How to Spot Fake Imported Skincare

A counterfeit sunscreen does not protect you. A counterfeit serum can contain anything. This is worth a few minutes of care.

Check the packaging carefully

• Print quality. Blurry text, uneven edges, mismatched fonts and crooked labels are the most common giveaways.
• Batch code. There should be one, printed or embossed, and it should match between the box and the bottle.
• Seals. Most brands use a specific seal or shrink-wrap. A missing or re-glued seal is a red flag.
• Weight and feel. Counterfeit bottles are frequently lighter, with thinner plastic and looser caps.

Check the product itself

• Texture and colour that differ from what the brand is known for
• A sharp chemical or perfumed smell in a fragrance-free formula
• Separation in a formula that should be uniform

Check the price

A large discount on a sunscreen or a well-known serum is the most reliable warning sign there is. Genuine imported stock has a floor price, and it is rarely far below the market.

Check the seller

Ask where the stock came from. A seller who cannot answer that question, or who becomes vague about the importer, is telling you something.

What Nijer Jotno records

For products we sell, we record what we can verify about sourcing — country of origin, the supplier a batch came through, importer details and batch codes — and show it on the product page when it is available. Where a field is blank, we leave it blank rather than filling it in.

You can read the full process on our authenticity page.