# Help with European color codes



## cwuer (Mar 16, 2006)

Hi, I am a newbie here.  Sorry for the duplicate post, was not sure where to put it since I am new and I have a question.  I am a 44 yr. old woman and I travel to Europe occassionally and get opportunities to buy Mac duty free, or at cheaper prices. The problem is the European market does not put color names on it's products only color codes. So when I get the chance to try something new that I have seen over here with a particular name, I don't know what to buy over there that is the same. Does anyone know of a chart or website that converts the European color codes to the US names? I have done extensive searches and I cannot find one. Thank you very much.


----------



## Miss_Behave (Mar 16, 2006)

That is not true!! All MAC products have the same names in Europe than in the US!!!
I see that sooo often on ebay and all the e/s are clearly fake!


----------



## Turbokittykat (Mar 16, 2006)

The European market most certainly does use colour names. To my knowledge MAC never has used just codes for product colours in any part of the world.

MAC cosmetics, such as those seen on eBay, with codes instead of names are fakes. I've bought MAC in various European countries, from duty-free locations and in the US and I've never encountered genuine products that do not have names. And the names are always the same worldwide, (i.e. MAC does not release a colour in the US with a different name than that colour would have in Europe or Asia).


----------



## Ambi (Mar 16, 2006)

What do you mean by color codes, like numbers, "8"? 
They're probably not real MAC then because MAC products all have names, not "color codes", I live in Europe and I've never come across anything like that in stores. I did get some "nice" fake ones from eBay that were named "5" and "16" though...


----------



## princess (Mar 16, 2006)

MAC products all have names... those with color codes are fake. Tons of those are on ebay too.


----------



## Turbokittykat (Mar 16, 2006)

Oh, and LOL at the concept of getting MAC cheaper in Europe. I think that's only possible if you live in Australia!


----------



## Corvs Queen (Mar 16, 2006)

This may be out of place but I think that the original poster "may" be one of the ebay sellers that "might" sell fakes and wants to know what "name" to put on the fake. It's super fishy in honest opinion. Oh, and I am originally from the U.S. and and am now living in Europe. MAC is more expensive here but not too much more. And all the MAC counters and stores that I have ever been to always carry the same products. No "numbered" eye shadows over here.


----------



## vicuna1 (Mar 16, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_This may be out of place but I think that the original poster "may" be one of the ebay sellers that "might" sell fakes and wants to know what "name" to put on the fake. It's super fishy in honest opinion._

 
My first thought exactly!


----------



## Turbokittykat (Mar 16, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_Oh, and I am originally from the U.S. and and am now living in Europe. MAC is more expensive here but not too much more._

 
I live in the UK. As an example, I believe the US price of a pre-made quad is $34. Here they are £29 (around $51). I'd say that's quite a lot more expensive, personally.


----------



## Corvs Queen (Mar 16, 2006)

In Austria the premade quads are about €35,00 which would be about $42.00. 




Man, you really get burnt on the prices there huh?


----------



## pumpkincat210 (Mar 16, 2006)

MAC is proud of its naming system.. any numbered ones are fake!!


----------



## KJam (Mar 16, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_Oh, and I am originally from the U.S. and and am now living in Europe... all the MAC counters and stores that I have ever been to always carry the same products. No "numbered" eye shadows over here._

 
Me too - ditto


----------



## cloverette (Mar 16, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_This may be out of place but I think that the original poster "may" be one of the ebay sellers that "might" sell fakes and wants to know what "name" to put on the fake. It's super fishy in honest opinion. _

 
that's exactly what i thought, too!


----------



## Cool Kitten (Mar 16, 2006)

i've seen so many numbered MAC blushes on ebay.uk and always wondered if they were real. I guess i have my answer now!


----------



## vickyc123 (Mar 17, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_...I am originally from the U.S. and and am now living in Europe. MAC is more expensive here but not too much more. And all the MAC counters and stores that I have ever been to always carry the same products. No "numbered" eye shadows over here._

 
Same here.

