Are my pigments authentic or FAKE?

SunnyDaze · Jul 27, 2008

I've bought several MAC pigments on Ebay. I've been aware of all the fakes out there and I've only bought from Ebay store sellers or from sellers who've had pictures of lables and such in their auctions.

BUT, some of my pigment jars don't look like the others. ALL of my pigments have lables in the bottoms of the jars (pigment name and number) and came in boxes with lable on top (pigment name) and have the right lable under the boxes (a sticker, not printed on the box.) But as you can see in the pictures I've posted below, some of the jars have skinny texting centered on the jar, some have bold texting centered on the jar. On some of them the texting is NOT centered, but skinny, and some have bold + non-centered texting.

So, tell me, can authentic MAC pigments vary when it comes to the texting on the jars? Are some of mine fake even tough they have ALL THE RIGHT LABLES AND SYMBOLS?

Please help me....

Pigments pictured:

COPPER - Centered texting - Skinny
SUNPEPPER - Centered texting - Bolder
MAUVEMENT - Non-centered texting - Skinny
PLATINUM - Non-centered texting - Bolder

Shaquille · Jul 27, 2008

hmm.. where did you get these? the color of sunpepper looks fine, but I am unsure about the jar - the writing of M54... is a bit inconsistent.

BeautyPsycho · Jul 27, 2008

In that last pic- do you notice how some of them say "MAC pigment colour powder" and some of them just "pigment colour powder"? Well, on my "teal" (first one I grabbed to compare) it only says "Pigment colour powder"
And writing is centered to the left (unlike the first two pigments in that last pic)
Shiny lids are also suspicious..

purrtykitty · Jul 27, 2008

Platinum for sure looks suspect to me. It's supposed to be a metal pigment, just like Copper and the texture in the jar looks nothing like it. The other ones look like they might be OK.

My PRO Pigments say MAC Pigment Colour Powder, and the printing is centered, so they're not necessarily fake if they say that. (Purchased from the PRO store, so I know they're authentic)

bebs · Jul 27, 2008

most of them look okay all except for platinum, the reason for that is because of the texture .. it should be the same smooth liquid metal texture that copper is.

with metal pigments, they also have a waxy smell almost like crayons.

redambition · Jul 27, 2008

the one that is definitely jumping up and down to me as counterfeit is platinum. The sticker and lid are wrong.

Xqueeze_me · Jul 27, 2008

Platinum is fake. The rest are authentic from what I can see...

Sometimes the text behind the jars are centered or left-aligned.

Here are a few examples (and I will need to update with newer pigments!):

As mentioned in another thread, Fake pigment?, panda0410 mentioned that pre 2006 pigments are centre-aligned and post 2006 are left-aligned. Sunpepper may still be centre-aligned because it was made early in the year.

panda0410 · Jul 28, 2008

ITA with what everyone has said here - the Platinum is a FAKE. everything about it is wrong.

the other 3 are fine though so I wouldnt worry about them.

SunnyDaze · Jul 28, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me

Platinum is fake. The rest are authentic from what I can see...

Sometimes the text behind the jars are centered or left-aligned.

Here are a few examples (and I will need to update with newer pigments!):

As mentioned in another thread, Fake pigment?, panda0410 mentioned that pre 2006 pigments are centre-aligned and post 2006 are left-aligned. Sunpepper may still be centre-aligned because it was made early in the year.

That's what I tought... I have Copper, Platinum and Silver and Copper is the only one with that fine, silky texture...

I got Platinum and Silver from the same seller. So they have to be fake then. I noticed on your picture, the two pigments with the text left-aligned, that one of them has a little more bold text than the other. So that is ok then?

Xqueeze_me · Jul 28, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunnyDaze

That's what I tought... I have Copper, Platinum and Silver and Copper is the only one with that fine, silky texture...

I got Platinum and Silver from the same seller. So they have to be fake then. I noticed on your picture, the two pigments with the text left-aligned, that one of them has a little more bold text than the other. So that is ok then?

