You don’t have to be a cast member on NCIS to figure out what type of shopping website is safe to buy from. There are a few obvious clues that can help you find the best quality product that your skin deserves! Let’s face it, who wants to purchase a product to enhance their skin, and end up with a mystery product that could cause more damage than it’s worth. We’re here to help you get the right quality and right shopping experience by following these simple tips. Here are the top three reasons to run from a website: 1. There Is NO Contact Info First thing to check when using a new website? Make sure you can contact them! Think about it, you are giving them your money and your personal information, don’t you want to know exactly who you are dealing with? There have been countless times where we have rummaged through sites looking for just a simple contact email only to find nothing at all. Shop on a website where you know the person you are buying from actually cares about you. For example, last Fourth of July our team was off enjoying the holidays. Since no one was there to answer the questions, all customer service calls were forwarded to the CEO directly. He was happy to stop what he was doing, and respond back to his customers in REAL time! Let us tell you, the customers were in shock that someone actually picked up the phone! Shop with companies that make it known that you are a valued customer. While we are a small company now, and may not be able to conduct personal phone calls in the future, we always provide a speedy response to any questions asked. If you have to wait more than a day to hear from someone, or if you can’t find any contact information within a couple clicks, it’s time to find a new place to spend your money. 2. They Make Claims About Their Product With No Proof As skincare experts, we are constantly amazed to find ads across Facebook and other outlets advertising that they have found a “revolutionary” anti-aging or acne product. Right away they try to sell you on the product, but never actually tell you what’s in it. It would take an expert to examine the product, and the average consumer typically has no idea. Not to mention, many companies don’t even list all of their ingredients on their website! We have taken the testing into our own hands and ordered products claiming “5% retinol” or a “peptide formulation.” We then sent those products to a lab to analyze exactly what is in them. The results? One of those products claimed it contained 5% retinol contained a mere .002%. Yet according to Facebook, that product had 4,000 reviews with an average of a 4-star rating. The truth is that to be effective, you really only need 1% retinol in your formula – 5% is extremely unrealistic and unlikely! But many people do not know that and just believe whatever is being presented to them. In this case, you have to do your research. If a company is making outrageous claims on their ingredients, who knows what else they might be lying about? 3. Low Prices Come at a High Cost This is sad but true: if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. You CAN count on most brands to do occasional promotions and sales to introduce a new product. Yet, if you are working with a highly reputable company, it will be rare that you see prices slashed at 40-60% off. Think of a brand like Apple. Occasionally, you’ll see an iPhone deal at Best Buy, but never, ever, ever on the Apple website. Apple knows what their product is worth and they charge a premium fee for it. They have a strong brand and the quality to back it up. That’s why you should never trust a high-quality brand presented to you at a very deep discount. At TRUST Beauty, we have intentionally formulated our products to get to a quality level similar to what you’d get at a spa or doctor’s office. Thankfully we are able to offer these products at a reasonable price for the quality, but you still may find it to be more expensive than an average skincare product on Amazon. We’ve studied the market well and know that our skincare is already competitively priced at a much lower price than many brands with similar ingredients. The product is worth exactly what it is priced at and you should be wary if you see any reputable products, such as ours, at a deep discount. You either want to pay for the right quality or you don’t. But do not expect to get the same quality as a higher price item if you are shopping 3rd party websites at 40% off. Let’s face it, how many of you own an iPhone or go to Starbucks? Yet, there is a flip phone for sale and a McDonalds that would be happy to give you coffee. Though the price is lower, you are missing out on quality and brand experience. For example, if a product is “normally” $80 but is being sold routinely on Amazon for $22.95, this is just another reason to walk away. Pay a little more for the quality you and your skin deserve. Regardless, we have your back no matter what scams may come your way! You can always TRUST us and shop directly with us to get the quality products that your skin – and you – deserve.