I was just at MAC Amsterdam on Wednesday,

Loose Blot 22,50  ($27)
Pigment 20,50 ($24.65)
e/s pan 11,00 ($13.25)
e/s pot 14,50 ($17.45)

and of course all products have the same names


----------



## vircore (Mar 17, 2006)

We have the same names, but diferents prices...


----------



## Corvs Queen (Mar 17, 2006)

I find it hystarical that the original poster hasn't posted anything else other than this post for this thread. I find it nice to know that there is a community like this out there that really does it's best to keep us informed of fakes and fake sellers. Way to go chicas!


----------



## a914butterfly (Mar 17, 2006)

all those eye shadows on ebay with the #'s are fake. i bought one and the color came off within 1/2 hr. it was cute that it had the mirror and brush, but what good is that when the color comes off in less than 1/2 hr?


----------



## cwuer (Mar 21, 2006)

*Suspious Minds not healthy (or nice)*

For all of you that are accusing me of someone trying to sell fake MAC, you should be ashamed of yourselves.  I do buy and occassionall sell on ebay, my user id is cwuer (same as on this board). If you would like to look up all of my auctions for the past 5 years go ahead.  You will find that I live in US and have never sold MAC cosmetics (or any other kind) on ebay.   I simply have encountered MAC cosmetics that had numbers instead of color codes and since I don't normally purchase MAC because if it's price, I did not realize they were fakes.  That is why I asked the question on this board.  I thought I would ask the Mac "experts" for help.  I didn't expect to get such hostility or be accused of trying to sell them.  As for why I have not posted since my original post... It is Spring Break, and I have been away for almost a week with my family.   To those of you that answered my question in a informative manner without the accusations.  I offer you my thanks.


----------



## Hawkeye (Mar 21, 2006)

i have to agree acussing you of this was out of line and I do think that it was uncalled for. 

I think that many on here are easy to jump to unnecessary conclusions about many things.


----------



## SMMY (Mar 21, 2006)

Deliberate fraud-I can understand why people might assume that though. I ended an auction last week after someone tried to sell me a fake Guerlains product. They swore that it was authentic, til I told them that I had contacted Guerlain about it. The number of frauds and shady sellers on eBay is growing. So cwuer got caught in the crossfire. It's too bad there are so many bad apples that spoil it for the rest of us. cwuer -I'm sorry if your feelings were hurt by this, but even though you may have been unaware of it, you were selling a fake item. 
Probably a better approach, instead of scolding this community, would be to educate yourself, so that you and others can't be taken advantage of again. Generally if something sounds too good to be true (cheap MAC prices) then generally it isn't. If you had researched a little bit here or MUA, you could have easily found out that you had unfortunately been sold fakes in Europe. Now you know and won't be duped again. No harm, no foul.


----------



## MissMarley (Mar 21, 2006)

SMMY said:
			
		

> . Generally if something sounds too good to be true (cheap MAC prices) then generally it isn't. QUOTE]
> 
> boy did i find that out the hard way....just bought a bunch of pigment samples, that i thought were such a great deal on ebay!
> 
> ...


----------



## Corvs Queen (Mar 21, 2006)

If anyone reads my original post, notice the words in parenthsis. I said "may". I was not pointing a finger just giving my two cents.


----------



## SMMY (Mar 21, 2006)

I know, I've been a member of eBay for several years now and the cosmetics section is the only section I've seen with so much shady auctions (or at least it seems that way to me). Used products sold as new, fakes masquerading as the real thing and sellers that have more aliases than the TV show of the same name. Add to that the number of people who have been swap-lifted lately and you have a community that is very wary of sellers in general, rightfully so. 

I think the response was what you could expect given the poor policing of auctions that goes on with eBay. If you want to complain, I'd start with eBay for not being more rigorous about removing fraudulent items from auctions. If the rate of fraud wasn't so bad, people wouldn't be so suspicious of sellers in the first place.


----------



## Ambi (Mar 21, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MissMarley* 
_ Quote:

   Originally Posted by *SMMY* 
. Generally if something sounds too good to be true (cheap MAC prices) then generally it isn't.

 
boy did i find that out the hard way....just bought a bunch of pigment samples, that i thought were such a great deal on ebay!

...and compared them to other pigments when i got them, and they were fake. blatantly fake.

sorry, that was off-topic._

 
Yup, I bought two fake shadows thinking "wow, $5.50 each, how great is that", ha. Though I found out they were fakes before I even received them, but man did I feel stupid...


----------



## Hawkeye (Mar 22, 2006)

However, Corv's Queen, in your original post even though it says "MAY" you also add that its "It's super fishy in honest opinion" and later on  you continue with, "I find it hystarical that the original poster hasn't posted anything else other than this post for this thread. I find it nice to know that there is a community like this out there that really does it's best to keep us informed of fakes and fake sellers. Way to go chicas!"

I understand wanting to be super cautious, but it was uncalled for in many respects. If you look at the original posters first post you can see where it is out of line. At least in your first post you said, " I may be out of line but...." in the later post you didnt mention that you were out of line.

I don't know about pricing, I dont really focus much on ebay anymore so I'm not nearly as skiddish as some girls on here but I think it is important before you start accusing others you should have some good proof before voting your suspicions.

Sorry but thats just me.


----------



## Kat (Mar 22, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Turbokittykat* 
_Oh, and LOL at the concept of getting MAC cheaper in Europe. I think that's only possible if you live in Australia!_

 
MAC cheaper in Australia??  I wish!!


----------



## Corvs Queen (Mar 22, 2006)

Well, I don't feel that I should have to defend my reasons for being cautious. I am not into internet "fights" and I really don't care what the original poster thinks of my comment. I have every right to think the way I do, as does he/she. I stand by my post and my opinion holds as is. Why the hell else would anyone else want to know colors that "correspond" with the numbered fakes. And if I recall, some other ladies on here agree with me but yet, I am under fire here.


----------



## cwuer (Mar 22, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *SMMY* 
_cwuer -I'm sorry if your feelings were hurt by this, but even though you may have been unaware of it, you were selling a fake item. 
Probably a better approach, instead of scolding this community, would be to educate yourself, so that you and others can't be taken advantage of again. Generally if something sounds too good to be true (cheap MAC prices) then generally it isn't. If you had researched a little bit here or MUA, you could have easily found out that you had unfortunately been sold fakes in Europe. Now you know and won't be duped again. No harm, no foul. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
SMMY:  Please read my post again.  I did NOT sell or even think about selling MAC or any other cosmetics on ebay or any where else for that matter.  And yes to educate is to arm yourself, and that is EXACTLY what I was trying to do by asking a question on this forum.  I did not have any ulterior motive in asking my question, I was just trying to learn from the folks I thought would surly know, (which they did.)  However, when someone is trying to learn there is no need to jump to conclusions or immediately think their inquiry has hidden motives.  While I have very little knowledge about MAC, I do sell antiques on Ebay and quite often get asked questions regarding how to tell if something is a genuine antique or a fake (new, reproduction)   I am happy to share my knowledge and educate them as to ways to tell the difference.  I don't assume the question is linked to their desire to sell a new item on ebay and pass it off as an antique. Freud is everywhere, and yes ebay has made that more apparent than ever.  I myself have been victim to that.  However, we must not let the dishonest minority cause us to view everyone with suspicion.  Most of the folks I have dealt with on ebay are honest, friendly people.  And just as in the legal system, I believe one is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.


