“There were numbers written for the shade color at the bottom of the product in tiny letters and that was the only difference with the original one. It is so negligible that there is no way that customers will be able to find it,” she says, adding that it took her more than 20 minutes to spot the difference though she is familiar with every detail of the packaging and label of the very product.[break]
Now a senior staff at Cosmetica, a cosmetic store at Civil Trade Centre, Sundhara, Khadka says that there is very little manufacturing companies or authorized dealers can do about the duplicate products. “The cosmetic stores generally get the products through importers, but there are also cases of people bringing in the duplicates from unauthorized sources and sometimes even without paying taxes,” she says.
Photos: Bijay Gajmer
There are abundant numbers of cosmetic stores in Kathmandu and all of them seem to have considerable number of customers. Cosmetics business is said to be the most thriving business in the capital. Like grocery stores, there are cosmetic shops set up at every nook and corner. From departmental stores to local beauty parlors, there is no dearth of cosmetic products for potential customers.
But with the abundance of the products, complaints about duplicate products are also on the rise. Cosmetics with similar labels and packaging but different products have become a very problematic issue for all cosmetic users. Without proper government regulation, the segregation of duplicate from the original is almost impossible.
“I don’t have confidence with the Nepali market at all. So I never buy anything here. I have the option of getting my makeup from abroad as my family and friends are there. But that isn’t always a pragmatic solution,” says Apekchya Rana, 29, consultant at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction.
Rana, who has sensitive skin, does not consider departmental stores and cosmetic stores at malls all that reliable as well. “There are no authorized dealers and the stores are not customer friendly. either. Though they claim to be selling genuine products, I have my doubts,” she says.
Prem Pokharel, general manager at Bluebird Mart, however, begs to differ. “We take extensive care of what kinds of products are being displayed in our store. To avoid duplicate products, we only display cosmetics that have earned a certain reputation in the market,” he says.
He also adds that the products in their mart are delivered by a trusted importer and they are also receptive of any customer complaints about any products.
But regardless of Pokharel’s claims to have a trusted import partner, lack of authorized showroom or distributors in Nepal is to blame for the doubts and fears of customers like Rana. “I’m not exactly a brand-conscious person, but I just want to avoid using fake cosmetics, thinking it being genuine,” she voices her concerns.
There is also a trend in customers to prefer expensive cosmetics, believing that expensive ones are more genuine than the cheaper ones. As if to feed the very notion of the customers, there is a considerable difference in price in different stores. Khadka says that the quality of the products also varies considerably with the price but her claim is not supported by any substantial research or conformity.
Sharmila Shrestha, 27, a medical officer at Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, also believes in avoiding cosmetic products that are very cheap. “I pick up anything that suits me but if the shopkeeper quotes very less, I get really doubtful,” she says.
But she adds that there is no confirmation that paying a huge sum will also save her from buying a duplicate product. “Earlier, I used to buy only at departmental stores or malls. But I felt that they weren’t reliable, either. Now I buy all the cosmetics products only from a particular shop,” she says.
Like many customers, the main problem that Shrestha cites is the identification of original products from the duplicates. “I purchase certain products believing it to be genuine. But even if I’ve been duped, I wouldn’t know,” she says.
Referring to her experience, Khadka says that it is impossible for the customers to differentiate between original and duplicate. But she also adds to the point that cheaper products are definitely duplicate ones.
Though departmental stores and cosmetics stores at malls claim to have original products and take guarantee for damaged products purchased from their store, they charge way higher than the other cosmetic stores. While some products are priced uniformly, others seem to vary according to the nature of the store.
“When a customer is getting a product at a minimal price and has no problem using it, there is no point for such customers to buy expensive ones,” says Khadka who shares her experience of a customer blaming them of overcharging the products and accusing them of cheating customers like her.
“We only charge according to the manufacturing companies’ policy. They give us the margin of 17% and we cannot exceed beyond that,” says Khadka.
Narayan Agrawal, who has been running a cosmetic shop at Suraj Arcade for 13 years, on the other hand, says that the difference in the prices is because they offer heavy discount to their patrons than departmental stores. He also claims that the importers who deliver the products at their shop or departmental stores are the same ones.
“We buy in bulk and we can afford to sell the products below the MRP prices,” he says, explaining the cheaper range of prices for cosmetics at his shop.
With much confusion over the quality and prices of the products, there is a big question over customer’s rights as well as the health issues due to the usage of duplicate products. Amidst all this confusion, the government, however, has very little to offer.
“We’ve been getting a lot of complaints regarding the quality of the cosmetic products but we don’t have any mechanism to look after such irregularities,” says Pramod Koirala, spokesperson at the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC). He also adds that the issue of cosmetics has been overshadowed by the quality control of food products, and they will soon bring a motion to check the quality in cosmetic products sold in the market as well.
The government’s move, however, seems to take a lot of time to get implemented. Apart from that, there is no consumer forum or other non-governmental organizations that are working towards the selling of duplicate products or uniformity of the prices of these products. In such scenario, despite people like Rana, who enjoy the privileges of getting her cosmetics from abroad, the common customers who rely on the Nepali market for their essentials seem to have no respite at all.
