I buy very little make-up, but when I do, I buy it from Sephora, Ulta or Nordstrom.

Online, directly from the company.

I received an obvious counterfeit from A a while ago and stopped buying certain products from them. I buy from the company or Ulta or Sephora.

Target also has third party sellers, not as many as Walmart or A but they are there. I was doing an online search for an expensive hair product and saw that Target had a great price on it. I assumed it was through Ulta but when I dug around a bit more turns out it was a third party.

It's not always obvious, especially on A, who is sending you the product.

IME discounted prices on cosmetics/toiletries on line are suspicious. I usually buy at Sephora.

Agree. Or, Ulta or at a department store counter.

I

I usually buy at department stores.

Macy’s or Sephora

I have purchased from just about every place you can imagine but in recent years, mostly Ulta or Walgreens. What can I say - I am a drugstore make-up girlie for some products and it's convenient ¯\\(ツ)/¯

Macy's or Dillard's, but don't go through as much makeup as I used to, so I usually buy once per year and get everything I need.

Amazon should be doing a lot more regarding counterfeit brands, in all product categories.

I have given up on Amazon, solely due to conterfeit and substandard items. I have had 2 really bad experiences and I am done. Even the return process was a major hassle when Amazon sent me a broken, obviously used vacuum cleaner. I am done. Haven't bought a thing from them in over a year.

I purchase from Credo or certain brands they sell on Credo I will purchase from Sephora if I'm not in NYC. I don't wear much make up at all.

I buy from Sephora, Ulta and
sometimes Macy’s because I can use $10 off from them on Bareminerals every now and then and sometimes they run a sale on the Bareminerals products I use.

Thanks for sharing the article, Lucille. Good info.

Depending on what I’m getting, I order directly from the company or go in-person to Ulta or the drugstore. (I hear ya, DLM!) :)

After a couple of bad A-zon experiences — rancid mascara (gag) and clearly counterfeit face wash — I decided to never order cosmetics or skin/hair care products from them again.

Plenty of my orders from them have been fine, but I feel now it’s not worth the risk …. especially if I’m trying a new product for the first time and have no basis for comparison.

Sometimes there are nice perks to ordering direct from companies. DH and I both like It’s a 10 haircare products and I recently put in an order during a big sale. They included a free full-size mascara (“Be a 10 Be Separate Mascara“) and I love it. And often serums I get from The Ordinary are less expensive on their site than they are on A-zon.

There was a period of time, up through Covid, when I was buying a lot online. However as discussed above, I have become aware of counterfeit and adulterated/used/substandard products being shipped out by the big companies.

So now I've come full circle, and I'm back to doing most of my shopping in person. I will use Walmart's shipping for some smaller things that are harder to mess with, but after the last Amazon fiasco I mentioned above, they're dead to me.

(I wanted a small, cheap, bagged vacuum cleaner for my cellar. Amazon basics had exactly what I wanted, so this was not a 3rd party seller. The vacuum cleaner which arrived was broken and used. The best part - and what ended up saving me/getting my refund - was the previous customer's return slip was included in the box!

I talked with customer service TWICE before I sent it back - explained it arrived broken, explained I had the previous customer's return packing slip - in the hopes they would say no problem, we'll send you another one. NOPE! They needed me to return the broken one first. MAJOR hassle getting that thing repackaged, and another major hassle getting it shipped back.

Skipping ahead - then the delightful big River denied my refund, saying I returned a used vacuum cleaner. Yeah, no $h!t Sherlock - we talked about this, remember - it's why I sent it back. And, better yet, it's all detailed in my handwritten note in the box, stapled to the PREVIOUS CUSTOMER'S RETURN SLIP!

Fortunately I was smart enough to keep a copy of the previous customer's return slip. In the end, it still took me 2 attempts with their customer service to get my refund - and that was after the 2 other attempts to explain they shipped me a broken vacuum cleaner, and I could prove it

All for a ~$200 vacuum cleaner. I probably spent more than that in terms of my time.

So yeah, Amazon is dead to me. Somehow they soldier on (LOL), but I feel better sharing this story anyway. )

Interesting ... I have never bought makeup from Amazon but I have bought some skincare and hair products.

I go high-low with makeup-- i primarily wear Chanel (but also Nars and Westman Atelier) which I get direct or from Nordstrom ... and then also burts bees which I get at the drugstore or grocery store.

I get my Pevonia skincare and Keratase products from Az .. havent had an issue but should probably look for another source.

Drugstore or Target. Both used to have consultants, and actually the ones at my drugstores were good. But that’s gone by the wayside.

I prefer going to a department store so i can chat with the salesperson and hopefully get good advice. Sephora, at least near me, seems to be full of the under 25 crowd and I feel very out of place. Lately Ive bought a few things at Blue Mercury but their prices are outrageous.

I thought that article was interesting.

I don't buy much makeup, really just mascara regularly. I usually buy that from Nordstrom online, but maybe once or twice from Amazon. But I also have been using some vitamin C face cream and night cream and both I've been buying from Walmart online. I imagine that has some risk of counterfeiting.

In the far past, I've purchased from the jungle store, but I won't be again!

I too, am a drugstore cosmetic girly. I purchase in person at the store, WM or the green Wal.

I also use E.L.F. and order online. (free shipping)

Thank you for that eye opening article Lucille!

@Funkyart does Pevonia still make a heated moisturizing mask? A long since close salon did a facial with it and I loved how it felt.

Ulta, because of its company policies and because of convenience. I’ve never bought makeup on A—it’s one of those purchases I prefer to do in person.

@1929Spanish-GW - good question! I started using Pevonia after a spa facial -- like you, I loved how it felt and how it made my skin feel! It was a very long time ago but I think the facial included sitting with warm towels over the products. Could that be it? I am wondering if certain products benefit from the warm towel treatment or if there is/was a specific warm mask moisturizing product?

I was planning to review all their products and try some new ones as a Bday gift to myself so I'll look into it and let you know what I find out.

Sephora, at least near me, seems to be full of the under 25 crowd and I feel very out of place.

A few years ago I spoke with a Sephora sales person who didn't understand why I cared about the ingredients in makeup because "The make up can't get into your body, it is on your skin. You are not eating it." I turned and left.

I recently I had to go to one for makeup for family pics when I was out of town and didn't have regular make up with me. The sales person could not have been nicer and happier to help me, an over 25'er! They understood my allergies, needs, and gave me great direction about not using certain kinds of products when photographs are being taken. They were fabulous.

Bday gift

Not sure when it is but Happy Birthday!

@Funkyart this was one that went on and warmed up on ita owned then peeled off like rubber. it was delightful.

Ohhhhh .. I don't remember that product but I'll let you know if I run into it.

Lucille .. how sweet! ❤️ It is in April but it will take me time to go through all their products and determine what I need/don't need ;)