HOW TO ESCAPE FROM COUNTERFEITS?

Currently, the State Committee on Stan-dardization, Metrology and Patents of Azerbai-jan is conducting raids to determine the quality of perfumes being sold in the country. According to the head of the State Control Service for Technical Regulation and Standardization of the State Committee, Abulfat Imanov, during the first three months of 2013, the service conducted control tests on seven economic facilities engaged in the import and sale of perfumes and cosmetic products. As a result, shortcomings were identified at six of them, and these facilities are banned from importing perfumes and cosmetics.

Imanov said that the sale of perfumes is one of the spheres that are under the strict control of the state, and in the coming days, the results of the raids conducted recently will be brought to the attention of the public. If products that do not meet the quality standards are discovered, their sales will first be banned and then they will be disposed of.

Given these facts, the State Committee asks consumers to be more attentive and ask the seller for the certificate of conformity when buying cosmetics and perfumes. If consumers are faced with poor quality products, they should inform the state committee, calling on the 963 hotline.

The lesser of two evils

In previous editions, we repeatedly raised the problem of counterfeit and substandard perfumes and almost always came to the conclusion that no matter how relevant structures protect us from the fakes, no one is safe from buying them. We also talked about the fact that the reality is forcing us to involve our "own laboratory" in the process of buying a product, i.e. all our knowledge of what a fake can be like, and literally conduct an investigation to avoid being trapped. Today almost all consumers know where they sell "good stuff" and where they sell "bad stuff". However, at the same time not everyone is able to spend a tidy sum on an expensive perfume or cosmetics. We must admit that many of us just deceive themselves. Often we run after cheap stuff deliberately, checking the prices of a pile of counterfeit goods - on occasions such as 8 March, we have to buy numerous gifts. Just imagine how much you can spend on cute little things for ladies if you buy them in a posh perfume shop: any holiday risks becoming a memorial service for the money that was spent so fast. You have to choose the lesser of two evils. But you should also choose wisely.

There is a choice to make

We should say right at the start that choosing affordable cosmetics, you do not need to purchase counterfeits. On the market there is a choice of original cosmetics, which are definitely divided into price categories, and in order to choose the right stuff, you should know the global classification of cosmetics, the technology of their production and the composition of this product.

In Switzerland, there is the central office of the Independent Commission of Experts, which has developed a classification of cosmetics.

An expert of the commission visits without warning a company that has applied for a certificate and takes any products he likes from the assembly line for testing. He then sends this product to the laboratory of his commission, where a verdict is passed. The commission values its reputation very much, so these certificates cannot be sold or bought.

According to the classification of the commission, the first category is called Mass market (mass level). This is cheap cosmetics made in huge batches, and aggressive advertising is conducted to promote them on the market. These cosmetics contain toxic substances, herbal ingredients of the lowest quality and petrochemical products. They contain artificial preservatives typically derived from formaldehyde and phenol.

The second category is called the Middle market (intermediate level). It is cosmetics of the middle class, which supposes a higher level and quality of these cosmetics. The concentration of bio-active substances is from 30 to 60 per cent - preservatives of natural origin that are not toxic and are made from vegetable raw materials. But chemical technologies are used to manufacture it. These cosmetics should be replaced every 6 months, as it causes addiction.

The third category is Lux class cosmetics. These high-tech and bio-active substances account for 70-80 per cent and are made from vegetable raw materials of the highest quality. Preservatives are all natural - colloidal silver, propolis, tea tree oil and others. Cosmetics cause no addiction, and no rapid aging effect is observed after you stop using them. Representatives of this class are high fashion houses, which results in high quality and design. And the design of cosmetics is as costly as their contents.

It is very difficult to cheat consumers today. The media and the Internet are literally flooded with information about it. But do not forget that many publications are negative publicity - a well thought out PR move aimed at getting rid of competitors. Therefore, in many cases, the choice is still with the consumer, which is often based on personal experience. But you need to know certain subtleties in choosing cosmetics or perfume.

Packaging

You can often see unclear typography on fakes: too small or vague inscriptions, while on the original, inscriptions are always clear and tidy. The packaging should be durable and made of paper or paperboard of good quality. It should be thin, not thick. The cellophane tightly fits the box, does not wrinkle or exceed the size of the box, the glue is not visible. However, some producers have stopped using cellophane, placing an emphasis on the originality of packaging and bottles in an attempt to combat counterfeiting. By the way, complex expensive bottles are not only a way to express oneself and attract customers' attention, but also a guarantee of authenticity as such masterpieces are difficult to forge.

Inscriptions

Many manufacturers of counterfeits often add extra letters to the name or change their positions. For example, they can write Clema instead of Climat, Cool Winter instead of Cool Water, and Genzo instead of Kenzo on the box. The name must be in English or French. On real French perfume, it will never be written parfume - with "e" at the end, only parfum. And the information about the manufacturer specifies not just a country (France, etc.), but contains the phrase Made in France. In addition, the originals always give the name of the product, country of origin, date of manufacture, expiry date and the composition of the product.

The barcode of the product and serial number are equally important and must be the same on the packaging and bottle.

Here are the barcodes of the leading countries in the production of perfumes: United Kingdom - 50, Germany - 400-440, Spain - 84, Italy - 80-83, France - 30-37, the US and Canada - 00-09.

Bottle

The glass of the bottles is clean and clear in originals - there should be no irregularities, opacities and air balls. Real perfume is never closed with a metal cap - contact with metal can spoil perfume. A fake can be betrayed by the poor fixing of the bottle inside the box: if it is tight enough, the bottle should not "dangle" inside the box, and the spray is usually protected by a metal ring. The requirement of transparency also relates to the liquid itself. It should not be turbid or have sediment. Typically, the colour of perfumes ranges from pale to dark yellow. Sometimes greenish, pinkish and light violet colours are achieved through dyeing. But bright "chemical" colours should put you on guard. If you see perfume of a well-known brand, but it is bright blue or red, it is definitely a fake.

Price

Unfortunately, very high-quality counterfeits have become very common in recent times. Buying perfume even in a specialty store is not a guarantee of its authenticity. Never buy perfume at the market or in cosmetics and jewellery departments. The likelihood that you will find real perfume there is negligible. Pay attention to the price. If it looks too "attractive", it is most likely a fake. Types of fragrances differ in concentration.

Check resistance. Original perfumes typically retain their flavour long enough. The durability of the flavour depends on the type and concentration of aromatic components therein.