Duplicate cosmetic products are still being used even if they are harmful to the skin.
Among the various vendor carts in Commercial Street, there are more than 50 carts that sell duplicate cosmetic products. People often buy them because they are cheap and affordable, despite knowing the side effects of these products.
Tanisha Kannan, a customer who has faced skin problems said, “I don’t think many of us have an option, since the original products are costly, and when we see those products on street, it kind of attracts us and we end up buying it. From my personal experience, I can say that these products have caused issues for me, so I stopped using these.”
The street vendors deny the fact that these products which they sell are not good for their customers.
Mohammed Salman, a street vendor said, “We order these products from Mumbai or Delhi. These are good products; so many people buy them every day. People come here and they purchase all these things from me.”
A branded Lakme CC creme can cost up to Rs. 350 whereas in Commercial Street, the street vendors are selling it for Rs. 150 at most. These discounts come at a high cost. Doctors say these problems are increasing.
Dr. Minali Midha, a dermatologist said, “When they come to us, they have usually applied a lot of steroid application. All these cosmetics which we suggest being dermatologist, the concentration of that varies quite a much. Any Vitamin C which we give as Dermats, it will be a minimum of 6 to 20%. Quite a good possibility that it would not have the concentration that it needs to have. And how they are deriving it and how stable it is, depends on the matter of the product a lot.”
Youtubers and beauty bloggers decry the use of such products. They promote various brands among their followers.
Shivani Verma, a beauty blogger said, “Many people don’t know this, but fake and cheap beauty products are really bad for you. They contain a lot of harmful chemicals. I always ask my followers to buy original brands even if they may be a little expensive I want my viewers to use a good product which is of good quality and contains an efficient concentration of chemicals.”
People are still trying to find a balance between healthy skin and pocket-friendly cosmetics.