Ouch. Hope you get your refund back! The pigments pictured (the one in my post) were purchased from the MAC Concept Store so I would say yes, it is ok.

panda0410 · Jul 28, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunnyDaze

That's what I tought... I have Copper, Platinum and Silver and Copper is the only one with that fine, silky texture...

I got Platinum and Silver from the same seller. So they have to be fake then. I noticed on your picture, the two pigments with the text left-aligned, that one of them has a little more bold text than the other. So that is ok then?

Yes, this happens *occasionally*. I have a few that were bought from MAC directly that have this.

xxManBeaterxx · Jul 28, 2008

sunpepper, mauvment, and copper pigments look okay to me..

That platium pigment is major suspect, i've never seen a sticker that wasnt 100% grey or clear, that one is a opaque color with a weird font.

panda0410 · Jul 28, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxManBeaterxx

sunpepper, mauvment, and copper pigments look okay to me..

That platium pigment is major suspect, i've never seen a sticker that wasnt 100% grey or clear, that one is a opaque color with a weird font.

Some of the real ones ARE opaque. This applies to the newer reflects glitters too. I have several in fact all with store receipts. What I should say though is that of the ones I have that are opaque they are much newer batches than the previous colours I have been replacing.

None the less the Platinum is definitely a fake as mentioned above

xxManBeaterxx · Jul 28, 2008

WOW, i absolutelly did not know the stickers could be opaque, I have a few pro reflect glitters i bought no more than 3 months ago and it all came with a clear sticker xD

SunnyDaze · Jul 28, 2008

How about this pigment - Pink Opal - Does this one look authentic?

Xqueeze_me · Jul 29, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunnyDaze

How about this pigment - Pink Opal - Does this one look authentic?

I'd say fake. The box is falling apart. A counterfeit trademark. Not only that but the top flap of the box has the little cuts on both sides. That's also another counterfeit trademark. If you're able to get a shot of the bottom of the jar, please do!

Credit goes to missvampira for this image:

I hope they don't look like that because those 2 are part of the 8 previous fake pigments (Dark Soul, Cornflower, Vanilla, Rose, Aire De Blu, Pink Opal, Melon and Fairylite)

http://specktra.net/f257/some-pigmen...d-mauve-94292/

redambition · Jul 29, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me

I'd say fake. The box is falling apart. A counterfeit trademark. Not only that but the top flap of the box has the little cuts on both sides. That's also another counterfeit trademark. If you're able to get a shot of the bottom of the jar, please do!

The little cuts flag it to me too - I think this one is counterfeit.

panda0410 · Jul 29, 2008

^^Agreed! The lid flap is a giveaway!

So is the actual pigment itself - Pink Opal is a pearl pigment - is doesnt have the "frost" sparkle that this one has.

SunnyDaze · Jul 29, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xqueeze_me

I'd say fake. The box is falling apart. A counterfeit trademark. Not only that but the top flap of the box has the little cuts on both sides. That's also another counterfeit trademark. If you're able to get a shot of the bottom of the jar, please do!

Credit goes to missvampira for this image:

I hope they don't look like that because those 2 are part of the 8 previous fake pigments (Dark Soul, Cornflower, Vanilla, Rose, Aire De Blu, Pink Opal, Melon and Fairylite)

http://specktra.net/f257/some-pigmen...d-mauve-94292/

In that picture - what is the obvious signs that the åigment is fake? I think it looks like those two, I'll take a pic and post it later.

SunnyDaze · Jul 29, 2008

I hope you can help me, I've taken pictures of all my MAC pigments, need to know wich ones you think are fakes. I'll post different sets of 4-5 colours in different posts. Hope you get what I mean.. I'm from Sweden and my english is not too good..

This is how they are pictured:

Front - Back - Bottom

Picture 1-4 White - Blue Brown - Golden Olive - Pink Opal
These I think might be fake based on their shiny lids?

Are my pigments authentic or FAKE?

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Active member