How to Notice a Fake | MAC Lipstick

It has become harder and harder to work out if you are getting a genuine MAC makeup item if you are purchasing them from anywhere but a approved MAC retailer. I thought i would start my blog by starting a series i want to continually update, which will let you know what to look out for when buying MAC from say eBay or Depop or anywhere else for that matter!

Firstly what to look out for on the box. A genuine MAC lipstick has a bar code on the box which is a sticker, the ingredients list which is in a nice crisp white font, the finish and the manufacturers address on the one of the sides and then the front of the box has the MAC logo, the finish and the weight of the lipstick. On the top of the box the genuine lipsticks have a black sticker with just the shade written on.
The replica box is quite similar, it has the MAC logo, the finish and the weight on the front of the box, how ever on the side of the box rather than the bar code applied via sticker it is printed directly onto the box. The ingredients list is exactly the same but the font is a lot less crisp then the genuine one. Then again it have the same finish and MAC's manufacturing address. However printed on the top of the box is 'LOVELORN' which was not the shade on the lipstick inside and the the bottom of the box has a silver sticker which you would expect to see on the bottom of the lipstick itself, it states the shade of the lipstick, the MAC logo, address and the code for the lipstick.

Then onto the actual packaging of the lipstick. The replica lipstick is a lot lighter than the original, it is also slightly taller and wider. The black outer of the lipstick is also different, the genuine lipstick has a slight glitter to the packaging where as the replica is just pure black. On the inside of the lipstick he genuine lipstick has a metal casing for the lipstick to sit in, the fake lipstick is just a silver painted plastic, which eventually will wear away and show the black plastic underneath. The when you open the lipstick there is again MAC's logo and on the genuine lipstick it is very neat, crisp and straight where as on the replica it is crooked, printed higher up the neck and has slightly ran. The sticker on the bottom of the lipstick are vastly different, the original has a darker silver sticker the product information printed directly in the center with the fake having a very pale silver sticker with the product information but it vitally missing the finish!
Another thing to note with the replica lipstick is when twisting it to get the product it feels like it is scraping on itself making a rough manoeuvre where as the genuine MAC lipstick is perfectly smooth.

One of the most noticable differences with the two is the taste, MAC lipsticks generally have a vanilla taste to them which makes them a delight to wear! the replica lipstick is the most foul tasking product i have ever tried, it honestly tastes like eating a bar of soap!

I hope this helps you when you are looking to buy a MAC lipstick from someone other than MAC or off the high street! Let me know what you think of my first post :)

Kirsty x