Saturday, February 18, 2012

Yuck Alert: FAKE MAC Lipstick!

 Last December I went to The Fort Bazaar at NBC Tent.

It was a really nice experience shopping there. There were a lot of stores... some were online stores that I've previously bought makeup from like Pretty Goddess which really sells authentic products!

One of my purchases from the bazaar was a MAC lipstick that I was meaning to give to my sister as a Christmas gift. Unfortunately, I bought a fake one.
Here's the story:

I am not really knowledgeable to every color available for MAC lipsticks. The ones that I know are the very popular ones. So when I was browsing the booth (unfortunately again, I wasn't able to check the name of the store) selling the MAC products (they also have Smashbox and Benefit), I really thought that those were real ones. They really looked authentic. Plus, when I was asking questions to the one in-charge of the booth, she really seemed knowledgeable about MAC items and that her items were bought from the US and reselling them. I was asking her for Ruby Woo or Russian Red because my sis wanted a good red lippie and she recommended me some more. But since I'm not quite satisfied of the red shades they have, I went with something Fuchsia since my sis likes that color too. I went with the most Fuchsia among the selections and bought it. The name of the shade I bought is Violetta. And I got it for Php720.00.

 When I got home to check about reviews on it, the color was very, very different. 
Such a shame. :(

I was really disappointed because my sister always gives me super nice makeup. This would have been the first time I got her something more expensive than NYX lipsticks (Well, that's all I can afford back then).

Some days ago, I read a blog post by Chriselle regarding Fake MAC Cosmetics and reminded me of this experience. It encouraged me to write about this and warn my readers regarding these stores that mislead people on thinking that they are selling authentic products.

 So here's the lipstick I bought. Really looks like the real thing right? Even the other products like the Studio Fix Powder foundations and the Benefit and Smashbox Items look super like the real thing!

(left is the original, right is fake)
But when you look closely, it also has the same shimmer on the package except that the fake one has more shimmers. And the brand logo of the fake one easily comes off.

 If you put them side by side, the fake one is bigger.

 I only have 2 authentic MAC lippies right now-- Purple Rite and Most Popular (My sis has more). 
Anyway, the fake one has a bigger diameter. It also has a different font on the labels written in a circular way. And it has the brand logo on top of the shade's name which is not existing in the original 2 i got.

And on the color, there's a very huge difference as well. 
Here are the comparison between the real Violetta and the fake one I bought:

 Real

 Fake

And here's the swatch on skin:

 Real

 Fake

 and on the lips:

Real

Fake

*All pictures of the Original MAC Violetta are from www.temptalia.com.(Thank you!)


As you can see, the real Violetta has a very violet/purple shade while the one I got is very fuchsia.
The shade is nowhere near the real thing. And the scent is different. It doesn't have the Vanilla scent that is present in MAC lipsticks. :(

It's too bad my cell phone doesn't have internet access. I would have researched about it first before buying it. And to get a fake one and bought it for Php720.00 is a big 'ouch.'

I was embarrassed to give it to my sister but my sis said it was fine... although she traded it with some of the NYX Black Label Lipsticks I bought. Haha. :P

I learned a lot from this experience. This is my first time and hopefully last. I do hope this won't happen to any of you and this post can serve as a warning against those who sell fake products. Who knows what ingredients they put in it. Be careful of these sellers.




Cheers,
DAWN

50 comments:

  1. Hi Dawn! Buying a fake lipstick is a big OUCH considering the price of the product. Just be careful next time.

    Also, youw would want to correct the grammar - It encouraged me to right about this. Do you mean - It encouraged me to WRITE about this?

    Regards!

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  2. I'm sorry the MAC lippie you got turned out to be fake. =/ That's rather expensive for fake MAC too.

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  3. ouch! hate scammers! they claimed they were selling authen ones pa?! absurd! RAR!

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  4. Criselda - Thanks for the heads up! Got it corrected! :D

    Ida - it is. Oh well... Somehow my fault as well on getting fooled too quickly.

    wickeRmoss - Hate them too! I wish I could have reported them or something... Although I don't know to who... Haha! And I wasn't able to catch the name of the store/seller.

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  5. I've seen a lot of these fake MACs around. And not just lippies, ha. As in they have foundation, eyeshadows, practically everything!

    I'm dumbfounded at people who buy these stuff even if they know they're fake. (Some sellers are honest enough to tell you they're not the real deal.) As in really?! Masabi lang na naka-MAC ka at the risk of your face and skin?! Mag-Avon na lang ako diba kung di ko afford ang tunay na MAC. o.O

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  6. Czjai - Agree! I just buy Avon and NYX products if I can't buy the real deal. The problem is I was willing to spend since I was told that it is real. It just sucks that I'm so gullible. :/

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  7. OH MY GOD. I saw this seller at the NBC tent too!

    I was so tempted to buy from them because their stuff are pretty cheap. Good thing I swatched one of the MAC lippies, particularly pink nouveau. Finish is satin, and it smells waxy. MAC's Pink Nouveau has a soft matte finish, and scent is vanilla.