While foreign countries are regulating the relatively harmful ingredients used even in branded cosmetic products, Nepal is still struggling to have a proper government monitoring for duplicate products. With no regulations in pricing, in addition to quality of the products, customers are suffering from dual confusions, their right to safe cosmetics can only be deemed a far cry.
Cosmetics & skin health: Staying on the safer side
With arrays of products of different brands displayed on the counters, a typical cosmetic shop looks quite welcoming at a glance. But when the salesgirls start displaying more products, an already confused customer is left bewildered.
“If I’m looking for a new product, I’ve never been able to find a good one on the first try. And when the shopkeepers and the salesgirls start recommending random products, I get all the more confused,” says Sumi Pradhan, 24, a business student.
Pradhan, who has been selecting cosmetics through trials and errors, confesses that she has never really known if she has been using the right products for her skin type. But she says that if something seems to suit her on the first try, then she uses it for a longer time.
Dr Lalan Khatiwada, dermato-cosmetologist at Nepal Skin Hospital, Bijuli Bazar, says that many people have wrong practice when it comes to cosmetics. “Skin type also changes according to a person’s age,” he says, warning that skin problems may also arise due to the ignorance of this fact.
Apart from unawareness on the customer’s part, Dr Khatiwada says that the manufacturers of the cosmetic products also misguide customers. According to him, the ingredients that are required or the ones cosmetic companies claim to have in their products are actually missing in many cases. The products which claim to have deep concentration are found to have normal or minimal level of the required ingredients.
“This usually happens in sun-block lotions and anti-aging creams,” he says. He derives this from his experience of attending a number of patients suffering from sun diseases every summer. Patients who claim to have been using sun-protection creams are also suffering from these types of diseases.
“If the sun-block creams had those ingredients as they claim to have, my patients wouldn’t have suffered at all. If they have sun-related diseases, it means that the protection creams aren’t working properly,” he argues.
He also adds that it is women who are more prone to the harmful effects of cosmetics as they are the more frequent users than men. “In urban areas, many girls start to use makeup early in their lives,” he says.
The increase in the number of cosmetics brands in the Nepali market is also to blame for the excessive use of the cosmetic products. In addition, there are a number of random cosmetic products that can be purchased at cheap rates in many shops around the capital which can cause possible side effects. This trend is more serious as it is younger girls who are more drawn towards these inexpensive products.
“I used to buy the cheapest lip glosses when I was in my early teens. Then, I had no idea of its side effects or its consequences to my skin health,” says Kopila Bhandari, 26, a marketing officer. But luckily, she stopped using them before she had to face any skin problems.
However, she has experienced problem while using a random eyeliner.
“After I used it for a couple of times, I noticed an increased amount of residue in both of my eyes. But I continued to use it for a week or two anyway because I wasn’t sure if it was the eyeliner. But once I stopped using it, the problem subsided on its own,” she says, emphasizing that she never used the same eyeliner again.
Dr Khatiwada says that many times problems from cosmetics arise when customers don’t use products according to their skin type. But there are also usages of duplicate products or the products that do not match the standard that is necessary for any cosmetic product.
“Sometimes it’s the change in humidity that affects the quality of the products. Some products may also be harmful due to negligence on the manufacturer’s part or occasionally due to simple human error,” he says.
He also adds that there are many duplicate products in the market that customers should be aware of. He names brands such as Neutrogena, L’Oreal and Revlon as examples of a few that have abundant duplicate products and warns customers make sure if they are buying the genuine ones.
Though usage of the duplicate products might not have life-threatening effects, Dr Khatiwada urges people to purchase makeup products from reliable sources. He also says that to remain on the safer side, one should have
their skin type determined by an expert.
“Salesgirls themselves act as experts at cosmetic shops, determining the skin type without proper examination. And many people tend to believe them,” he says.
But Dr Khatiwada says that determining the skin type and using the right type of cosmetics are important for skin health. He recommends that since the people at cosmetic stores in Nepal are not reliable sources, the customers should first visit a dermato-cosmetologist and learn about the appropriate type of cosmetics for their skin type.
Apart from age, the requirement of skin also depends upon the weather or a person’s constant exposure to outdoor environment. To help customers choose the appropriate type of cosmetic with certain degree of reliability, medical companies have also come up with the cosmetic products.
“The cosmetics manufactured by medical companies are much safer than the products found in the market,” says Dr Khatiwada. He emphasizes that since these products are prescribed by doctors, and if the customers are unsatisfied with these products, they can immediately complain about it and save their skin as well as money.
He also claims that there will be no danger of duplicates for medically prescribed cosmetics and they are safer because they are prescribed by an authorized expert.
Due to availability of many brands that claim to be perfect for certain ages of people or particular skin type, it is hard to decide on the right one. With no government regulation to confirm the claims of the cosmetic products found in the market, it is wise to remain on the safer side by subscribing to those products that offer a guarantee. With enough precautions and advice from experts, one can avoid usage of unnecessary and harmful chemicals that can have long-term consequences on the health of one’s skin.
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