Makeup

The Beauty Products You’re Shopping on Amazon Could Be Fake—Here’s How to Spot Authentic Items and Brands

July 9, 2025

Beauty is big business for Amazon. For many shoppers, it’s one of the first places they look when they want to score a bargain or speedy delivery, and there’s almost no product you can’t find on the site. However, there are an increasing number of fake beauty products up for grabs, and they’re easily mistaken for the real thing if you don’t know which signs to look out for.

A 2023 study by the UK government found that 8% of those sampled who purchased beauty and hygiene products in the last year purchased counterfeit goods, whilst a 2018 study in the US discovered that over 42% of items bought from third-party sellers on websites such as Amazon were fake.

With products like SPF moisturisers and retinol serums in particular, using something that differs from what it says on the label can be extremely risky, especially for those with sensitive or problematic skin. Moreover, no one wants to be spending money on something that has been falsely advertised.

However, once you know how to differentiate the real deal from the fakes, it’s very easy to ensure each and every Amazon purchase you make is authentic. As a Shopping Editor who spends a lot of time browsing beauty online, I’ve become very familiar with what the listings for legitimate products look like. And with Prime Day now in full swing, there’s no time like the present to ensure anything you buy is exactly what you’re hoping for.

How to spot a legitimate Amazon retailer

Since Amazon is a marketplace open to third-party sellers, it can be tricky to regulate. This means that there are countless illegitimate listings, ranging from convincing dupes to false product pages. Although many brands try their best to prevent this from happening, there are always some items that slip through the cracks.

If you do a lot of shopping on Amazon, particularly for beauty, you can’t assume that every branded product is the real thing. This is my foolproof guide to shopping legitimate beauty products on Amazon, and the things you should avoid.

1. Check the storefront

My first tip is by far the most important—follow this step and you’re almost certainly going to be purchasing a legitimate product. Every brand with genuine items on Amazon will have a storefront, which is a landing page dedicated to the brand where you can shop all of its products.

When on a product page, you will see a link right underneath the product name that says ‘Visit the [brand name] store’, or the brand’s logo above the product name which is hyperlinked. Click on one of those, and it should take you through to the brand hub. If there is no link or dedicated brand page, it’s most likely that the product you’re viewing is from a reseller and is not legitimate.

Any established brand will have a storefront, so if you can’t find it, it’s best to avoid the product and shop through a different site.

2. Check the brand’s verified sellers

Another way to ensure you’re not getting duped is by verifying that the brand you’re shopping does sell products on Amazon. The best way is to go directly to the brand’s website and find its ‘where to buy’ section. Every brand that sells on other websites should have one, and if you see Amazon listed there, you’re good to go. If there is no mention of products on Amazon anywhere on the website, again, it’s worth shopping elsewhere.

Rather than searching by product and clicking on the first one that comes up, you can use the Amazon navigation bar to get you to the right place. Select ‘Health & Beauty’ from the sidebar and go from there, or go via the Amazon beauty hub which will take you directly to the big brand storefronts.

These are all brands that are verified by Amazon and have gone through the necessary checks to ensure they’re authentic.

4. Assess the imagery, description and packaging

If the imagery on the product page is very blurry, there’s only one picture, or something about the item looks slightly off, that’s another telltale sign that it’s been listed by a third party reseller. All genuine product pages from authorised brands will have plenty of high quality images, lots of detail in the description, and additional details listed below it.

Take a close look at the photos and be sure that it looks exactly how it should and nothing is out of place. If you’re purchasing a product you’ve previously owned, you’re probably familiar with what the item should look like. Otherwise, it’s worth looking at pictures from other sites to compare.

5. Make sure it isn’t too good to be true

You can find some brilliant deals on Amazon, particularly when Prime Day rolls around, but it’s worth being wary of offers that seem too good to be true. This is especially important with high end or luxury products. If it’s outrageously reduced, far beyond any offer you’ve seen before elsewhere, it probably isn’t the real thing.

6. Check reviews

It’s an obvious one, but you should always check reviews to see what other customers are saying. Some product pages may look great, but when they arrive at your door it’s clear that you’ve been sold a fake. If the reviews are negative, it’s probably not a wise purchase.