    I asked one of the stall owners (who happens to be a guy), "Is this authentic?" And he said "yes. They're all from Canada." I asked him "Why does it have a waxy taste and smell? All MAC lipsticks have their iconic vanilla scent." And he's like: "What do you mean?"

    I just shrugged it off and replied "Thanks." My instinct was telling me that what they're selling is FAKE. Good thing I didn't buy anything from them.

    I knew it! I should have blogged about it after my personal encounter with them. You wouldn't actually think that the sellers are selling fake cosmetics because they're very formal, and they have accents too!

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  8. You saw them too, Martha!? OMG. I wish I tried to smell the products as well. I didn't know the real color of Violetta so I was convinced that it was authentic. I saw the guy too but I talked to the girl eh. She's the one suggesting different shades. They really were formal and speak really good english.

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  9. wow ano ba yan? parang fake dvd rin, di man lang tignan yung tunay na shade so that they can properly tag it.
    like those fake dvd's na kung san san lang kumukuha ng picture and synopsis =(

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  10. Haha! Agree! Super different nga ng shades. They would have gotten away if they named it to one of the Fuchsia colors ng MAC.

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  11. It really goes to show that buying cosmetics in departments store is worth every single penny. :) great and informative post! :)

    xoxo,

    Iya

    http://prettylittlepetite.blogspot.com

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  12. True. Guaranteed authentic. Thanks, Iya. :D

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  13. it's hard to buy mac items from resellers because the fake ones' packaging are getting better & better in copying!
    >_<
    tsl tsk tsk...

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  14. Agree. It looks super close to the original. :(

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  15. It's either hindi aware ang nagtitinda and the person was also fooled by the supplier or sadyang mapanlinlang lang talaga sila. Grabe... ):

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  16. I think in this case, it's the latter. :P

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  17. This post convinced me to look closely first before purchasing. And asking for testers first to be able to scrutinize!

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  18. That's good, Janine. Better be careful so this wouldn't happen.

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  19. Wow grabe naman pala talaga yung fake na to! Hay! Mga tao talaga :(

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  20. I am so close on putting fake High Beam on my cheeks... grrr irresponsible sellers!

    http://kimpossiblygorgeous.tumblr.com/post/17881526629/turning-beauties-into-beasts-counterfeit-cosmetics

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  21. it's everywhere. One in Rob Pioneer. They're selling it really cheap! did u know that benefit have fakes also???

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  22. kimpossiblygorgeous - it's good that you're blogging about your experience as well.

    Anonymous - Yes I am aware now. The one I bought this lippie from sells benefit cosmetics and even Smashbox ones!

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  23. Oh that is why you should only buy from trusted sellers whether it be online or offline >.< Hay nako, nagkalat yan lalo na sa divi! and I know other people who really support sila (fake cosmetics sellers) even if they know na fake talaga, and saying na wala naman masyadong difference, but for me, fake is fake and no matter how you present them, you never know how they manufactured thema nd what the contents are! :/ So sad for you.

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  24. Wow, that's horrible! The colours are way different from the authentic lip sticks as well. That's why I'm always weary about buying cosmetics/skincare online or from resellers because you'll never know if it's a counterfeit or not. Luckily I have not come across purchasing any fake products yet.. and I hope it stays that way!

    Thank you for the informative post, you have a new follower!

    Feel free to visit me at my blog

    Y-oonyee

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  25. I guess I have been duped too :( i was so excited with the shade... i bought the chatter shade in gold cased box... she said it was a limited edition blah blah. I didn't realize one day later that it looks fake- it probably is :( kainis. anyway, this is a good learning. thanks for those who posted their experience .. next time mas alert na tayo :)

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  26. Glad I was of help. Hope that everyone will be extra careful in buying cosmetics.

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  27. Shopping is a bit time consuming yet enjoyable, but finding out that you bought fake products will totally freak you out! Just want to share: Kallony Philippines – they sell authentic makeup and skincare products.

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  28. I am sorry that you've been short changed. I bought what you call "fake" MAC products.But you see what you seem fake, might not actually be Fake but rather factory over runs. It is considered fake due to the reason that, it is sold in 3rd party sellers and it didn't pass the quality standard of primary sellers.Do understand that manufacturing companies, produces product samples first, before they launched a product. Perhaps you might want to ask yourselves,where did the manufacturing plant have placed the sample products, now that they have produced new batch of the sampled products? Did they got rid of it? or there is a possibility, that they supplied it to other types of sellers? example ebay or beauty bazar sellers.Yes there is a high risk in buying these products if 1. You have highly sensitive skin. 2. You are not knowledgeable in makeup. I've got tons of makeup since I'm not reluctant to try it all. I'm just sad that there are sellers who cheat people in selling their proucts for such a high price considering that it didn't come directly from MAC stores. Perhaps you would not feel victimized, if the MAC products you bought aren't pricey. The sellers from where I bought my MAC makeup were honest enough to tell me, that the products they are selling comes from Singapore and Thailand.I decided to buy those MAC makeup due to the array of color pallettes which aren't available in other products.

