DON'T BE FOOLED: FAKE MAC MAKE UP

There I was sitting in a salon patiently waiting to get my hair done and in walk in a woman. She is in her mid 20's  and faboulously dressed. She proceeds to introduce heself speaking aloud in the middle of the salon. She gives her name and her title of Make Up Artist. She definetly looks the part contoured cheeks and Nose to the Gods! She open her LV luggage and proceeds to empty it contents all over the floor. She has come equipped with MAC! Now I know we all the love a bargain even me but when my health and skin is at risk I Can't! I noticed the quality of her make up was flawed the containers were cheaply made and the words MAC were not as defined as the ones I'm use to buying. Her prices were reasonable and Dirt cheap I mean if It wasn't real it couldn't do that much damage.....WRONG! Even thou items are bootlegged everyday makeup is a whole other world.

Where to Buy Authentic MAC Cosmetics

If you want to be sure that the products (for any brand!) you are getting are authentic, you will want to shop at the following places:

• Actual storefronts for the brand (i.e. MAC shops/boutiques)
• The brand’s official website/store
• Reputable sellers that would stake their reputation to sell authentic products (think Smart Poppy or Strawberry Net [ETA: A commenter has reported that StrawberryNET has been brushing off reports of them selling fake MAC])
• People you actually know whom you trust who are selling their pre-loved makeup

Places to Avoid

• Flea markets
• Mall kiosks
• Grocery stores
• eBay (this place is SWARMING with fakes!)
• Beauty supply stores and salons
• “Resellers” and “Wholesalers” – MAC does not allow wholesalers

The packaging is different from the original. Again, if it’s different from the original, it’s fake. No MAC makeup product comes with an applicator. The number one indicator that yours is fake is if there is a little compartment under the eyeshadow/blush/whatever pot that houses applicators/brushes. Here are just a few packaging anomalies:

• Fake products will have different fonts and different stickers.
• The color of the packaging is off.
• The packaging may seem right on, but there are various small differences. Check this post by Dawn on fake MAC lipstick to see one example.
• They are usually fatter/taller than the original (when applicable, this is in order to make room for the compartment for the applicator).
• Fake MAC pigments will have some sort of 2nd cover or stopper on the jar while the authentic jar does not.

The label is in numbers and letters rather than an actual name. I think this is self explanatory. MAC eyeshadows have names like “Carbon” and “Woodwinked”. Fake MAC eyeshadows usually are “001″ “023″ and so on. The
same applies for other products. Be careful however, counterfeiters are getting smarter and have begun making labels with actual names too (just like in Dawn’s post).
The product does not exist on the brand’s actual product roster. Another self explanatory thing. Check online to see if the product you want to buy is listed in the official website, whether in current products or discontinued products. If it’s not in there, it’s probably fake.