Is there urine in your perfume?
@wildcatsthree (289)
United States
January 27, 2010 7:53am CST
I just heard about this on Good Morning America. There are counterfeit perfumes at discounted prices that can contain urine among other things. People have reported a burning or stinging sensation when the perfume is first applied, causing redness to the skin and some skin infections are possible. The packaging can look very similar, but some warning signs are it may be wrapped loosely rather than shrimk-wrapped, and the bar coding has been found on the side rather than on the bottom of the package. Counterfeit perfume sales have been found to fund terrorism.
Have any of you experienced this? Will it make you think twice about purchasing perfume at a discounted price?
7 people like this
21 responses
@iharidh (308)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 10
Wow, I never heard this issue before. Do you mean that a less price perfume possibly contain urine in it? Cause I myself have bought less price perfume. But I haven't been encountered to such problems.
I don't know, maybe I have to find information about it.
2 people like this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Well, the price might be a good indicator, but they also mentioned the packaging is done losely, not shrinkwrapped like most items come with, and barcoding is usually found on the side rather than on the bottom of the regular perfumes.
@commanderxo (1494)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
Wow!
That's incredible news.
It just goes to show you the truth in that old adage of:
"Buyer beware."
Unbelievable.
Sheesh!
cdrxo
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Right on Commanderxo! Buyer beware and always check labels and packaging. Thanks for your comments
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
you gave me my laugh for the day. Thanks Commanderxo
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Thank God that I don't wear perfume. Most of it just irritates me. I am on a tight budget so yes, if I wore the stuff I would be one to buy the cheaper discount ones. Ya know, if they can get away with putting urine in our perfumes then they can put just about anything in them and how the heck would we know?
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
that's another good point Sid556. Since the skin is the largest organ of the body and whatever you put on our skin enters your bloodstream, it could be a very big deal.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
27 Jan 10
OMG, I'm ready to vomit, haha. That's disgusting!
I would have never thought this until you said it, ugh! Thanks for the warning, I'm sure it'll come in handy next time I want to buy perfume, and I certainly will check the packaging.
We have a store close to here which sells perfume sales at a kiosk, now I'm wondering, hmmmmmmm. No, at present, I have never encountered this as the perfume was bought at high-end retail stores as gifts from my daughters. One is a make-up artist, so she deals with perfumes too. What a scary thought though!
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Disgusting for sure Kashmeresmycat! I did a double take when I heard them talking about it. What next I say. Thanks for commenting.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Thank you for BR! I'm going to let my girls know about this discussion so they can warn their friends too. Still gives me the heebie jeebies, haha!
1 person likes this
@Tallygirl09 (1380)
• United States
28 Jan 10
OMG!! I didn't hear anything about that but will check it out. How amazingly vile that someone would do that! I am very choosy about what perfumes I wear and I have only a few favorites. I buy them only from sites I trust. I have seen many knock offs at Flea Markets and such but have never even been tempted to check them out.
Sad to say that one does need to inspect everything these days before considering purchasing it. I know I always look over the item and the packaging especially in the supermarket, no dented cans or loose cardboard seals have yet to make it into my home.
Hubby almost brought home a couple of soups that he wanted to add to his lunch and the cans had some dents and dings, they made it as far as the kichen counter and then back into the bag they went! I made him take em back and get perfect ones. And the store had no issue with it.
Gee..terrorists are thinking of any which way to get to folks these days, huh? Be well!!
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Hi Tallygirl, sounds like you're doing everything you can to be safe. I think we'd all be surprised to know everything the terrorists have their fingers into - kind of ironic that our own money is being used against us. Stay safe and thanks for your comments
@Tallygirl09 (1380)
• United States
29 Jan 10
It's truly a sad state of affairs when someone decides to add urine to a perfume to add color and to stabilize the mixture as per the Good Morning America and Harper's Bazaar story.
I looked it up and found out that Harper's Bazaar has been following this type of activity for quite some time. Good Morning America certainly added a wider scope of public knowledge!
Pathetic how low some folks will go to make money. There are so many other crimes for the police to focus on that this one is likely just not as immediate a threat so it continues.
