Counterfeit BoxyCharm Products?

[shopaholic15]

Can we talk about BoxyCharm for a minute?

There’s been buzz about the possibility of Boxy sending out counterfeit products for some time now. I was skeptical at first but the box I got this month changed my mind. It’s to do with the Ciate blush. I was stoked to get it because it’s something that’s been floating around in my online shopping carts for a while now. The biggest appeal was that it did not contain talc. This was confirmed from their website where it explicitly boasted that the product was free of talc. I used the blush for a few days and noticed some bumps/redness starting to pop up on my cheeks. This is strange for me because it’s rare I break out (even during a crazy hormone time). I was researching why this could be and talc came up. Talc is a monster ingredient I diligently avoid because my skin doesn't agree with it.  But the Ciate blush didn’t have talc so it couldn’t have been that…right? Nope. The blush I received was made in China, not Italy like I expected, and the second ingredient listed? Talc. What? How? A quick google search showed me I wasn’t the only one peeved about this. It left me with more questions than answers. I tried contacting their customer service to no avail.

I went further down this rabbit hole and discovered a few more products I received came up as potential fakes/counterfeit. The $150 QMS cream. The authentic version sells for 150 Euro and is 15 ml. The one that came in Boxycharm is 17 ml (?) and had no box, no ingredient list, and no hygiene seal. Suspicious.

Moreover, the cult classic Too Faced BTS mascara was another product under fire. I checked the one I had received and compared it to one bought from Sephora and they are VERY different. The colour of the tube, the stamping, the lip, the brush. And if I recall correctly, that mascara didn’t come with a box either. In my quest for answers I did find statements from Ciate saying they moved their production from Italy to China a few months ago, but suspiciously removed their talc-free claim from their website. Too Faced stated they made a BTS mascara specifically for Boxycharm…perhaps they did so with a lower standard than usual?

I feel so deceived. I have cancelled my subscription. Am I alone in feeling this way? Is this just a conspiracy theory? Has anyone else had something similar to share or something to validate my frustration?

[LisaDfromTO]

I also have a travel size of the First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads, and received one in my Boxycharm.  The ingredients are on both, and packaging is identical except for the address being in a different order.  However, just to be sure, I called FAB and was able to verify they DID work with Boxycharm on this box and the pads are 100% authentic. 😁 

[Anonymous]

They will say they are authentic but most all of the name brands who are making items especially for Boxycharm do so with cheaper ingredients - that is how BC can afford to purchase them.  These name brands are not giving their products away.

[LisaDfromTO]

Yes, I agree 100% many brands who have deals with Boxycharm are A Okay with switching factories, using different ingredients and packaging to cut costs.  I did a massive investigation on this, and all the small brands they use as fillers, and the results were shocking.  I do not trust Boxycharm at all, and I unsubscribed 2 months ago.  What they, and some brands are doing may not be illegal but it is shady and unethical.  The brands that agree to cut corners to be featured in their box are just ruining their reputations.  I was using the Farmacy Honeymoon Glow before it was featured in a Boxycharm box, and it's not the same.  It leaves my skin feeling rough and textured the next day.  I have a PUR eyeshadow palette I stored and never used, and when I opened it a few weeks ago, it had grown mold.  I heard others complain of this, which is why I checked.  I was going to donate it because PUR is definitely guilty of using different factories when they pair up for a collab.  Their makeup used to be phenomenal. 

There are still some items that are the same as you would get in a retail store, but many are either expired or close to expiring.  Some of the QMS items they had in a sale were old and discontinued.  They even had a long discontinued Murad eye cream in one of their premium boxes!  The more research I did, the more I found.  They have individual people sell them cheap quality makeup of questionable safety through ecommerce brands (ie. Faccia Skin, Steve Laurent, DLS, etc.) just so They can't be traced purchasing millions of .25 cent eyeliners and claiming they are luxury and have a $21.00 value. 

[yuline]

If they’re suppose to be the same size and product and there’s no package insert with ingredient list, seems very unprofessional. I don’t know anything about cosmetic labeling laws but is that legal?  Not sure if subscription boxes usually don’t include ingredient list but it would make me very uncomfortable to not know what I’m putting on my face. Maybe if it was a tiny sample size, I’d be more understanding but if the exact size original has ingredients listed, then it’s questionable.  I always read ingredient list first for any chemicals that I like to avoid or minimize.

[AshGarcia]

I have a mini of FAB radiance pads from Sephora and the mini from Boxy and they look the same. I cancelled my Boxy because I don't want the PRC eyeshadows or other old stock, like old mascara (gross) but when they sent me dark red lipstick that was just the last straw 😛 Anyway, those radiance pads have acids so any delicate skin area could burn or sting from them especially if you aren't used to acid exfoliants.

[yuline]

I’ve never subscribed but have been tempted to. I never paid much attention where cosmetics is made. After reading comments about Tarte, a brand that I own many products from, I looked at the back of my Tarte Fall Feels palette which I purchased directly from the brand and it says “made in USA.”  At the risk of being judgmental or stereotyping (I do try to be open minded), products from some countries do seem to be better made. For example a brand of socks that I wear are made in both Korea and China. Before buying, I always make sure I’m picking the batch that says made in Korea. The ones made in Korea are such good quality. Workmanship is impeccable.  The ones made in China seem more poorly made with worser materials.  Not just cosmetic industry but many industries farm out to cut labor costs which I wish they didn’t as it leads to less jobs domestically. Think about it, practically all of our drugs are manufactured in India.  I live in the US so perhaps I am US centric but I wish companies didn’t farm out so much. If they’re going to farm out, I would have no country preference if they made sure quality control was consistent and of high standards.

