Beware the con-artists in skincare sales

Recently my client Sandra posted this review:

Tuscany Spa Skin & Body Clinic – Aug 29, 2015 

After thousand...yes you heard right...thousands of dollars on treatments from a sudden and unexplained breakout. Michelle did for me what no antibiotics or other medical, laser treatment was able to do for me. She made it stop and it healed beautifully. I love spreading the word about this place. Their natural techniques work and I highly recommend it. From Sandra R.

Sandra spent an outrageous amount of money on skincare that promised amazing improvements but left her with traumatized skin. One of the most outrageous claims was that the GOLD ELEMENTS skincare would heal her acne. I could not find ONE ingredient that could even calm her skin let alone cure acne. So exactly HOW did they expect it to do ANYTHING for pimples and acneic skin? It was a bald-face LIE.  But they are not the only company making outrageous claims. 

We are just their next Mark

I learned from movies like "Grifters" that the con artist has a sales pattern, or "recipe",  that effectively turns an unsuspecting consumer into their next victim or mark. The latest con jobs are being perpetrated by companies claiming to have magical skincare creams at luxurious prices. 

Five ways to identify Con Artist "Skincare" Companies"

1. They make you feel bad about yourself by picking pointedly on a flaw but have the answer with their magic skincare
2. Then they make BIG benefit claims such as an incredible results for acne, wrinkles, bags and dark circles, 
3. But  the products do NOT contain the ingredients to follow up their claims 
4. And they charge exhorbitant prices for their USELESS junk skincare.
5. Plus they have a NO REFUND POLICY. This even applies when the consumer has an allergic reaction.  

One trick I read about was they brought the reciept to the consumer to sign so she did not see the "NO REFUNDS" policy on the reception desk.

My experience being a Mark for a con-artist

I was in Las Vegas recently for the Toastmasters International Convention. It was fantastic, an incredible learning experience. The one unexpected bit I learned was how a "mark" was wooed by these Con Artist companies.

7 steps to con the mark into buying expensive junk skincare.

1. First. I was handed a moisturizer sample. Couldnt avoid the gal so I took it and said "thanks".
2. Second. That "gal" exclaimed in shock and horror "YOUR EYES! I have something for your eyes!"  Now up to this point I was feeling pretty good about myself but this was the first time someone looked at my eyes in horror. Not great for a persons ego. Annoyed but curious I let her lead me to a high chair.
3. She started tapping an eye gel around my right eye telling me how fabulous it was for puffiness. (She did NOT clean her hands first. YUCK.)
4. Then she was tapping a cream on the same eye saying this fabulous cream was infused with the power of diamonds. 

Diamonds? WTF? Diamonds are the hardest material on earth and are used as cutting and grinding tools. Diamond dust is the leftover material from cutting diamonds and is used as an industrial polish.

But to be fair diamond dust IS used in the beauty industry ... for Nail Files. Ouch. Diamond dust in skincare is about as useful as GLASS DUST in skincare, which is NOT AT ALL!

When I asked what else was in the product she pointed me to the boxes and said "it is all listed there". Much to her chagrin I did something shocking: picked up the boxes and READ.THE.LABELS!!

 

Guess what was in her "Faboulous diamond" products: 

• Eye gel: Carbomer gel. This is a commonly used base for most gel products today and has been in use since the 1950's. Do you remember the old "Dippity-do hair gel"? It was carbomer gel, color and a fixative- nothing fancy, not expensive. This cool video shows how to make Carbomer Gel.
• Eye cream - a basic oil in water formula containing water, glycerin, cetyl alcohol. It was similiar to drugstore eye creams, plus it had some retinyl palmitate (vit a) way a the bottom. Again, nothing fancy.

I raised at eyebrow at the basic ingredients in the extremely decorative bottle and jar set. The clerk finished with my right eye and then handed me a mirror to demonstrate the "fabulous" benefits of diamond skin care. Did I mention it was my right eye? Have I told you about driver side dilema?

Drivers side dilema

When you drive regularly you to get more sun damage on the driver side of your face and arm. This leads to dark spots, break down of healthy skin tissues, reduction in collagen and basically, after a few years, your drivers side has aged more than the opposite side. As a US driver I have more damage on my left which includes my left eye area, which is a little puffy and showing more signs of aging than my right. (Europeans drive on the opposite side of the road so driver side damage is on their right side.)

Back to diamonds on my RIGHT EYE. The clerk held up the mirror asking me "Doesn't that look better?"   Well no ship sherlock OF COURSE the right eye looks better, thats its natural state. But  I tentatively said "yes", waiting for her next trick.

5. She told me to use it only weekly and the two jars would last me 2 years. Or was it 1 year? I forget because her next answer was seared into my brain when I asked

"How much?"

My question to you: how much would YOU price this diamond infused eye care duo? Take a wild guess, what is your estimate? Do you have it? Good, write it down and I will bet you an eclair that you are NOT. EVEN. CLOSE!

The price for this diamond infused eye care duo was... wait for it...

 SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS. 

That's right $600. My eyes must have bulged out of my head because then she moved on to her next trick:

6. The book of consumer pictures with one side better than the other. Do I need to mention the Drivers side dilema and how the two sides are not the same? Never trust these pictures, they don't tell the whole story.

I was still not convinced so we move onto "the free gifts" gimmick final step

7. My "free gift" would be this wonderful exfoliating product that works like a microdermabrasion but has the power of diamonds so its "much" better.

She applies a gel is to my right hand - hello again Carbomer.  It dries quickly -  that means it contains alcohol that evaporates. Then she rolls, dried sticky gel, off my hand. This is NOT the same as a Microdermabrasion, not even close. It feel cooling from the gel base and I can get that with a cheap aloe gel too. 

She had finished her routine and was not able to convince me to spend SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS on her Diamond skincare. At which point she cut her losses and with a wane smile, let me leave. 

CON ARTISTS REPEAT THE SAME 7 STEPS

A week later my client Robin handed me a sample and asked if I was familiar with it. I wasnt so I looked it up. This claimed plant stem cells as their magic potion. Plant stem cells are an excellent ingredient when used in conjuction with other anti-aging ingredients and this makes an excellent cream like our $70 BioTherapy Night Cream. 

Upon further reading I found a review that gave me chills. She was repeating, verbatim, the same 7 steps I endured. Unluckily she is not an esthetician so this was not her field of expertise. She was taken for $400 for products that caused an allergy within an hour. But she was refused a refund. 

When I told Robin she said she saw the same pattern. Her skin is too sensitive for experimentation, so she asked for a sample and walked away. (Plus she is a Jersey girl and knows a con when she sees one - my paraphrase of what she said.)

WARNING: we dont ADORE DIAMONDS or GOLD skincare

These deceitful businesses are milking consumers out of THOUSANDS of DOLLARS for junk skincare. 

Three companies that seem like complete con jobs are:

• GOLD ELEMENTS SKINCARE
• ADORE SKINCARE
• FOREVER FLAWLESS

WATCH OUT! Protect your self from the scam artists.

• Don't believe the hype! 
• Ask for Samples!
• Verify they have a MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE! 
• If you are spending the big bucks you should be able to return it, especially if your have a bad reaction.

Have you had any dealings with these 3 con job skincare companies? Do you have other companies you would put on the list?  Or are you a big fan of these products and want to refute my claim? Leave a comment. 

Have a great week and take care of yourself,

Michelle G. Lathe

PS: Join us for our 10 Year Spa Anniversary and Fundraiser for Pasadena Ronald McDonald House on Saturday October 17th from 3pm to 5pm.