It is a well-known fact that counterfeit products in the cosmetic industry are very common. Copies of the original branded products are made easily and sometimes are very difficult to identify if you are not educated enough to differentiate between the copy and the original. While education and information is very important , as a discerning customer having a keen eye, and being vigilant is also the need of the hour.
So while we urge you to be vigilant we also give you some tips below on how you can be well informed to beat the thriving business of fake cosmetics.
The first and most important step is to look closely at the product packaging since the counterfeit products look very similar to the originals in terms of the colour, fonts and artwork used. These duplicates or close copies of the product are priced low and thus entice the buyer to purchase it at low prices. We must understand that although fake products may not make a huge hole in our pockets they come with the huge price of causing an irreparable damage to our skin and body.
So what then are the steps required before you buy a cosmetic product?
- We must know our brand and be a customer with a keen eye for details. We must buy only from authorised sellers whether it is through retail or online. We must obtain proper receipts on each purchase thus ensuring that the product is genuine. We must remember never to fall into the price lure traps where marketers offer low prices on “imported” products or first time” new products “without any proper company name and details.
- We must remember all the details of the product packaging and labelling of the branded company products that we use and compare it carefully whenever we buy a new product along with paying close attention to the use by or expiry date.
- Make up must always be bought with tamper proof packaging, and any product which is open or damaged or leaked must be discarded and not purchased.
- Every cosmetic item must be first tried on a small patch of your skin to ensure that there is no allergy or reaction. Once you have tried it and found it safe you can go ahead and use it confidently.
The basic and most important step is to be alert, and pay attention to details of the packaging, the price and the expiry date of all cosmetics that you purchase.
Remember being an informed and vigilant consumer will make all your cosmetics purchases safe for you!
