How to Spot Counterfeits?

[pinyo]

Hey guys!!

How do you  spot counterfeit skincare? I'm trying to stock up on the travel size Erno Laszlo sensitive face bar (which I'm noticing isn't readily available anymore) and I came across a buyer, but I have no idea if it's real. Obviously I don't want to put fake items on my face...we all know how that story ends. Thanks in advance!!

 

 

[RAWRitsRED]

Hi @pinyo!

I'm not really familiar with that brand but you'd want to look at the packaging of both the official ones and the ones you found.  Ask for a close up of the label and product so you can really look at the ingredients, country it's made in, the little icons at the bottom, fonts, social media handle names, weight or amount of product, maybe the label isn't printed well or has spelling errors.  If there are any designs on the product or packaging, check for any differences.  You can also ask where they got it and see if the sources are reliable.

Some counterfeits will have some mistakes on the label.  They might put a social media handle on the package, but might be different from the official one.

[pinyo]

Thank you @RAWRitsRED . I'm definitely going to check out the details as best as I can. It doesn't seem off yet...but I think I'm especially apprehensive because they were bought in bulk. I didn't realize "normal" people could do that. I presumed it was only stores that could.

[RGbrown]

@pinyo 

There are a few things I think you can do to help make up your mind. 

First off, assuming this is a marketplace like eBay, etc, where you can contact the seller, ask them where they got them. It may not be as simple as "I bought them at Nordstrom and decided I didn't like them", but it can give you an idea of the chain of custody, so to speak. It also gives you an idea of how receptive the seller is to questions...ignoring you, or some kind of vague or rude response might be a sign to move on.

Check out the seller's feedback; are there negatives? If so, does the buyer seemingly have a valid point? A bad rating for "slow delivery" might be the PO's fault, but multiple accusations of "fake" might be worth weighing. Check out their other items for sale as well. Sometimes you just get a feeling if a seller has dozens or hundreds of items that are ultra cheap.

Also, assuming your pics above are from the bars you are looking to purchase, ask Laszlo about the lot code. I'm not sure there's much to worry about as far as expiration date with a bar soap, but just confirmation that it's a legit code from their system would go a long way in confirming authenticity. 

I assume you are familiar with the legit product, since it seems to be a staple you want to stock up on? If so, order one if possible, and then decide for yourself if it's worth going back for more.

[pinyo]

Thank you so much @RGbrown for the advice. I DMed you...it'll be interesting to see what happens next!