Top 10 Tips for Distinguishing Fake Cosmetics

Fake cosmetics, such as eyeshadow, lipstick, or blush, often have colors that don't match the genuine products exactly. To spot counterfeit items, compare the color with those displayed on the manufacturer's website, ensuring a careful inspection of each product in your hand.

Fake products may have a dull appearance, lacking the refined color blending seen in authentic items. The quality is also inferior, as genuine powder products, such as foundation and blush, are smoother, more compact, and less prone to breaking apart than their counterfeit counterparts.

Genuine products will not have any unusual substances or strange colors. This is especially noticeable with cream-based products. Authentic cream cosmetics won't contain impurities or have a fragmented texture, as the cream must blend smoothly. Counterfeit lipsticks can immediately be identified by their odd appearance.

Counterfeit lipstick may show visible scratches, defects, and the tube may lack the smooth finish of a genuine one. The color will look off, dull, and unappealing. Authentic mascaras typically have a pleasant scent, while fake ones might smell foul or overly perfumed. The consistency of fake mascara will be clumpy and sticky, not light and fluffy like the real product.

Products like powders, eyeshadows, blushes, and specialized brushes can all be used to distinguish between genuine and fake items. Even if the packaging looks identical to the authentic product, the brushes will never match the quality and appearance of genuine brushes. You can tell fake products by their brush size, color, or the quality of the brush head. If you notice any differences, stop and reconsider purchasing the product.

For example, the size, shape, and color of the brush might be off, either too short or too long. The brush bristles may also feel rough and stiff rather than soft and smooth. If the overall appearance seems incomplete or lower quality, these are signs to pause before buying the product.

Always ask the staff to let you test the product before making a purchase. Most cosmetics stores provide testers for customers to try. Be sure to carefully examine the product before buying to ensure there are no irregularities, from the packaging to the product's quality.

The best way to test it is to apply the product to your hand so you can see the color and texture. Genuine products will have a light, pleasant fragrance that lingers and the powder will feel smooth and radiant. In contrast, counterfeit products tend to feel heavy, greasy, and uncomfortable on the skin. They may have a strong, artificial scent due to excessive perfume oils, and prolonged exposure to the fragrance may even give you a headache.

Before deciding to purchase a product from a particular brand, closely examine the brand's logo to avoid buying knockoffs. Many counterfeit products may closely resemble the original, but it's often difficult to replicate the precise lettering. The logo may appear slightly altered, with thicker or thinner lines, or the font size may be off, which could make it harder to spot during an inspection.

Genuine luxury items have a clearly defined logo, while fake items often feature a faded or distorted logo with altered text. Well-known brands maintain consistency in the placement, lines, and colors of their logos. When shopping, pay attention to the logo's location, shape, and color on the product. Also, inspect the interior labels to check for stitching or embossing, as fake products usually lack these details. Fake items often have logos that are asymmetrical or disproportionate. You should also check the external label, as many brands place it on the outer design of their products.

Testing cosmetics with water is a simple method that many people use, but this technique is only applicable to certain products. Additionally, the limitation of this method is that you can only test the product after purchasing it, and its accuracy is only somewhat reliable.

How to do it: Take a small amount of foundation or moisturizer you're using and place it in a glass of water. Stir for about 20 seconds, then observe the results:

• If the product dissolves in water: This indicates that the product is safe for your skin, and it will not harm your health during use.
• If the product sinks to the bottom of the cup: If the cosmetics you are testing sink to the bottom, it may contain excessive amounts of heavy metals, lead (above the acceptable limit), or mercury, which are common in counterfeit goods. These substances are harmful to your skin and health, causing skin irritation, cancer, and damage to internal organs.
• If the product floats on the water's surface: If the product floats on top of the water, it likely contains mineral oil-based ingredients. While these products are good for moisturizing, they can clog pores, leading to skin issues like acne and premature aging.

Cần khẳng định rằng, mỹ phẩm xịn có mùi hương nhẹ nhàng, dễ chịu chứ không nồng nặc mùi hóa chất như sản phẩm nhái. Kể cả những sản phẩm như phấn má, màu mắt cũng thấy hương thơm rõ. Ngoài ra, có những thương hiệu mỹ phẩm nổi tiếng quy định một số mùi hương đặc trưng trong dòng sản phẩm nên bạn hoàn toàn có thể dựa vào để phân biệt khi từng sử dụng 1 vài món đồ trước đó.

Về mặt cảm quan, son, phấn mắt và phấn má khi trang điểm trên da có cảm giác nhẹ, mùi thơm thoảng và dễ chịu, độ phủ mịn, đều. Thoa thử lên tay sẽ thấy độ bóng, mịn. Còn sản phẩm giả gây cảm giác bí và nặng da, mùi thơm nồng.Khi mua các sản phẩm nước hoa, masscara hoặc son kem, son nước, bạn hãy chú ý khi ngửi mùi sản phẩm hoặc đặc điểm chất liệu sản phẩm. Các sản phẩm có mùi hắc nồng, chất liệu lỏng, dính bết, vón cục thì tuyệt đối không mua.

This advice may seem like common sense and too simple to mention. But don't overlook it. Nowadays, many large stores can still sell counterfeit cosmetics. To avoid purchasing low-quality products, the best advice is to visit the website of the cosmetic brand you're interested in and check for a list of authorized retailers near you. These are the places where you can buy genuine products with good quality.

High-quality products come at a significant cost. However, even authorized retail stores may offer promotions or discounts. But the discount is usually modest. Therefore, if you come across a cosmetics item at an unusually low price, it is most likely a counterfeit or low-quality product. Around 80% of good products will not be sold at a low price unless the store provides certification of quality for those items.

Many genuine product packages are cleverly counterfeited, making it difficult for buyers to notice. To distinguish them, you can visit the manufacturer's website, find the corresponding product, and then carefully compare it with the packaging you hold. Ensure that all the details match exactly, including even the smallest ones such as font, color, size, and product weight. If any of these details are different, the product you're holding is counterfeit.

Some counterfeit products are easily identifiable, such as unclear, prominent print, overly faint or too small text. The product names may be missing some letters: Lamcome instead of Lancome, Kenzzo instead of Kenzo, Lokasta instead of Lacoste, etc. Genuine product packaging always uses concise, clear, and succinct wording. The packaging is typically made of sturdy cardboard. Expensive cosmetics often come in attractive, durable packaging that counterfeit items cannot replicate completely. The plastic (glass) packaging is glossy, smooth, and finely crafted, with sharp logos and clear text, free from ink smudges, and the edges of the plastic (glass) are meticulously finished.

Counterfeit products often have 2 to 3 digits in the barcode that do not match the national barcode or the barcode printed on the product's packaging. The first three digits usually indicate the country of origin. For instance, if the first three digits are 893, it means the product is made in Vietnam, while 690, 691, 692, 693 indicate products from China, 880 for South Korea, and 885 for Thailand. Barcodes come in two types: 8-digit and 13-digit. Each type has different methods of verification. First, identify the barcode, then add up all the odd-numbered positions such as 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and sum all the even-numbered positions like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. Remember to leave out the last digit (the 13th digit). Then multiply the sum of the even-numbered positions by 3 and add the sum of the odd-numbered positions.

Finally, add the total with the last digit, the 13th digit. If the result ends with 0, it's a genuine product, while any other number means it's counterfeit. Additionally, counterfeit products often have serial numbers that are incomplete or mismatched with the product's box. Genuine products will also include a complete list of ingredients. Some authorized cosmetic stores even provide additional labels in Vietnamese, offering detailed product information that is translated and attached to the product.