Skin Care
We’re used to hearing about fake designer items — but fake beauty products are a growing problem too. With more people shopping online and hunting for bargains, counterfeit skin care is becoming more common. Below is a simple guide to spotting fakes and why it’s important to buy the real thing.
The Counterfeit Beauty Industry
Counterfeit beauty products are widespread enough that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security created an effort called Operation Plastic Beauty to stop it from growing. One probe found that 20 of 47 items bought from third-party sellers were fake. Many of those sellers had customer ratings of 90% or higher, which can give shoppers a false sense of security.
Why Avoid Counterfeit Skin Care
Buying counterfeit skin care can lead to problems. Here are the main risks.
Ineffective Ingredients
Fake products are often worthless. Some may be expired versions sold as genuine; others are cheap copies filled with inactive or low-quality ingredients. These imitations usually have fewer active components and rely on cheap chemical fillers instead of the natural or organic ingredients the real product promises.
Potential Health Risks
Counterfeit cosmetics aren’t regulated and don’t follow safety or sanitation rules. That means you don’t know what’s in them, where the ingredients came from, or how they were made. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns this can be dangerous because banned or harmful ingredients may be used. Tests on seized fake cosmetics have found high levels of bacteria and toxic substances like lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Peace of Mind
You don’t get any guarantee with counterfeit goods. Brands can only support products bought from authorized sellers. Counterfeit items lack a clear chain of custody, so you can’t tell when they were made, where they’ve been, or how they were stored. As Candice Li, VP for Global Public Affairs and Membership at the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, points out, counterfeiters cut corners in manufacturing, and their main concern is profit — not whether the product harms consumers or even reaches them.
How to Ensure You’re Buying Authentic Products
So how do you avoid fakes? As a rule, if a product isn’t sold by the manufacturer or its authorized sellers — even if it’s on a large online marketplace — it’s likely counterfeit. For genuine Eminence Organics products, buy from our spa partners, authorized online distributors, or our official website.
Shopping tips to help you spot fakes:
Check the label
Counterfeiters often skip details. Look for typos, poor printing, missing tags, or absent UPC barcodes. New products should include full retail packaging and any manuals or printed inserts. Compare the label and packaging to the product shown on the brand’s official website to make sure everything matches.
Use common sense
If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Dr. Sonia Batra advises watching the price, packaging, and product quality: unusually low prices, discolored packaging, missing barcodes, or a different texture or consistency than the original are all red flags. If it’s suspiciously cheap or sold in bulk, it may be a knockoff.
Ask questions
If something feels off, reach out. Contact the brand to confirm whether a seller is authorized or to report suspicious products. At Eminence Organics, we’re happy to help you find a legitimate reseller.
The safest way to buy our products is from an Eminence Organics spa partner. At an authorized spa you’ll get fresh, authentic products and a trained professional who can recommend what’s best for your skin. Learn more about the importance of authenticity and use our Spa Locator to find an authorized spa partner near you.