I don't know how people who do such things can live with themselves. I can't imagine how they must have been raised to think that action to make money is okay or they simply don't care. Well one day it may come back against them, Karma has a way of doing that when one least expects it!
Be Well!!
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I am lucky to use perfumed oils for well know company. In general oils are much better for your skin. It makes me wonder where they sell those perfumes. because all I see is skyrocketing prices for all fragrances...
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
that's a very good point about using oils instead of perfume. I have a feeling these knock-off perfumes may be sold on the internet,but I can't say for sure.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
28 Jan 10
That's digusting. I wonder iof this is happening in Australia too?
The problem is, it is hard to define what ones are fake.
I guess, if it is quite cheap for a so called good brand, one could be suspicious then.
I wont need to buy perfume for awhile, thank goodness.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Hi Jenny, like the old saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Words to live by I think. Thanks for your comments
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
that's the only way to be safe AmbiePam. Thanks for the response.
@silverglint (2000)
• Philippines
28 Jan 10
wow, that is really nasty. I am not really that fond of signature perfumes but when I do buy, I usually buy from stores with good reputations. My main reason is that I want to make sure that I get my money's worth, some people say that if you buy discounted perfumes, they are usually diluted with water or other chemicals. But this is the first time that I heard about urine being added into perfumes. That makes me want to be a lot more careful when buying perfumes.
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
I think if you buy from a legitimate chain or retailer, you will be safe. This is just my personal opinion, but for instance I wouldn't buy it from a dollar store as they were found to be selling some of that tooth paste from China made to look like our name brands that actually contained some chemical that escapes me at the moment.
@crazydaisy (3896)
• Canada
27 Jan 10
I never heard of this before I know that they use to use skunk oil for perfume and I was very surprise at that but that the very expensice type I found that out in the 1970s I don't know what they use today..if it's urine no thanks I go with out
Thanks for letting me know...
cd
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I don't buy it much anymore anyway because the fragrange I love is way too expensive, so I won't be buying a cheap imposter if I see it after hearing this. Thanks crazydaisy.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Saphrina, I think if you stick to purchasing your perfume at your regular store you'll be fine. thanks for your input
@machivado (528)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 10
Is it true? Urine in some perfumes? Maybe we are actually attracted to urine's smell. But I don't think that skin irritation is caused by urine. It must be because other chemical ingredient contained in the perfume, not the urine.
The health department should quickly take care of this.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
It could be the combination of other ingredients with urine added that causes the skin irritation. And one of my readers mentioned about it altering the ph - that would cause skin irritation definitely. Thanks for your comments
@owstalaga (4707)
• Philippines
28 Jan 10
eeeeew that's gross and just stupid. I don't really buy fake perfumes. I'd rather use colognes because they're cheaper and yet they smell nice enough. haha.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
yes, colognes are a less expensive option and will be safer for you to use. Thanks for your comments.
@May2k8 (18389)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 10
No, lucky me. I'm not going to buy a perfume that smelled sting, and from outside store also the price is suspicious. Maybe ever offered perfume to every house, and it's look like the color is a bit murky. If sprayed into the whole body can be irritation and itching. maybe, I'll check first if I buy perfume.
@sandipanbhuiya (134)
• India
28 Jan 10
No, I don't think that the perfume products which I have used till yet contains urine.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
If you don't experience burning, itching or stinging when you apply it, and the packaging wasn't tampered with, you're probably safe.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
weird indeed bianca. If I recall correctly, I think they said they were using urine for the coloring. Nasty stuff for sure. Thanks for your comment.
@egvistal (18)
• Philippines
28 Jan 10
Well, that is if you stink and smell like a stinking urinal after applying that perfume, then that perfume contains urine for sure.. I do believe in tricks like this just to sell stuffs and put something into it that would not cost them that much (like putting some urine into it). I think the only way not to get victimize by this crazy modus, people should buy perfumes in authorized dealers or outlets setting aside the big discounts you can get in buying those urine flavored perfume. In that way, we can avoid the side effects that can cause harm to our skins and even... our lives.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
28 Jan 10
Exactly. We as consumers must always be aware, read labels, and buy from trusted retailers. Thanks for your comments