Ok, so this is going to blow your mind that this is a thing. If you are a make-up slut like me, and find any and all justification in the investment of expensive, brand-name makeup, listen up: You. Need. To. Make. Sure. You. Buy. Your Make-Up. From. Certified. Manufacturers. And. Sellers. Period.
If you find Yves Saint Laurent for $6 online, girl, you’d better do some research. If you actually put that counterfeit sh*t on your eyes, you are putting yourself at high risk for coming down with a serious eye infection. For real.
Beauty Counterfeiting… How The Hell Did This Happen?
It is one thing to buy a cheap, counterfeit handbag or pair of sunglasses, but ladies, you are not putting a handbag on your skin. Remember, anything you soak your skin in, or apply onto your skin, you are literally ingesting. (You can even ingest calories… fat by lotion, haha, just kidding… but really…)
Anyway, the FBI has reported that its agents have found aluminum, human carcinogens, dangerous levels of bacteria, and even horse urine in the products they've seized. Are you effing kidding me? So some of these nasty, counterfeit products cause conditions like acne, psoriasis, rashes, and eye infections… and actually pose a national health threat. Brands like MAC and Anastasia Beverly Hills have also conducted their own investigations, and found even more deadly ingredients, including lead, arsenic, and mercury. MERCURY!
But, these reactions will come as no surprise to you once you learn about where these a-holes produce this counterfeit make up... "If I could paint a picture of what it's like in one of these [counterfeit factories in China]..." says Gregg Marrazzo, Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel of the Estée Lauder Companies. "If you took the most disgusting frat house bathroom, it looks like a surgical suite compared to these conditions. Itʼs filthy, thereʼs bacteria everywhere... itʼs disgusting."
Umm… what the hell. PLEASE! I am begging you… pay the price for beauty… do not be duped.
So, Whatʼs Being Done To Stop This?
MAC is one of the most-counterfeited brands in the world, and parent company Estée Lauder's Global Security division is leading the fight to take these bitches down. It seized over 2.6 million pieces of fake MAC makeup in 2016 by working closely with numerous government agencies. Thaaaaank God there are beauty heroes out there…
These companies are now changing their packaging to ensure authenticity to their loyal consumers and taking great measures with class action lawsuits to bring these guys down. I literally just learned about this, so I am trying to spread the word as much and as fast as I can because this just cannot happen. Be vigilant, girls. Know your products or pay a higher price than money.
