I just finished teaching a Fashion, Theater and Media Makeup course in April, and during my time there I noticed something quite important: many of the students had and were using fake makeup products.
As these are students who are struggling to pay for their course in the first place let alone their kits, I can very much see just how attractive MAC, Urban Decay, Benefit, Chanel among other products at an extremely reduced rate might be. I'm involved in Facebook beauty groups where I see young people speak about buying cheap "branded" products they bought online or through apps on their phones, from companies selling fake everything from beauty products to kitchen appliances.
Ordering fake beauty products is literally as easy as pushing a button, which for me, is seriously frightening. They can't only be found on the unregulated internet either; fake products are sold in local markets, street stalls, pharmacies and even by independent beauty consultants in their salons and online.
I wanted to write this article to make you aware of the serious repercussions of buying and using these products on yourself or on unsuspecting clients if you're in the beauty or makeup industry.
Medical professionals have seen a rise in severe allergic reactions due to the use of counterfeit products including skin rashes and burns, anaphylactic shock, facial disfigurement and even long-term health problems such as high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances and even infertility.
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Research has shown a huge level of toxins in these products such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cyanide and even human urine and rat droppings.
Last year, both The City of London police department and The US Department of Homeland Security issued warnings stating that counterfeit products coming from China tested positive for huge levels of toxins and were extremely dangerous to your health.
It's just so important to be aware of what you are buying and using on yourself and others. If you are getting a well-known cosmetics brand for a fraction of the price online, at a market or even from your beautician, it is most likely fake.
You only have one face, and you can't exchange it, return it or buy a new one.
Have you ever bought fake cosmetics? or worse, reacted to one? We would like to hear your story.
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