My Makeup Story: A Fake Start

Hey Ninjas!

I finally worked out some of the kinks and tinkering around the layout has proven to be moderately successful! I am still a noob to this blogging thing and have zero experience. Everyone has to start from scratch at one point, yes? Without further ado, I shall start on my first entry:

I learned how to use makeup barely 3 years ago due to the influence of the internet. Being the poorfag I am, I started with the cheap "China quality" cosmetics that had ubiquitous names like: Xie Xang, Liu Shiu Feng, Bang Quan So, etc,. 

 These babies were sold for $3 or less. How can I say no to that?

It even comes with it's own "sponge" and cracktacular foundation!

They weren't so good and most of the time they were downright awful and I'd end up with patchy, broken makeup on my face and I'd look like I smeared colored grease and flour on my face. Retouching was a chore and with every retouch my skin became itchier and the makeup got cakier. Long story short, I eventually had so many zits and skin irritations! At one point my eye got swollen because of a cheap ass eyeliner! And the pimples were humongous and bloody. Talk about trauma!

 A little bit of this.

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A little bit of that.

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Their own take of the eyeliner recipe. At least they had the decency to "make" their own brand.

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Thus the bloody face was introduced. So many regrets were had.

Having sworn off any China made cosmetic, I then discovered the internet as a shopping medium! In the old days there were a lot of online sellers selling "Singapore Authentic" cosmetics. These items range from the very common MAC to the higher end ones like Urban Decay, Clinique and Benefit! Their descriptions and explanations vary but one thing stood out: "They were made in Singapore and they were like the original". Whoa boy, guess who got duped? Yep. It was me. The item prices were higher than the "CHINA" ones and significantly cheaper than the originals plus the phrase "Singapore Authentic" was thrown around so many times that I dove in and bought stuff. Stupid move on my part! The truth is that the items were of the same quality as the China "faux branded" ones and are actually "MADE IN CHINA", too!

Yep no need for comments.

As far as my experience goes, these have the same patchy quality as their "Chinese name" counterparts... because DUH! Same origins!

Whether the sellers specifically intended to mislead their clients or they were just clueless re-sellers who got taken by the "AUTHENTIC" word being thrown out again and again, it's their responsibility to be aware and be honest about what they sell. A fake is a fake regardless of how close or how perfectly engineered it is to mimic the original. Those who buy these risk skin damage and health issues due to the questionable ingredients and creation of these products. I cant help but think that those who buy "Singapore Authentic" skin creams will eventually suffer from skin cancer or liver/kidney failure in the future.

I have then moved on from those and invested in REAL makeup from reputable local brands before moving on to Western and ultimately to Korean and Japanese brands. While I have finally learned my lesson through several stages of trial and error, a lot of people are still being taken in by these unscrupulous vendors who shamelessly tag their items as "AUTHENTIC" and "SAFE TO USE GUARANTEE". There's more of them nowadays and it's an awful thing really, but as long as there is deceit and a demand for it then it would never stop. The only thing we can do is to educate ourselves and spread word to other people. You can also talk to the sellers but that's going to be a different story.

Vigilance is a must!

On a final note:

Singapore will NEVER EVER make replicas of ANY BRANDS. Have you guys ever been to Singapore? Do you know what Singapore is like? I've been to Singapore and it is one of the most disciplined places on the planet. Their laws are so draconian that there is an impending fee or jail time for any misdemeanors. Worst case scenario is the death penalty!!!

So there you have it. There are no factories or plants in Singapore making these fake products. I repeat: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SINGAPORE AUTHENTIC ITEMS, MAKEUP or SKINCARE!!!

Please do not be lured by such greedy or uninformed sellers. Your health is at risk!