authentic check please?

[panda0410]

hey hey ladies, my late but eventual appearance

I will go back and look at the pics, but I can already tell you that there is BOTH an authentic and counbterfeit version of AB4 White pigment - I have physically had both in my hands to know this and actually did a pictorial review on both of them here last year some time. Just let me go back through the pcis to see which one this one is

EDIT ~ Ok lovelies, what I really really need is a super clear well lit pic of the base, but I am reasonably confident that this one is AUTHENTIC. The counterfeit White, from recollection, was frosty, chunky and quite glittery. The authentic White is a pearl by comparison and much smoother texture. I also dont see the fake insignia in the base of the jar, though that isnt always a good thing - if its there its a guaranteed fake, but I've seen fakes WITHOUT it as well.


The silver fog here is certifiably a fake, but thats already known

 

[User27]

^^^ Thank you many times over. OMG I don't know what Specktra would do without your alls' ability. I was like oh god, this could be damaging over a high seller and this girl. We can't call the counters to run the SKU's anymore unless that isn't the original box because when Desiree ran it, nowhere to be found. I'm glad I don't buy anywhere but MAC related for pigments....freaking I would kill I ever got three fakes ever. Panda, you're a gift here because a lot of people would be screwed on these things if it wasn't for you.

I couldn't see the bottle with the lid off to see glittery and the base had a brownish tint through the bottom so I was completely at a loss. No more calling the SKU in for the counterfeit forum for me as those numbers are not registerring now. MAC will be 10 times happier but I'm picking up my Helium and Provence CCO Tuesday....I'm steering clear of even looking at these bottles here on out.....too scary for me.

 

[panda0410]

Heres a pic I did of the real Vs fake white ~

 

[User38]

looks fake to me

 

[User38]

which reminds me, that a few days ago I was offered a lot of pieces from the Hello Kitty Collection -- all fakes!! This is getting more rampant and we have to be careful. I recognized the HK fakes immediately as Chinese..the packaging almost identical and the boxes too.. lol. Some of the spelling was off, and the lippies were not names but numbered!

) people are getting nervier!

 

[User27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerGreyness which reminds me, that a few days ago I was offered a lot of pieces from the Hello Kitty Collection -- all fakes!! This is getting more rampant and we have to be careful. I recognized the HK fakes immediately as Chinese..the packaging almost identical and the boxes too.. lol. Some of the spelling was off, and the lippies were not names but numbered! ) people are getting nervier!

Do you know if Mutiny was copied yet? My jack behind friend Sam bought it on Ebay and said that the color payoff was like a fake and I don't want to even look at the bottle. Been in my own land buying eyeshadows for a sister and having to teach her to depot. Never volunteer that by the way, you end up with a huge collection of melted black trays that scatter your room. I still haven't finished but I needed a break.

 

[mmitsjojo]

Big thanks to everyone who has replied. I tried looking at the bottom of the base where those numbers are boxed. I couldn't see what the authentic one says, but the one on the bottom of my base says 3020 something like that. The base rim looks thicker than the one that's in the picture, but it doesn't look glittery like the fake in the picture. I think i will try to take more pictures to allow someone else to take a look for me. I would take a swatch to see the color pay off but im kinda afraid to touch it as I don't know the authenticy of the pigment yet..

 

[mmitsjojo]

Hope these pictures are better. The lighting looked perfect in the camera, and then when transferred to my laptop, the lighting looked like crap. Maybe it's just the lighting on my screen.

 

[User27]

My bad bottle has that same 3020 going in towards the pigment.....it's engraved on the bottom of the inside of the bottle. Mine has a "12" in the plastic right beside my not all the way clear scotch tapy Silver Fog AB4 sticker. I just lifted my sticker and mine has the word "OLT-AINER" with it half ovaled wrapping around and over OLT and underlining the length of the OLT-AINER. I finally get what they were saying with my bottle having stand out markings. Exactly across from my backwards facing me 3020 is a number 7 backwards to me right above the N in "OLT-AINER".....let me know if your bottle matches those little details. I never looked this close at mine before but I get why this bottle was weird to everyone.

Your pigment looks like the picture of the real pigment though. Let me know about this bottle please. I'm messaging darklocke because she'll want to read this now.

 

[angi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casadalinnis My bad bottle has that same 3020 going in towards the pigment.....it's engraved on the bottom of the inside of the bottle. Mine has a "12" in the plastic right beside my not all the way clear scotch tapy Silver Fog AB4 sticker. I just lifted my sticker and mine has the word "OLT-AINER" with it half ovaled wrapping around and over OLT and underlining the length of the OLT-AINER. I finally get what they were saying with my bottle having stand out markings. Exactly across from my backwards facing me 3020 is a number 7 backwards to me right above the N in "OLT-AINER".....let me know if your bottle matches those little details. I never looked this close at mine before but I get why this bottle was weird to everyone. Your pigment looks like the picture of the real pigment though. Let me know about this bottle please. I'm messaging darklocke because she'll want to read this now.

It's not just about these markings being present, but about the size and the depth of those markings on the bottle. From the photos posted, texture/ base etc this pigment looks ok. I even went digging through all my pigments to check the printing on the back of the box where it says 'see enclosure' to confirm this is right for pro pigments (it normally says www .maccosmetics. com on this line.)

In terms of the skus is it possible that different countries use different skus, which might be why it wasn't registering?