[Anonymous]

I was drawn in at first by the sheer amount of makeup I could accumulate over months at such a cheap price.  But after all was said and done, I realized these products were not the quality that I was told they were.  Some were repackaged, some totally recreated in Boxy's lab in China.  Some in inferior packaging.  Alot of the eye shadows felt old and after researching and researching I found that most of all the products if not all the products were near expiration and none of the products including the eye shadow products were from this season or even this year.  You are better off investing in fresh makeup that you love and that you know where it came from!

[Anonymous]

I am just beginning to be suspicious of Boxycharm’s authenticity. It has only been within the past few months that I have started to break out in strange painful scaly acne. I seem to have started when Boxycharm started taking the huge change in their boxes and products. Before, I felt sure that Boxycharm was purchasing discontinued products from manufacturers and I was okay with that. I’m not okay with counterfeit products though. 

[cello1120]

Today I got an Iconic London Day To Slay Eyeshadow Palette in my Boxycharm base box February. I think this is another counterfeit product that boxycharm made in PRC. There are several youtube videos about boxycharm fake products and drama. Here's the ingredients listed in Iconic London website. The palette is supposed to be made in Italy. On my Boxycharm palette it says made in PRC. It's a fraud. I'm going to cancel my subscription.

[SoulKisses]

I am Italian. There is a different truth and no one is at fault but governments. In Italy A LOT OF things used in skincare/make up in the USA are banned (same with GMO foods). Hence why there is difference in ingredient lists an no one is breaking the law. Many fillers used in the US are banned in Italy. By law. But allowed here in the US ... so the companies use them making the product less expensive in said lenient country. This s all there is to it. Just think that some cat foods in US would be banned in Italy. Cat food. Imagine everything else.

[LisaDfromTO]

You are right ... most of the Iconic London palettes were made in China.  But the ones made elsewhere aren't technically counterfeit because Iconic London gave their stamp of approval.  I think they said they had to make SOME in another factory because of the number of palettes they needed for the order.  That's a cop out, because if so, why did they change the ingredients?  A lot of influencers got the palettes that were made in Italy.  It's insulting that they thought they'd get away with it.

[Anonymous]

I personally feel that if Ciate London is manufacturing their products in China, they need to drop London from their name. 

[jacquelinetan]

I AGREE! How deceiving, with Ciate London but made in China!

[Kristinvictus]

If you go to 

You'll see the new palette from Boxy was imported from China a few weeks ago. Looks like the same factory that exports Tarte. Now I need to check all my Tarte. GREAT. 

[cutzie80]

Tarte lost me as a customer after their "high performance naturals" bs. Their ingredients are identical to many non "natural" brands. They actually lost a lawsuit and have to pay out now due to their misleading labeling as all natural.

[Anonymous]

Hello. That information was very interesting. You put some doubt on me. So what I did I contacted some companies of the products we get in the subscription boxes such and boxycharm and fabfitfun and I just got a reply this am. This is a copy of the email I got from one of the companies. So I’m good to go and I can trust them.

maybe you can try contacting the companies directly that way there is no misunderstandings and it will give us all peace of mind. But thanks for the info you posted. It really moved me to do my own research  

“Thank you for contacting Elemis Customer Care with regards to your recent subscription box receipts.

I am delighted to confirm that we do partner with these subscription boxes so any products in there from Elemis will be genuine Elemis products.

I do hope this offers some peace of mind with the items you have received. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.”

[LisaDfromTO]

People need to stop using the word counterfeit.  The companies that collab with Boxycharm are IN ON changing manufacturer, ingredients and packaging.  It's been proven they will make an already existing item in a different manner, to save money.  It could be cheaper packaging, cheaper ingredients, different formulas, smaller sizes, different manufacturers or a combination of any of the above.

Iconic London manufacturers in Italy.  They had an existing eyeshadow palette worth $65.00 That was excellent quality and made in Italy.  However, when it was included in a Boxycharm Box, many people received a palette with cheaper packaging that was made in China, not Italy.  Those eyeshadows were not good quality.  I watched oodles of videos, and some that compared them.  It's not illegal, because the brand is in on it, but it's unethical and misleading to the customer. 

[SoulKisses]

Im Italian. Italy signed last year a Collab with China for many industries. Italy exports raw materials to China and the production is done in their factories (leather, fabrics, buttons, skincare or make up ingredients, etc). It is going to be the norm to see a made in China from products from Italy. Doesnt mean tho the stuff inside is fake or counterfeit or bad raw materials were used. 

[JupiterSolo54]

Omg I just found out about it and had to throw away a bunch of stuff! It’s infuriating! Especially when they claim the products are authentic! I cancelled both Boxycharm and Ipsy subscriptions since Ipsy is just as guilty.

This nonsense was straight out of China!

[LisaDfromTO]

Yes, IPSY is guilty, and all the rest of the sub boxes.  IPSY has at least stopped doing business with the owner of Faccia Skin and all her sub box brands that are private labelled from Alibaba.  The Huda palette is fine, though.  She does make her 9 pans in China.

[lmaster]

If you go in the faccia website, they state that they launched the 24 kt gold moisturizer through boxycharm, so it's definitely not counterfeit @JupiterSolo54 it does contain methylparaben which I'm not thrilled about, but I'll still incorporate it a couple times a week to try it out