“Hi Mel, I have recently become a member and think that your website is great! You seem very approachable so I thought that I would send you an email to see if you could give me any further information and advice.

Basically I am moving to Spain in 3 weeks and looking to set up a business selling high end makeup at low prices. What gave me the idea was that I went to a make-up party just before Christmas where high end makeup (Benefit, Dior, Chanel, MAC etc) was being sold at very low prices (for example, I bought a Benefit make-up bag with 4 Benefit items inside; mascara, blusher, lemon aid & lipgloss, for only £20). Also some of the items that they were selling at the party were ‘factory seconds’ where for example a set of 4 Dior eyeshadows with ‘Dior’ across each eyeshadow, one of the 4 would have the Dior written upside down or a mascara in a box which had been misprinted and said that it contained a lipgloss instead of mascara. So my plan is to do something similar in Spain selling high end make-up at low prices and factory seconds.

My family have been involved in retail and wholesale for years (although not with high end makeup) and my parents moved to Spain 5 years ago so I am ok with that side of things and actually setting up the business but I need your advice with regards to sources/contacts (especially for buying factory seconds), thanks in advance, Natalie”

Any guesses on why this makes me really mad?? The above, my friends, is a classic example of a genuine buyer who has been duped by someone she probably trusted, and who is passing off the mistakes in crappy replica wholesale makeup by claiming the cosmetics are “factory seconds”. I think a quick down to the local Boots or House of Fraser would confirm that these items are as fake as my nana’s mink coat.

Please be careful out there folks – only use trusted suppliers, always use secure payment methods, and if you need any advice on specific sites or sellers and you are a Cheap Slap member, then drop me a line.

Not a member yet? Big mistake!! If you have any sense at all you will join Cheap Slap right away!!

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For that reason Carly was wondering if I could confirm if all the products at Cheap Slap are 100% genuine, and if so, how come they are available at such cheap prices?

Carly said that she is really interested in joining Cheap Slap as she works in the beauty industry and is frequently being asked for cosmetics and beauty products from clients but she can’t stand any more disappointment, for her or her customers, receiving knock-off goods. So any info I could give her would be much appreciated.

To Carly, and anyone else in a similar position, I would first like to make it clear that Cheap Slap is not a wholesaler. Members get all the contact details for the wholesale makeup suppliers. You buy the makeup and cosmetics directly from the suppliers. I confirm we only recommend sellers with authentic products, and there are also warnings about sellers to avoid who are selling fakes.

It is possible to source authentic Benefit cosmetics through the suppliers on Cheap Slap, no problem. However, authentic Benefit (along with MAC), is one of the hardest brands to get, and there is not always a regular supply, it just depends what is available. Also there is never the full product range, it is only ever a few items at a time. That is why if you see any site selling a wide range of Benefit at very low prices, they are very likely to be fake. If a site is carrying one or two items, possibly they may be okay subject to other checks, but a wide range is usually a cause for alarm.

Finally, even if you do get a supply of authentic wholesale Benefit cosmetics, the price is going to be probably around 50% of retail, never much less, due to the scarcity and demand for the products.

I just want to let everyone know a realistic picture of what to expect if, like Carly, you are looking for wholesale Benefit, and you do decide to join Cheap Slap.

Related posts:

1. Wholesale Benefit Makeup
2. Wholesale Makeup Brushes & Bags
3. Avoiding Fake Wholesale Makeup

Well for me that’s like asking how long is a piece of string. There are so many variables to consider that it’s not as easy as just saying oh yeah definitely MAC, or Benefit, or whatever. I can understand people’s enthusiasm and impatience to get started and they just want to buy a load of wholesale cosmetics stock and get selling. Unfortunately, all too often people rush into an eBay beauty business and end up losing money.

The truth is that you can sell any wholesale makeup brands on eBay, because there will always be a buyer at the right price. However, to be a successful and profitable cosmetics and beauty products seller on eBay, you really need to go through the following exercise for anything you are planning to sell.

First of all, check out what other items the same are already listed on eBay, watch a few and get an idea of the likely selling price if you were selling them. You can watch Buy It Now items as well as auction items and see how quickly they sell. On Buy It Now items, you will also often notice the seller changes the price regularly – that is a sign they are constantly checking out the competition too.

Then, based on the likely selling price, work backwards and take off eBay fees and Paypal fees (there are online calculators which can work this out for you), then deduct the cost of the item to you which will give your profit. If you are happy with that, then go ahead – list the items on eBay and sit back and wait.

Obviously, cosmetics Items which are hard to find command a premium – e.g. Prescriptives which have closed down so there are still people trying to get their products, and also brands like Bliss which are hard to find wholesale but are sometimes available at a good discount on sites like BrandAlley. But obviously if a massive amount of Prescriptives suddenly becomes available it would not be so valuable. Sorry not to be more specific but it is the basic laws of supply and demand (yawn, boring I know).

