User:Thelmadatter/Counterfeit Makeup

Counterfeit cosmetics are fake cosmetics designed to look like top-name brands to trick thousands of shoppers into buying what seems like a great bargain. The counterfeit make-up industry is a million dollar business who has benefit out of selling people those products. Counterfeit makeup is illegal and its ingredients could represent a serious health threat.

Attraction of counterfeit makeup
Cosmetics are substances for external use that do not have any pharmacological value and therefore can be freely sold. High-end makeup is becoming more expensive. So fewer people can afford it.

Counterfeit makeup offers a low cost solution at a fraction of the real thing and they look almost exactly alike.

Manufacture and marketing of counterfeit makeup
Fake makeup is illegal and a major issue. Products are manufactured in unregulated and unsanitary factories. The high-end beauty industry in the U.S. lost between $800 million to $1 billion because of counterfeits last year alone.

China produces most of the world`s counterfeit make-up. They are sold to Europe and the U.S through websites such as eBay and Amazon. While some customers do seek out counterfeits, others have felt cheated when their purchase arrived. Counterfeit makeup lacks the quality, research and development time invested in the authentic products. Fake products are generally not tested for contaminants, or added antimicrobial or preservative ingredients.

Dangers
Counterfeit products not just threaten the public, but also the brand they imitate. They can cause harm and there is no guarantee that they will match the ingredients listed on the packaging.

There are many reports about the dangers of counterfeit makeup. The problem is the ingredients because some are harmful. Some of the ingredients found on counterfeit makeup are: lead, arsenic, E.coli, mercury, aluminium, and rat feces. For example, counterfeit makeup can contain up to nineteen times the legal limit of lead in makeup. Lead can cause memory loss, joint and muscle pains, and headaches. Fake makeup can also contain arsenic, which is a toxic element that can cause abdominal pain, shock, and even death.

E.Coli is a bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea, as well as kidney failure and anemia. Mercury is highly toxic and can harm the heart, kidneys, immune system, lungs, and brain. It can also cause skin rashes, muscle weakness,and headaches, and can permanently damage vision. Counterfeit cosmetics have tested dangerously high levels of aluminum, which can lead to bone disease, fatigue, memory loss, and numerous problems. Tests on some counterfeit makeup have revealed rat feces.

Safety measures
Fakes can be difficult to recognize. Beauty brands are including labels in their packaging to distinguish them from counterfeit products. To stay away from countefeit make-up, it is important to know that authentic makeup never offers its products through individuals, street vendors, flea markets, internet auctions, independent boutiques or unauthorized online retailers.

“The price is the biggest giveaway. If it’s too good to be true, then it’s a fake.”- Bobby Carlos, makeup artist.