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  29. Pauline - Thanks for the reco! :)

    Rociel - I understand what you mean. Other than the very high price, I got a shade that is very different from the real shade of the lipstick I wanted. I guess that's already saying something about the product I got from that seller. It also doesn't have the vanilla scent which is the signature of authentic ones which lead me to the conclusion that it is fake and not a factory overrun.

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    Replies
    1. Hi!
      I research some information and suddently i stop by your blog.
      Girl you got it!!! Great information, i know fake cosmetic anywhere, any brand but God they're so big & better now. They can do fake anything & fake everywhere... uhm, so scare. china is one of most biggest fake product. their fake come so close to auth, if you not open your eyes clear & smart or you never use them before you really cant recoginze whats real whats fake.
      Can you do another review about Mac cosmetic??? I would love to see it, thank you so much. Im from Asia too, where is place have many fake product from china.
      Fake cosmetic will kill your skin, i cant stand fake product, hate it.

      Delete
    2. I'm glad my blog post was of help. Fakes are scary since we do not know what these are made of. Anyway, what kind of MAC review do you want? I have actually published a few blog posts regarding MAC products. Just check out the MAC tags on the blog or type it on the search bar on the upper left part of my blog. :D

      Delete
  30. Hello.

    Are the fake ones hazardous? Does it contain chemicals that may be harmful to the user? I would like to know because there are a lot of MAC sellers online. I do not know who to trust now.

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    Replies
    1. That's the problem with fakes. They don't put what the ingredients are. We don't know if they've put any hazardous materials. :/

      Delete
  31. Ouch, nakakainis naman yun sis, the nerve they charged that amount tapos fake naman pala!

    To Ay-Mi, by default, I believe fake makeups are very dangerous to apply to your skin since no one knows where they are made of, and what ingredients are used. And given most are sold very cheap (saw one MAC lippie being sold in FB for only P50), I would assume the ingredients used are subpar, worse not fit to use/apply. I would suggest that you better buy from MAC Counters rather than online, since there are a lot of fakes out there na.

    net
    Plums & Oranges

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    Replies
    1. I agree! STRONGLY AGREE! They can be dangerous, especially to those with sensitive skin. And even if they are safe, what they do is still illegal because they use the names of other brands to sell it. So there's nothing good about these products.

      Delete
  32. Hey there! I'm so glad i encountered your blog post! I'm new regarding information about makeup and this help me a lot to know whats the difference of the original and fake!! Good job! XD

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  33. My friend sells MAC lippies. Those were soooo cheap(price ranging from 120-150php) and i told her those were fake coz its soo cheap. She insisted that those were authentic and original. I told her those were fake really and might affect her and the baby inside her tummy and of course those who ordered the lipstick from her. She got angry:( one of the lippies is the mac creme cup matte. She sells that for 150php. Are there MAC lipstick that's cheap like my friend's MAC lippies?

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    Replies
    1. I don't think there's any place that sells authentic MAC lipsticks at that price range. Even at the US and Canada (where MAC is made), they sell them at a higher price. I'm sad to say that your friend has a big chance that she's selling fakes. :(

      Delete
    2. Meron pa nga P32 na Mac liptensity..and the packaging is really like the original, but when you swatch it, its really far far farrrrrr from the original....

      Delete
  34. I have MAC Mehr and Kinda Sexy, bought them both via online in 2 different online stores. Good thing they both sell authentic cosmetics and both of my lippies are authentic :)

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad that the store you bought from sells authentic. :D

      Delete
  35. Kaya ako hindi ako kumukuha kung saan saan e. Me and my friends used to order our Bella Dolce products at goods.ph (https://www.goods.ph/bella-dolce-eyeshadow-quad-12g-20130.html), here in the Philippines. I don't trust some cheap grocery stores near our place. Nakakatakot mag take ng risk lalo na't pinag hirapan mo yung perang ipambibili mo saka yung bad effect nun sa katawan mo.

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    Replies
    1. I learned my lesson well. I, too, am careful now when buying products, especially the expensive ones. :)

      Delete
  36. Never ever buy sa online or somewhere else even na sbhin nla authentic un. Sayang 1000php flat ung cost nung orig sa MOA kkbli ko lang last month kung sa 720 konti lang difference compare sa fake. Kaya ako bumibili tlga ako sa original store especially sa SM, glorrieta and etc. kahit medyo may kamahalan pero kung magcocompute ka konti lng difference lalo na kapag nagsale cla halos wala ng pinagkaiba sa mga store sa online and bazaar na nagsasab authentic un.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Truly. It's better to pay full-price for safety and quality.

      Delete
  37. Its better to buy online in such cases. You get a guarenteed original branded lipstick

    ReplyDelete