-attack on the counterfeit? Let's give it to them girls, spot the villains and crush them there!

Keep being AllDayChic!

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