Is It The Real Deal?

When you spot your favourite product at a hugely discounted price, hold on before handing over your money. Be confident that it’s the real deal with these tips.

- Jolin Lee

It’s not just counterfeit designer bags, jewellery, and clothing that are easily accessible these days. Tales of consumers suffering from the side effects of fake makeup, skincare, and even fragrances are on the rise. And with unknown beauty stores and websites popping up rapidly, it’s hard to be sure of the authenticity of every product purchased.

However, it’s not just the legitimacy of the website that you should look into. Fakes have been spotted even at well-known e-commerce websites that allow third-party sellers to list items for sale. These sellers may claim to have gotten the product at wholesale price by purchasing in bulk, or from a friend who is staying overseas – explanations that lead to more questions than answers.

There will be very good fakes out there that have the same look, feel, ingredients and even price as the original. Here are ways to spot a dud.

1. STEEP DISCOUNT

Manufacturers of fakes typically rely on two pricing strategies: higher than the original to convince you that it’s authentic, or much lower to tempt you to purchase. As much as we love discounts, when something’s too good to be true, do question how it can be so cheap. Start by knowing how much the product costs from an official retailer before considering the other factors.