Hey everyone! How are you all doing? x
Today’s blog post is a little more on the serious side. I’m going to discuss an issue which I personally feel isn’t blogged about enough, so I really want to talk about it and let you guys know just how dangerous this can really be- buying and using fake or unbranded makeup.
It may not seem like a big deal, but fake makeup can seriously be bad for your skin and your health overall. There’s TONS of pages on Facebook selling Urban Decay’s ‘Naked 5’ palette (which hasn’t even been released as yet, btw) for a mere PKR 2000 or less, while the actual thing is priced at about PKR 5500. (In Pakistan it’s way more expensive at shops that sell it, being priced anywhere from PKR 7500 to PKR 9000.)
Apart from that, they even sell fake foundations, face powders, eyeliners, mascaras, concealers and lip products from high end brands like MAC, Clinique, Urban Decay, etc. And when you ask them if they’re original, they’ll say something on the lines of ‘It’s a first copy, and very good quality’.
Let me tell you something straight up: there’s nothing such as a ‘first copy’ when it comes to makeup. A ‘first copy’ is just as much of a fake as a slightly cheaper copy. And it’s not good quality. There’s a HUGE difference between the original product and the fake, even if the packaging looks the same. The eyeshadows, for example, will be chalky, sheer and will lack the gorgeous pigmentation and textures of the original.
Even Naked 4 hasn’t been released as yet. Notice the cheap looking packaging
All of these fake products are actually unbranded, when you think about it. They’re labelled as MAC and Benefit and whatnot, but do you really know where they’re coming from? Do you know where they were made, and under what sanitary conditions? And for those who prefer to use cruelty free makeup- how do you know no animals were harmed during the production of these unbranded cosmetics?
Naked 3 brushes? What?!
I’m not just discouraging you from buying fake makeup because I think it’s ‘tacky’ or anything. The reason I’m so against fake makeup is because it can contain SO many harmful ingredients. Like I said before, the production process of these cosmetics isn’t administered so God knows what they put into them. However, fake makeup usually contains high levels of arsenic, lead, copper etc. These ingredients are often much higher in concentration than the permitted and approved amount, making them very harmful. People have had really bad experiences where their skin was actually left scarred and permanently damaged by using counterfeit foundations and skin products. Even the fake eyeliners and eyeshdows contain harmful ingredients, so please don’t buy counterfeit makeup! The quality is also terrible, and even though it seems cheap, you’re actually paying a lot more than the product is worth!
According to DailyMail, the profit made from selling counterfeit makeup is actually going towards the funding of illegal drugs! Eeks.
I know there’s a huge rage around using expensive, high end makeup and not everyone can afford it or is willing to spend so much on makeup (especially since it’s twice the actual price here). But buying fake high end cosmetics and ruining your skin or even causing BRAIN DAMAGE (through high amounts of lead) is really not worth it. So don’t be fooled by these pages and websites selling expensive makeup for a very low price because they’re selling fake products. I promise you drugstore brands work amazingly well, too. In fact, the quality of drugstore brands is tenfold better than those of unbranded, counterfeit products.
counterfeit MAC eyeliners
Sometimes, we unknowingly purchase fake makeup, thinking we’ve scored a great bargain. The solution to this is to buy only from pages, websites and shops that you trust. Do your research- see how much the original product costs, what the packaging looks like, etc. If you’re buying an original product online or in store, the price should be slightly higher than the actual price.
Below are some screenshots of a Facebook page selling makeup for less than its original price:
I personally suggest you buy makeup from either Al Fateh or Enem ( or Aghas if you live in Karachi) , as their products are original. I usually get my high end products from there. If you want to purchase makeup online, just4girls.pk is a great website, as well as Cosmetic Candy on Facebook. I’ve had good experiences with both of them.
I really hope this post helped, and you guys should spread the word about how harmful counterfeit makeup can be. Saving a couple of thousands isn’t worth destroying your looks over, forever. There’s great dupes for high end products out there for half the price in drugstores. The next time you hear a friend or relative say what a great bargain they’ve found, ask them to think twice. xx
P.s: If you guys want to know about any dupes for high end products, leave the name of the product in the comments below and I’ll suggest a good dupe. You can also inbox me on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/muffinsandcouture/
Until next time,
xoxo.
This is a beautiful, fresh peach colour and the product itself is a creamy formula and glides onto the skin quite effortlessly. This blush costs $8 on the Colourpop website and I purchased it for PKR 1500. 
I bought three of Colourpop’s liquid lipsticks and I love them all. They’re all such pretty colours and extremely long-wearing. They each cost $6 and I bought them for PKR 1000. 
Iman Agha's Blog 