This has been a newfound issue in the community of Los Angeles because of the ever growing mainstream of makeup across every mass media outlet we have at bay. With this being said I feel that since it is constantly being promoted a majority of the community feels this constant pressure to buy the newest hot makeup item, but as most of us are aware, it can be extremely expensive.
So what do people do to get their hands on the products?
They buy of knockoffs.
This is where counterfeit makeup boomed especially in the Downtown LA scene, specifically "the alleys", because most people who visit their are looking for bargains on everything from shoes like Yeezys to makeup like MAC.
Why is it important to know about counterfeit makeup anyway?Counterfeit makeup is absolutely harmful to ones health due to the conditions of the areas the makeup is created in and what "ingredients" are used to create the items.
- According to ABC7 Eyewitness News many of the products that were tested as counterfeit items came back with high levels of feces from animals and humans as well as extremely harmful bacterias because they found that some of the counterfeit makeup was actually being created in garages and backyards of people who know nothing about the cost or proper safety standards that must be met when creating makeup products.
- Refinery29 was also an amazing source of information regarding the growing issue of the creation and distribution of counterfeit makeup. They highlighted the most famous counterfeit makeup products being sold, Kylie Cosmetics and MAC. These items were tested and positively shown lead, glue, iron, horse urine, and many other unbelievably harmful and deadly ingredients. They also emphasized what happens when the counterfeit makeup sellers are caught by private investigators of the makeup brands. The guy in the video had all his counterfeit items confiscated and then he was sent to a court hearing where a judge was to decide wether or not he was to serve jail time, in his case he did not but he did have to pay a cute little fee and attend community service hours but not every seller is that lucky according to Refinery29.
The following photos are off of Refinery29's web article. These photos show the factories that the counterfeit Kylie and MAC Cosmetics were being created and the two of the women depicted the harmful reactions that occurred the next day after they used the fake products.
- The reason I am so passionate about bringing awareness to the harmful affects and non-cared for working conditions of the factories of the counterfeit makeup is because when I see these photos I see the potential risk of my face or the face of one of my loved ones being photographed. I come from a low income family, as many of the buyers of the counterfeit makeup do, with a tremendous love for makeup using and collecting. I know I have to save up for weeks, even months, at a time to get my hands on the new MAC collection or Kylie Cosmetics eyeshadow palette. It does make me sad that I have to wait longer than others, however, I rather wait months and save up for a product that I know has went through the proper health standards for the ingredients as well as for the workers that are handling the products through the entire production of the it rather than getting a bargain on a knockoff of the makeup and not having one clue about who has created it, where it has been created, and what has even been put into the item itself. I feel that buying a fake product at a bargaining price is essentially bargaining your health and in my very personal opnion I do not feel that it is worth it at all. Plus, I also feel more excited when I have saved up for so long to purchase the item and I am able to walk into a Sephora to purchase a brand new piece of authentic makeup instead of walking through the dirty streets of Downtown LA to grab a cheap fake piece that does not perform even as half good as the real one. It is time to shut down the making and distributing of counterfeit makeup once and for all because it is not only harmful it is also illegal and has serious consequences for the distributer and consumers, the first step begins with not being a consumer.
Interviews with the community of Los Angeles
I asked these individuals how do they feel about counterfeit makeup and if they were consumers of the fake products?
I asked these individuals how do they feel about counterfeit makeup and if they were consumers of the fake products?
Jessica Leon
"My opinion on counterfeit makeup is that as a consumer how do they vet that these products are safe and are manufactured from a reliable source? Who is making these counterfeit companies accountable to consumer safety? Where do they source these raw materials to make these products? Are these formulas being tested prior to selling them in the U.S.? Because there are a lot of unanswered questions this is why their companies should be banned and fined. I want to trust the product is safe on my skin and that it does not have any toxic chemicals. For this reason I would never buy these products no matter what brand they slap on the packaging."
Rina Alarcon
"My view on counterfeit makeup stems from what I do for a living, I work for a logistics company as a customs house broker and see all of the cost associated to importing goods into the U.S. These importers pay millions of dollars a year in duty, taxes, and transportation of these goods. Not to mention what they spend on marketing to company overhead to put product out into the commerce. They do their due diligence to make sure their products are FDA certified and sale for consumers use. Knowing that these makeup companies follow rules and regulations as a consumer it gives me comfort to know that it won't be toxic nor dangerous upon coming into contact with my skin. It is not right for these fake companies to cheat/trick consumers to buy products that are counterfeit. They are out there trying to make a living while cheating customs and border protection who enforces rules and regulations. Not to mention stealing the image of these companies while paying no royalties to them. This is illegal and why I would never buy these products."
Makeup Artist Aurenaz
"The value of the fake product is not worth the value of your life"
Makeup Artist Aurenaz
"The value of the fake product is not worth the value of your life"
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