IMPORTANT: IS CHEAPER ALWAYS BETTER?

 

Hey guys, so recently I've noticed beauty blogs and instagrams that have been promoting something not too great...that is knockoff brands of makeup. I feel this is VERY important that people know the risks about buying cheaper brands online before doing so. 
First off, knockoff brands can be bought on a ton of stores online. There are many popular ebay sellers, amazon, and even websites dedicated to selling these products. 

So, I just wanted to give you an idea of what some knockoff makeup looks like. Some companies are getting very good at creating duplicates and the products are almost identical. The only way to tell is the insane price difference.
Would a $16 MAC lipstick REALLY be sold for $3 online? Most likey not. These are supposedly "Wholesale mac lipsticks manufactured by MAC cosmetics" sold for $2.19 each. 

But, the REAL problem with these is that you DON'T know the ingredients that are in them. I read an article from the UK (sorry, can't remember what website or where I found it) and they were testing some of these knockoff brands, and were shocked by what were found in them. Many had toxic or large amounts of harmful chemicals and metals such as mercury, cadmium, copper, lead, and even traces of arsenic. 

Popular cosmetic companies don't put these ingredients in the makeup for a GOOD reason. They ARE NOT safe, especially around the delicate eyes and mouth, and are NOT FDA approved for cosmetic use. The knockoff companies in China and Europe use them because they are cheap, so they can still make money off selling lipsticks for $3. 

Also, you really cannot trust that these cosmetics are being created in a safe, clean environment. There is no way of telling what kinds of bacteria they have been exposed to while being made. Would you really want to be using lipstick that could have been exposed to a flesh eating bacteria? Or contains a deadly amount of lead?

I'll be honest, in the past  I have purchased a few knockoff MAC items because they were "from" the Hello Kitty Collection. Fortunately, the mascara I purchased was dried out before it even got to me, and I have never used the eyeshadow because the engravement on the top is so cute (makeup hoarder!!). Needless to say, i will never even consider purchasing anything online that looks to be a knockoff duplicate of a high-end brand.

So people, PLEASE be careful what you buy online. It's much safer to save up and buy the real deal, instead of buying cheap products, and be sure what you're buying is AUTHENTIC. You don't know what's being used to make them, and can SERIOUSLY harm yourself by exposing your body to these ingredients.

"Cheap" expensive brands are CHEAP for a reason!