DURBAN - A prominent Durban
make-up artist has been accused of selling cheap knock-offs and relabeling them as her own products in a social media debacle which sparked public outrage this week.
Phoenix resident Ronel Govender claimed to have purchased skin-lightening products for her husband Jerome from artist Shiloh King, the owner of Glo Cosmetics.
On her social media pages and website, King claims to manufacture her own make-up and skincare products at her lab.
But Govender claimed her husband had a skin reaction after using the products, which were meant to remove acne scarring.
Make-up artist Shiloh King, the owner of Glo Cosmetics.
He discovered when he removed the labeling that the original labeling was scratched off and replaced with Glo Cosmetics labels.
They established that the packaging was identical to a cheap skincare range called 'White', sold on online shopping sites such as Alibaba for as little as $1 (R14.31) an item.
Govender paid R3 500 for her range of products from Glo Cosmetics.
The public reacted to Govender’s social media post this week after she called the brand out for the alleged knock-off, which ended with more than 400 comments and shares, before she removed it on Thursday after a meeting with a Glo Cosmetics representative.
After the Sunday Tribune made contact with the brand, Govender was called in to collect a refund.
Following the refund, Govender was allegedly asked to sign a gag order drafted by Glo Cosmetics representative Elijah Woodarajh, saying she would remove the post from her social media page, or there would be consequences.
Woodarajh confirmed the problem had been resolved. He said Govender did not provide a medical report, pictures of the reaction her husband reportedly suffered and did not have a slip. He confirmed she was made to sign a gag order because of the Facebook posts.
He did not deny there was an issue with the packaging and said their supplier sent the “wrong” batch of products.
The alleged knock-offs she sells to the public as Glo Cosmetics.
“There was a mix-up from the suppliers end and that’s why we had to relabel the products. It was the first batch of products we had received. Our products are manufactured in Asia and when we say it is manufactured at our lab, we mean the products are sourced from a credible lab we work with,” said Woodarajh.
He claimed Glo Cosmetics had its relevant certifications as well as an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) certification from its supplier, but could not provide this when asked.
Durban dermatologist Dr Rajendra Singh said consumers needed to be wary when shopping for skincare products. He said
over-the-counter products might contain lead or mercury, which are harmful substances.
“Consumers should do proper research on a product before purchasing it and should also research the ingredients contained in them. There is an inflow of inferior skincare products currently flooding the market,” said Singh