Is Your Clarisonic a Fake?

Imagine my surprise when a Youtube viewer suggested I check my Clarisonic Mia 2 to see if it was a fake. . . and it was!! Buyer beware, there are knock-off Clarisonic Mia 2’s being sold as the real thing. I didn’t know there were knock-offs of products like this, but sadly there are. Here’s how to tell if your Clarisonic is a fake:

1. Check the logo on the back of the unit:

Fake Mia 2 on the Left, Authentic Mia on the Right

The fake products logo is slightly off… the space between the letters “c” and “l” is too close and the space between the “l” and the “a” is too big. The letters should be evenly spaced as shown on the grey Mia on the right. In addition, there should be a space between “mia” and “2”, and the “2” should be aligned with the word “mia”, not up higher.

2. Check the Serial Number on the base of the handle against the sticker on the box bottom:

The numerical part of the serial number on the handle should match the numbered sticker on the bottom of the box

I know it’s hard to see (and upside down) but more to show you where to look for the number on the unit.

3. Check for Rust inside the Unit:

Fake unit on left with rusty pins. Authentic Clarisonic pins don’t rust.

The pins that hold the brush head in place on the authentic Clarisonic are gold and smaller than those on the fake. The fake pins rust quickly leaving rust stains on the brush head as well. Authentic Clarisonic pins should never rust.

Here’s a link for an e-bay article explaining the differences and why not to buy one if the price seems too good to be true: http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Spot-a-Fake-Clarisonic-Mia-2-/10000000176982518/g.html

My mom bought my unit for me for christmas last year from Amazon. I picked it out and put it on my wish list (always looking for a bargain), it was there for $119 instead of it’s usual price $150. When I got it, I had no idea there were fakes out there, and that they were so much like the real thing. It came in a box like the ones I’ve seen at sephora with all the official looking literature complete with logos and bar codes!

I charged it up and started happily using it daily. I should have put 2 and 2 together and figured it out on my own because there were a few things that just weren’t right about it. . . The charger had difficulty making the connection, it would take 10 tries before the charging light would come on, but it eventually did connect. When I opened it to replace the brush head, I noticed all the rust stains inside the unit and on the old head. Then when I bought a new brush head at sephora, it didn’t fit right and it didn’t vibrate. Yet, I still had no idea it could be a fake (I just thought it was just another expensive gadget that wasn’t worth the money)!

If you’re thinking of buying one, check the official Clarisonic website for the list of authorized retailers (hint: Amazon and Ebay aren’t on it).

The good news is that Amazon has amazing customer service and immediately sent out a free return shipping label and is refunding my mother her money! In the mean time, I’ve already purchased a new, real Clarisonic Mia, and have been using it daily with the Cashmere Luxe head. I’ll have to take down my previous review of my fake Mia 2 and do a review of the real thing in a few weeks!