Hi, I will no longer be updating here. Please address all your questions and comments to Projectvanity.com.

How To Spot Fake Cosmetics On eBay

March 8, 2008

Good makeup is usually expensive. Of course there are exceptions, but any make-up guru will tell you that it’s often a safe bet to invest your money on high-priced, but quality products out in the market (like MAC, Shiseido, Shu Uemura, and so on). But then, there’s eBay! It’s like you died and went to make-up heaven, with all the cheap but branded stuff they’re selling over there. All you need to do is browse, click, send your payment via your cellphone or computer, and voila! Your order is at your door.

You have to realize, though, that buying online is risky business. For one, you can never really know if the product that looks so pretty on the computer screen is authentic. Buying cosmetics online is not like buying a shirt—if it doesn’t fit, no biggie, no harm done (unless it’s your pocket). But once you buy bad makeup and use it on your face, terrible things like zits, allergies, skin darkening and peeling may occur. Ugh. It might take days or weeks before you can get your face back to normal, and all because you were easily misled into buying cheap, fake, AND dangerous cosmetics on eBay. We can’t even guess what they put in there.

So now ladies, here are some tips on how to spot fake makeup on eBay:

1. If you like a product, don’t bid immediately, even if it’s super cheap. Do a little research on the stuff—using Google should do the trick! Look for reviews, pictures, and the official website of the brand. If there’s no available info, chances are, the thing is fake. Google is almost omniscient.

 Weird logo

 MAC Cosmetics do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT sell makeup like this. (up for auction right now by a4dauthentic on eBay.ph)

2. If you do find info about the product, ask the seller for more pictures and compare. Pay attention to details.

Fake MAC Studio Fix Foundation (up for auction right now by shopaholic_chinita on eBay.ph)

            Authentic Studio Fix Foundation. Notice the shape of the compact.

 

There are no applicators included in the MAC blush compact (up for auction rigt now by a4dauthentic)

3. Ask the seller some important questions like where he or she bought the product, why the low selling price, etc. You can’t really know if the seller is telling the truth, so you’re on your own here. I learned that one the hard way. I once bought a compact from eBay. it was cheap, the seller said it was a Christmas gift, there even was a Rustan’s price tag at the box. When I got it most of the eyeshadows don’t COLOR at ALL. The next week, the exact same product was up for auction—so no, it wasn’t a Christmas gift. Anyway, don’t be shy to ask questions. As they say, trabaho lang, and you’re the one paying.

I hope this is helpful. If you have more tips or horro stories to share about buying fake makeup from eBay, tell us all about it! 

Also visit HERE for further info on fake MACs.


Posted by projectvanity at 9:32 pm | permalink

Previous Comments

great tips, really helpful. i hope those scammers never con another person ever again.

thanks for linking up kikay exchange!

Posted by jillsabs at March 9, 2008, 7:52 am

this is the reason why i do not usually buy MAC, Chanel, and other upscale brands from eBay.

besides, i love drugstore makeup. haha!

Posted by Liz at March 10, 2008, 10:51 pm

jillsabs: thanks for linking Project Vanity in your post. ^_^ really really appreciate it. hope you visit again!

liz: i love drugstore makeup too! but drugstore makeup here in the Philippines is kinda expensive. and by drugstore makeup i mean Maybelline and L’Oreal. :(

Posted by projectvanity at March 17, 2008, 12:07 am

Thanks for the helpful post. I never would have thought that people were selling fake cosmetics.

Posted by Sarah at April 10, 2008, 11:23 pm

I’ve thankfully had great experience with Ebay (AU) Makeup purchases and as yet have not been burned.
Call me naive but I’d actually never considered that it would be fake.
But then, I guess I wasn’t just looking at brand names, I was looking at cheap products I knew what they already looked like
*shrug*

Posted by Dataceptionist at May 16, 2008, 6:00 pm

These days, the fake products are becoming more and more indistinguishable from authentic ones so we can’t really blame ourselves if we end up with a fake. So, it’s important to be knowledgeable. Research and ask questions about the product first before buying them. What’s worse is that some of these products are dangerous. The manufacturers are willing to risk this just to gain profit. Speaking of these deceptions, just lately, I found an article here. http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2008/08/16/harvard-gets-hacked-by-scam-mortgage-site-video-proof-exposed-by-the-personal-money-store-no-fax-payday-loans/ This about hackers that disturb google results. The major targets are the reputable non commercial domains such as .edu.gov.org. This is major concern since these acts are done just to gain profit and some unfair advantage. Let us be wary of these acts of deception. I’m so glad that personalmoneystore.com posted this very informative and helpful article. I hope everyone reads this and may it serve as a warning that scams and fraud are prevalent these days. Let us all be wise.

Posted by No Fax Payday Loan-David at August 21, 2008, 12:26 pm

Hi there, i never bought any cosmetics in ebay even though i am so tempted because im scared to purchase a fake one. Thank you for this post at least i have confidence now to shop in ebay.

Posted by mini spy camera at October 25, 2009, 6:33 pm

wow! thank God i’ve read your blog…i saw lots of branded items at a very cheap price..wheew! nagduda na nga ako..they sell clinique lipsticks for only 60 pesos each! so many bad souls out there..thanks so much!

Posted by king at November 19, 2009, 12:44 am

hi king! good thing you started googling for info like this. just remember, always take care!

Posted by projectvanity at November 19, 2009, 3:00 pm

well i have read this thank you for your help too late though i been conned i bought a foundation and its a fake it stinks like really cheap foundation and not even same shade im so upset its the mac fluid foundation

Posted by sadia at December 3, 2009, 2:48 am

leave a negative feedback for the seller and then report him/her to ebay! these kind of people need not be tolerated or else they will just do the same thing to innocent customers again. :/

Posted by projectvanity at December 4, 2009, 7:04 am