 

[mmitsjojo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casadalinnis My bad bottle has that same 3020 going in towards the pigment.....it's engraved on the bottom of the inside of the bottle. Mine has a "12" in the plastic right beside my not all the way clear scotch tapy Silver Fog AB4 sticker. I just lifted my sticker and mine has the word "OLT-AINER" with it half ovaled wrapping around and over OLT and underlining the length of the OLT-AINER. I finally get what they were saying with my bottle having stand out markings. Exactly across from my backwards facing me 3020 is a number 7 backwards to me right above the N in "OLT-AINER".....let me know if your bottle matches those little details. I never looked this close at mine before but I get why this bottle was weird to everyone. Your pigment looks like the picture of the real pigment though. Let me know about this bottle please. I'm messaging darklocke because she'll want to read this now.

I see the word "OLT-AINER" on mine as well nextto the sticker(I didn't have to lift mine up), there's like a curve going from the beginning of the O swriled on top the the OLT and ending at the T. There's also roman numeral II after the word as well.

Comparing the pictures of the authentic one, the way the pigment looks does look like the way panda posted, but I'm still not too positive currently.

 

[User27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmitsjojo I see the word "OLT-AINER" on mine as well nextto the sticker(I didn't have to lift mine up), there's like a curve going from the beginning of the O swriled on top the the OLT and ending at the T. There's also roman numeral II after the word as well. Comparing the pictures of the authentic one, the way the pigment looks does look like the way panda posted, but I'm still not too positive currently.

You're right. It takes holding mine at a 45 degree angle towards the light to even see it on mine and there is II really faint after where the underlined R stops. Your best bet by all odds is to take it to a counter, you'll get a chance to let them look it over and some have an expert eye. Mine was also deemed bad because when the swatch was done, mine didn't hold color the way the original did and wiped off within 3 or 4 swipes. Ask them specifically about the markings on the bottle because some of the things on mine jumped out at the chick. Make sure you take the box because my box helped them rule mine out. The best is you get news it's real and get to be happy and the worst is you find out it's fake and are right there at least to buy the one you actually wanted. The bottles are too exact now and I'm thinking counters will have to do physical checks for anyone who buys outside of Ebay if there's not someone available with a bottle of the same batch. My friend just got a CCB today off Ebay and it's fake so she's a mess threatening to beat a sellers' behind. I just wish the fakes would disappear because it's too much all the time to have to play Sherlock Holmes with our buys. She's already had me depotting shadows and there's 7 fakes in front of me so I'm banning her from buying from Ebay or anywhere online....she cries like her life is ending.

 

[darklocke]

The word is actually "COLT-AINER III", and as Angi said.. it's about the size and depth of these markings.

 

[mmitsjojo]

I think I would have to take it to the pro store because the freestanding store I go to, I dont think the MUA's there are very knowledgeable because one time I went in there asking for a platinum pigment which is a pro pigment, they didn't even know what it was and if it was a pro pigment or not, they just thought I was crazy. I thought it'd be available because it was on the website for some halloween thing that I later found out after doing a live chat. I also had another incident where I didn't know the reason why the overrich pigments weren't filled to the top, so I went back and complained about my pigments being like half full, the manager herself examined the pigments but didn't even know that pigments come half full or what not, she was in shock herself that my pigments were like that. I later realized that the pigments are by the weight and some are just finely milled. The MUA's there are nice but I don't really trust their knowledge when it comes to pigments. I don't even know where my rant is going, lol. But yeah, I know there's a pro store in NY, but I don't even know how to get there

I think I will just listen to what other members have to say and take it from there, i'm just trying to be as calm as I can. I think I should find something to take a swatch on and see how it is.

 

[chynegal]

I heard that ny pro store is hard to find cuz its not marked or anything and if u dontg know where it is u won't find it

 

[User27]

****

 

[mmitsjojo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chynegal I heard that ny pro store is hard to find cuz its not marked or anything and if u dontg know where it is u won't find it

yeah that's what i thought too, as far as i know it's just like a random building?? and I do not want to take my chances to get lost in the city in this hot summer! :/

 

[mmitsjojo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casadalinnis Good luck with it and I hope it's real. I trust the counters with these things because there's literally too much guesswork. I would go crazy in NY with that many places to buy. My friend and I want to raid one of your alls' CCO's but I have a loyalty issue to mine because they put up with a lot from me. I swatched my Silver Fog on my hand as did she and nothing came of it so don't be too scared. It's all of a couple of minutes that gives you your answer and that gets rid of the dilemma. Darklocke, there were a lot of factors with mine. Side be side, my AB4 was too thick in the walls and base. Uneven stamping into packaging. The box and booklet were a weird to them and I just opted not to buy pigment jars from sellers. It's just a personal choice for me because too many people say they find out later they had a fake and I'd rather buy safe....kind of like safe sex. I'm not afraid to play when I know I'm protected. My one was my lesson and it's the only pro that I wanted and it was a disaster. My CCO has a good selection half the time or I'll go to Towson or Macy's so I don't have the hassle.

Yeah I don't think I will buy anymore pigments and just stick to the MAC stores, the cco is like so far from me and I don't drive! The only time I went to the cco was when a friend's boyfriend drove and I was like a little kid in the candy store! lol how I wish I lived near a cco ! :[

 

[mmitsjojo]

Okay so I just did a swatch test.
I applied the pigment with a q-tip onto the back of my hand.
It went on pretty smoothly.

1. is how the pigment looks like when applied
2. I used my index finger and ran over it to see if the color came off.
3. used a tissue paper w/ slight pressure to wipe off
4. rubbed hand while under running water.

 

[mmitsjojo]

I just did the same swatch test with my megarich pigment which I purchased at a mac freestanding store so it's authentic for sure, and i got similar results. So i'm thinking it's ok but i'm not 100% positive.