Beauty Kore: Buyer Beware!

"Check it out! All NEW in Box Lot of 25 MAC shadows for $25!!!!" Sound like a great deal? Sure it does, considering how much a MAC shadow actually goes for in retail. A MAC individual shadow runs at around $15 retail. Many times the sellers claim they get these for wholesale, however, MAC does not do wholesale. They have found they can make more money by selling to the individual consumer and it works. Very well. They have an excellent marketing program, high quality products and a loyal customer following; there is no need for the company to do wholesale. If you see the words "wholesale" or "lot" anywhere in a product description touting the MAC name...be very careful. Ninety-nine percent of the time those are counterfeit products being sold under the MAC label. This occurs with other cosmetic brands from Chanel to Smashbox. Most of the time the products are manufactured in China with ingredients that are questionable at best. "Well, even though it's a fake the product really works well!" Think about it. Do you REALLY want to put a product on your face where you do not even know if the ingredients actually are what the label claims them to be?

Things to look out for as indicators of a fake:

Wrong font (size, color or type are wrong)
A shiny or semi-glossy packaging. MAC is in a matte package.
Lots or wholesale
Descriptions that do not mention MAC (MAC is only in the title and nothing else) or an over mention of MAC
A lack of a Batch Code stamped somewhere on the product itself NOT on the packaging(usually on the bottom and is actually almost a relief effect stamp).
Glitters that are extremely chunky and with an abnormal amount of static cling (usually these glitters are NOT cosmetic glitters but more like a craft glitter)
Black labels on the bottom of pigment containers
Cone shaker versus a flat top in pigment jars.
Look at the placement of the logo
Any Made in China, Made in Egypt, Made in Korea, etc labels.
Flip up compartments in shadows
Sponge tip applicators (MAC does not sell products with sponge tip applicators)
"Palettes" in 12, 18, 88, 120, etc...MAC does not make palettes like these. These are made by a wholesale manufacturer that also makes Coastal Scents and BHCosmetics palettes.
Beveled bottoms on shadow pans
Shadows not flush with the edges of the pan
Overly thick containers
Cream palettes
Batch codes printed on the boxes
Lids that look as though they've been cut.
Brushes sold in groups or with no label numbers to indicate brush type and size
Brushes with poorly attached ferrules or bristles (they look oddly like ELF brushes)
Cheap synthetic or dyed synthetic bristles
Typos!!!!! Bad grammar!!!
Poorly written descriptions, poorly constructed websites.

Just be careful what you buy and make sure you keep a sharp eye out when you see a deal that is just too good to be true. Most of the time the sellers are aware of what they are selling and on a rare occasion they are not but it is a seller's responsibility to make sure they know exactly what it is they are selling. Employ common sense when you are looking to make a purchase.

Example of a fake MAC wholesaler...the fakes are obvious:
http://www.wholesale-maccosmetics.com/
They also have a blog claiming that they are a genuine wholesaler of MAC products. Keep in mind...MAC does NOT do wholesale, there is no need to.

Examples of the fakes on the site: