I have been eyeing on Loreal Infallible eyeshadows, ever since I have seen many people talking about it on YouTube and I tried to get some of the colors but then, I DID NOT SEE ANY COLOR THAT THEY MENTIONED in the store here.
WHAT???!?!?!?!
So I just googled and apparently the color is still available. Then why it is not at the store?
I mean I do see the products but I could not find the color name I was after.
Then I realised that they are pretty much the same products sold by different names. Not only the names are different, even color numbers are different. Very confusing.
Apparently there are American versions and UK(Australian) versions of the names of colors and products. Like Lineur Intense is known here as Super Liner (but I am not sure if they are exactly the same).
There are so many products that is not available in Australia, like Voluminous mascara. The legendary mascara!! SAD FACE!
I was not completely sure if those eyeshadows with different names are really the same products as they might show up slightly different on the skin or some ingredients might be different.. But hey, the packaging and colors looked really similar.
How can I tell if they are the same? Ask the company!
I contacted Loreal Australia about the color names and products names.
I found a table of colors like a cross reference table on Nunu's blog (link is below) and it looked like she tried so hard to find which color is which in what countries...
Does it have to be that hard to figure our the colors from one brand??? I believe not.
So I put the link to the table in the email to Loreal, and I said
"Can I obtain the products/color list that has all the products like this table?"
Yes, I asked if they have the similar table on their hand available for consumers.
Their response was very disappointing.
Their response was something like
"We carry different products for different countries" "Unfortunately we cannot provide the full products list via email but you can look that up on our website or in-store."
This is ridiculous. I am not even talking about things that are not available in Australia! And I do not want a full product list. I want a product list that cross-refers all the products sold in different countries. Simply put, I just want to know what color is equivalent to American version of Iced Latte!! (apparently it is Hourglass Beige)
I was very unhappy with this response.
I mean this is not even a small local cosmetic brand, this is a big international brand, we are talking about!!
Most of the international brands, like high-end brands clearly states somewhere on the package if they are similar but not quite the same.
I know that some skin care products have the same packaging in Japan and elsewhere but the ingredients are not the same due to the health-related laws, then they would say "Especially formulated for Japan" or something like that. Or at least the counter person or company would know, right?
So I expect the same for Loreal. Just because they are drugstore brands, it does not mean that they can mislead customers like this.
I would like to thank Nunu for trying to figure out this mess. She and her friends are so cool for doing this.
Link to the table:
http://macnunu.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/loreal-color-infallible-eyeshadow.html
However, I am very precise when it comes to colors. Some people say that two eyeshadows from different brands are identical but I always find slightest difference in hue, texture and other things.
So until I see them with my own eyes, side by side, swatched in natural light and fluorescent light, I would not like to say that they are the same. I really would like to do that if I have some cash to blow. I seriously would. But until then, we have to stick to the list that Nunu made.
As I said, it should not be that hard to figure out color names in different countries and stuff.
Damn you, Loreal. This is very sad!
As for my response, I emailed them again and said that I was disappointed with their response, and said to process this as a complaint. I also told them to contact me if they have the solution for this problem.
I hope
someone, not a part-time customer service chick, reads it and feels bad enough to make a difference. I really hope so.
Sorry, Loreal. But you sucked big time here.
Yui :(