How to Identify Fake Cosmetic Product

One of the challenges of maintaining a beautiful skin in Nigeria is having to deal with fake cosmetic product. It’s becoming difficult today to differentiate between original cosmetics and the fake ones.

In fact, what dominates most markets across Nigeria are the fake ones. Most of the Cosmetic shops are crazy about selling cheaper to attract more customer, and to also make more profit.

Funny enough, some fake products are also sold by major Cosmetic shops. It’s not just the small shops that sells fake products, the big ones are also culprits. However, the most faked cosmetic products are popular ones. Remember, those faking them are looking to make money.

Why You Should Avoid Fake Cosmetic Product

Even though you don’t intentionally buy fake cosmetics, you should be careful to avoid using them unknowingly. The damage to your skin may take months to correct and at a higher cost.

You probably don’t know. But if you are really observing your skin you should have noticed some damages caused by the fake products. Sometimes, it comes is discoloration of your skin. It also dry your skin and create some form of skin scale.

Another noticeable feature is rashes. Some can give you even body odor. Fake cosmetics are very harmful to your skin more than you can know.

On the health side, these bad chemical in fake, substandard or even the so called Organic cosmetics don’t end their destruction on your skin alone. They are absorbed into your body and the end up in your liver. Imagine the compounding destruction.

Tips to Identify Fake Cosmetic Product

Before now, the only way to tell the difference between fake cosmetics and the original one is through their packaging. Fake ones are usually poorly packaged. But that has changed over the years, as criminals perfect their crimes.

You can hardly identify fakes just by looking at their packaging. So, use this tips to carefully buy your cosmetics.

• Stop Looking for cheap price
• Buy cosmetics only at a trusted shop
• Destroy or Keep Your Used Cosmetic Containers
• Understand Product Form, Fluid and Texture
• Avoid Buying Expired Cosmetics
• Be Careful with Organic Products

Note: in spite of all these tips, one should be careful when buying cosmetics. My best advise is to only buy from a trusted shop. Avoid buying from any shop you find near you. If you trust an online store it’s also good to buy from them.

One of the reasons I would recommend an online cosmetic store is the return policy. Any reliable online cosmetic store should promote return policy if the item is fake or substandard.

Stop Looking for Cheap Price

Cheap price means Cheap product. However, one of the ways to make cosmetics cheap is by making them fake and substandard. This has been going on in Nigeria for years. Most of the cheap cosmetics you buy are actual fake products.

Also, if you really know what happens in Nigerian cosmetics you will be very careful. I always want you to remember that it’s your skin they are toying with. Fake and substandard cosmetics causes more damage to your skin.

If you can’t afford original products, please don’t just buy anything for your skin. It’s better you use palm kernel oil, which is actually healthy for your skin. But not the adulterated palm kernel oil.

Buy Cosmetics Only at a Trusted Shop

Stop buying cosmetics at any shop you see. If you haven’t been buying from a specific shop, trying finding one to stick with. It’s much safer. So that you can return it if you discover its fake.

Even if you buy online, always buy if there’s a return policy that also covers Fake and substandard products. Also, while it’s ideal to buy from big shops, it’s not only big shops that care about quality and originality.

I know there are equally some good small shops that sell original cosmetics but they are few and hard to Identify. Any shop that cannot guarantee their products and offer you return policy if it’s fake or substandard don’t buy from them.

It’s your skin they are toying with, so don’t let them. They should give you guarantee or don’t buy.

Destroy or Keep Your Used Cosmetic Containers

Don’t throw away your used cosmetics container until you have bought another one. In fact, stop throwing away the container. Rather destroy it to stop it from getting into the hands of those who make fakes.

Most of the fakes were packaged in used containers, making them look like the original from their container. Also, keeping the container can help you check resemblance with the new purchase to ensure it’s not fake.

Understand Product Form, Fluid and Texture

Every cosmetic product is different from another. But one thing is obvious is that creams in cup maybe different from lotion or tube. Cup cream tend to be thicker than lotion and tubes. And they may also contain more oil due to its thickness.

If you know an original product it’s easier to discover if there’s any changes in the quality. But if you are new to the product, it’s best to only buy from reliable shop. The kind of evil going on in cosmetic business today is alarming.

Most of these Shop owners only care about turnover and profit. But you are the one suffering from their greed. Be careful.

Avoid Buying Expired Cosmetics

This one is worst to avoid because you can only tell if a product has expired by looking at the date of manufacturing and expiration. What if there’s no date? Or the date has been carefully altered?

In case you don’t know, some of the cosmetic stores sell expired products by either altering their dates or remixing the content if the product has discoloration. Yes, they can alter the form by mixing it together with good ones and repackaging it, or adding some chemicals to restore the colour.

Honestly, I can’t even tell a better way to avoid this. Rather, what you can only do is to buy from a trusted cosmetic shop.

Shopping for Cosmetics Online

There are not many online cosmetic stores in Nigeria. The reason is because there are cosmetic shops everywhere near you. But you have to get into the idea of buying cosmetics online. It has many benefits.

Buying online gives you right to return products if you discover its fake or substandard. It also helps you to understand the content of the product and research better about its benefits to your skin before you buy.

You can also compare prices and be sure you are not being cheated or sold low priced fake cosmetic product.

Be Careful With Organic Product

Even Organic cosmetics have their fake or substandard. The real problem with Organic cosmetic is there are many of such products in the market without proper standardization. In other words, their content cannot be guaranteed to take good care of your skin.

I can tell for free that some of their chemical components are very dangerous and harmful to your skin. Don’t forget, they are also unregulated product. And, even if you love Organic how do you tell if the content of the product is suitable for your skin type.

My advise is to avoid buying Organic Products from people you can’t trust. Or better still buy from only trusted brands that are regulated. Some chemicals are not good for your fragile skin. Be careful what you feed into your skin, because it enters your body and goes through your liver as well.

Advisory: there are equally great organic cosmetic products both from regulated and unregulated sources. I have seen some myself. So, I’m not generalize the idea of fake organic cosmetic product. I’m advocating that you buy only from trusted sources for your original and quality product.

Conclusion

I’m not just writing this to scare you. I’m a cosmetic dealer myself and I have seen what happens in the business. The evil is beyond what one person can correct. I have to find a way to educate you to protect yourself.

If you don’t know how dangerous fake and substandard cosmetics are, it can only be compared with expired, fake and substandard drugs. If you understand the danger of fake drugs, then you will begin to understand the dangers they are causing to your skin.

However, it’s not like the right products are not in the market. Some of you won’t buy it because you are looking for cheap cosmetics. And that’s how you offered your skin for destruction.