----------



## cwuer (Mar 22, 2006)

*I will explain why*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Corv's Queen* 
_Well, I don't feel that I should have to defend my reasons for being cautious. I am not into internet "fights" and I really don't care what the original poster thinks of my comment. I have every right to think the way I do, as does he/she. I stand by my post and my opinion holds as is. Why the hell else would anyone else want to know colors that "correspond" with the numbered fakes. And if I recall, some other ladies on here agree with me but yet, I am under fire here._

 
You probably won't believe this, but I will explain it anyway.  The reason I asked the question is because I have come across people selling what I thought was MAC cosmetics and they said the European market uses color codes instead of color names.  I did not even know there was such a thing as fake MAC cosmetics, and as gullible as this may sound I believed them.  I have the tendency to believe what someone tells me, not to immediately assume I am being lied to.  Believing what I was told, and not knowing a lot about the MAC cosmetic line I thought I would be prepared next time by having a color chart in hand.  I think the MAC colors are amazing and I would love to buy them all, however I have 3 kids, a dog, cat, and a horse, so cosmetics are way down the line!  It may be hard to believe that someone was so stupid as to not have known better, but that is because you are armed with knowledge that I was not.  Education always starts with that first question, and this was my jump into educating myself on this product.  I did learn quite a bit, however not quite as easily as I had hoped.  While I am disappointed that I can't buy MAC at greatly discounted prices on ebay or abroad, I am very happy to have learned to turn the other way when I see a MAC deal that is "Too good to be true."  Think about this Corv's Queen.... If I were REALLY a dealer in fake MAC wouldn't I have KNOWN  there is no color chart to correspond with the numbers.  Since that whole concept is a lie to begin with, why would I be looking for something I knew didn't exist?  Also, does it not show my very limited knowledge that I didn't even realize MAC was more expensive overseas?  If I were a dealer in fake MAC wouldn't I know something as basic as that?  I too am not interested in Internet "fights"  and I have no hard feelings toward you for the comments you made.  I just would like for you to think a little more about the person on the other end your comments and realize that while they may be ignorant (or uninformed) that does not make them a crook.


----------



## SMMY (Mar 22, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *cwuer* 
_SMMY:  Please read my post again.  I did NOT sell or even think about selling MAC or any other cosmetics on ebay or any where else for that matter.  And yes to educate is to arm yourself, and that is EXACTLY what I was trying to do by asking a question on this forum.  I did not have any ulterior motive in asking my question, I was just trying to learn from the folks I thought would surly know, (which they did.)  However, when someone is trying to learn there is no need to jump to conclusions or immediately think their inquiry has hidden motives.  While I have very little knowledge about MAC, I do sell antiques on Ebay and quite often get asked questions regarding how to tell if something is a genuine antique or a fake (new, reproduction)   I am happy to share my knowledge and educate them as to ways to tell the difference.  I don't assume the question is linked to their desire to sell a new item on ebay and pass it off as an antique. Freud is everywhere, and yes ebay has made that more apparent than ever.  I myself have been victim to that.  However, we must not let the dishonest minority cause us to view everyone with suspicion.  Most of the folks I have dealt with on ebay are honest, friendly people.  And just as in the legal system, I believe one is presumed innocent until proven otherwise._

 
cwuer:  Please read my post again. I didn't accuse you. I said that the state of affairs on eBay, with regards to fraud as far as cosmetics are concerned, is high. You, yourself have said that you aren't familiar with the cosmetics portion of eBay very much. Most of us here are, hence the skepticism with your original post. It's not a criticism of you personally, but a not so subtle comment on the state of affairs with ebay and fraud as it pertains to cosmetics. 
If you are really upset about this, my suggestion is to write eBay about it, since they are the responsible party for this mess. If eBay policing was better, less people would be victimized and thus you wouldn't be catching a rash of suspicious murmurs for your initial posts. Which is to say, you are getting upset with the wrong people here. There is a lot of fraud on eBay with cosmetics sales and now that you know that, maybe you will realize that the suspicion was warranted based on members here previous experience. We tend to get ripped off on a regular basis there or simply do not do business there much anymore because of this. It's not a judgement of you, just our experience with eBay.
~ SMMY


----------



## Hawkeye (Mar 22, 2006)

Corv's- your not under fire here. and I actually applaud you for being really cautious, i just dont think it was appropriate to call someone out like that without some proof. I understand it did sound suspicious but again its one of those things.


----------



## mspixieears (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Kat* 
_MAC cheaper in Australia??  I wish!!_

 
Indeed! As if!


----------

