Are fake eyeshadows made in China safe?

To some people, the term made in China is a warning sign while for some others, it doesn’t really matter. A good deal is great for some, but for those of us who are cautious about makeup and skincare products, knowing what we use on our skin is more important than saving a few bucks.

I mean, if you find a particular hair brush by a popular brand that goes for $15 on Amazon, and you see that same brush elsewhere for $5 or even lesser, wouldn’t you be tempted to go for the cheaper product? Or what about that $50 Urban Decay palette for $8? They both will give you the desired result, right?

Many consumers may not necessarily mind having some cheap knockoff products like wristwatches, purses and bags, clothes and other China made fake products. However, when it comes to makeup, creams, or perfumes that will have direct contact with you body all day long, it’s important to know exactly what you’re purchasing. Cheap lipstick and eyeshadow dupes are advertised to save money and they prey on ladies looking for cheaper options.

A reader recently asked me – are eyeshadows made in china safe? I have nothing against China made products after all some brands like HP, Sony, Samsung and many popular brands out there manufacture their products in China.

The only difference is that they are made with specifications and must meet the stipulated standard. My concern is that some makeup made in China are made without proper attention to safety. Many of these makeup products are counterfeits and are loaded with fake and harmful ingredients. Not to mention, the standards are not regulated very well.

To help answer the question – are eyeshadows made in china safe, let’s start with listing some dangers of counterfeit makeup products.

Dangerous Ingredients In Makeup Dupes and Fakes

Lead – when used in higher quantity than the legal limit, lead can start building up in your system and could amount to lead poisoning. This can cause headaches, muscle and joint pains, memory loss, and even miscarriage or preterm birth.

Bacteria – Since no one is really inspecting the work, counterfeit makeups are usually produced by unsanitary people in an unhygienic environment exposing the products to bacteria.

Eye infection – I’ve read people’s experience of how they used a certain cheap makeup that ended up giving them eye infection. I wouldn’t joke with my eyes and that means no fake product will make it close to it.

Mercury – high amounts of mercury as is contained in some China makeup can be very dangerous. Its toxicity can harm the lungs, kidneys, heart, brain, and your immune system.

Arsenic – those bright eye pencils and eyeshadows you buy very cheap could contain arsenic known to cause shock, abdominal pain, and even death.

So, is it safe to buy makeup from China and knockoffs?

My answer to the question – are eyeshadows made in china safe is NO. Counterfeit eyeshadows and lipsticks have been reported on multiple occasions to cause allergic reactions, skin rashes, swollen lips and even chemical burns!

Counterfeit makeup looking like the originals have flooded the market. Big brands like Urban Decay, TooFaced, Lorac, and MAC have been duplicated and are all over the internet cheaply priced. Just last year, the FBI raided stores selling counterfeit Kylie Jenner, Kat Von D and Urban Decay and confiscated the fakes. The knockoffs tested positive for feces, and bacteria. How gross is that?

But, it gets better. Mashable reported that lead, arsenic, cyanide and urine and rat feces are often found in counterfeit cosmetics that are made in China.

While it may be difficult to differentiate the real from the fake, just know that if the price is too good to be true, then it’s probably a fake product. If you know an Urban Decay shadow pallet sells for $45 at retail but you see it for sale online for $8, you can be pretty positive it is a knockoff and not authentic..

Fake counterfeit makeup items are often sold on eBay, Facebook stores, AliExpress, Alibaba, street shops and boutiques that are not authorized dealers. They can also be purchased on many websites that cater to “deals”. Makeup is one product you can’t afford to be cheap with. The risk involved with using knockoff cosmetics is not worth it.

Liz, another blogger from FashStyleLiv, had her own experience purchasing fake eyeshadow on eBay. She purchased a Lorac Pro Palette.

How can you spot knockoff makeup?

• Read labels. Often counterfeit products have misspelling on the labels.
• Know your brand logo. Counterfeit items rarely have the identical logo. It may be very close, but not identical to an authentic product.
• Uneven or odd looking fonts. Many times knockoff makeup items will be printed with incorrect fonts.
• Price! Does it seem too cheap or one heck of a deal? Then it probably is a counterfeit.
• Packaging. Many times the packaging is too small and not sealed properly.
• Rarely do counterfeits match. If you have already purchased the real product, try and compare the shades.
• Do not order makeup from sites like PoshMark, AliExpress, wholesale buy in groups, or any deal site ever. Not only may it be counterfeit, if it happens to be real, it could be expired which poses another set of problems.

Have you ever purchased a makeup item and found out it was fake? Or, did you even know makeup is often fake and sold as authentic?