For any new eBay sellers out there, you should be aware that eBay are restricting the amount of items and relistings that new sellers can make at the start. So you will not be able to sell much at the beginning because eBay will not let you list everything. It is a precaution to stop new sellers offloading multiple quantities of fake cosmetic items in a short space of time before they get caught and their eBay account is closed down. Which in the long run is good for everyone, but it is frustrating for genuine sellers.

If you join Cheap Slap now you will get instant access to our trusted list of high end makeup and cosmetics wholesale suppliers. At Cheap Slap our members consistently put their eBay cosmetics business ahead of the competition with the best wholesale makeup brands that everyone else is looking for.

Related posts:

1. Selling Makeup on eBay How To Start
2. Best Wholesale Makeup To Sell on eBay
3. Selling Cosmetics On eBay – Makeup Listing Tips

Here is a great email I just received from Gary in Stockport:

Hi Mel
Been on your web page sounds great. I’ve been a printer for 32 years been made redundant and fancy a market stall. Friends and family have told me cosmetics would be good. I don’t want to be a millionaire just a happy sustainable income however the nearest I’ve ever been to make up
is stood outside Boots waiting for my wife and daughters. Is there any chance for a newbie to learn the ropes? Any advice would be helpful.
Many thanks
Gary S
ps I live in Stockport (someone has to )

Here is my advice for Gary:

Hi Gary

Nothing wrong with Stockport – I know it well!

Selling wholesale makeup at a market stall or car boot sale is a great way to start, especially if there is little or no competition at the same market. I’d say you would need to get some advice from your wife and daughters when first buying stock, until you get more of an idea what makeup and skincare products and brands your customers are looking for. There is lots of information on my blog, you should start with reading the articles for newbies which are linked down the left hand side of the Cheap Slap website. Also these articles might be useful:

Wholesale Makeup Car Boot Sales and
Wholesale Makeup Market Stall

I think for you that a car boot might be the best way of testing the water as your overheads will be lower than on a market stall – for a market stall the pitch will cost more and you will need more stock. If it goes well you can always expand.

If you decide to join Cheap Slap, you will get enough contact details for wholesale cosmetics suppliers to get a wide range of makeup and beauty products. Some of the best suppliers are in the US, but there are several good UK ones that I would recommend you use when starting out, before you go down the importing route.

Whatever you do, avoid any Chinese wholesale makeup sites that you may come across on Google, because you will be stuck with a load of fakes. At first glance a lot of the sites selling fake makeup, especially MAC and Benefit, seem to be in the US, because the prices are in dollars. To find out if a site is from China go to www.who.is and put in the domain name. The registration details will then come up.

I hope that helps, best wishes and good luck!

Melissa

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As I have written about at length already, there is loads of fake MAC around. Hello Kitty this, Hello Kitty that. But finding authentic MAC wholesale makeup products is not actually very difficult if you know where to look – there are trusted sellers of MAC listed on our Members Area that you can access right away if you decide to join Cheap Slap.

So, going back to my point about MAC wholesale, and this applies to Benefit as well, is they are the most in demand brands that everyone is looking for. This inflates the wholesale price making them both more expensive, because of the limited supplies. If I had the choice between an $8 MAC wholesale item and a $2 Stila or Clarins item, I know which I would pick.

Also, eBay is not a good place to sell authentic MAC or Benefit because you are competing against people selling much lower priced fakes. But you can still get a good mark up on MAC and Benefit if you sell elsewhere, e.g. cosmetics parties, fairs and market stalls or car boots. The trick is to be the first person in your area doing it.

Post flyers on cars or through letterboxes offering makeup parties or letting people know where you will be. Think about a website, even if it is only one page, showing your offers and put the website details on the flyers too. It’s about getting yourself in people’s faces, so get some slap on and don’t be shy!

Now is a really good time to get going because the busiest time of year is coming up – if you can get organised now you can seriously clean up in October and November with customers buying for Christmas. It seems like the whole world is skint and looking for bargains at the minute, so I think this year will be busier than ever.

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Just for the record, there are several good wholesale cosmetics and beauty suppliers in the UK and you will get full details of those if you are a member of Cheap Slap (what do you mean, you’re not? You need to join Cheap Slap right now!!) There is easily enough of a good selection available from the UK sellers to get started, and I know some people with established cosmetics businesses who only ever use the recommended UK suppliers.

However, a lot of the best wholesale makeup deals are to be had from US sellers, especially for the most in demand high end brands like MAC, Benefit and Bobbi Brown. There are quite a few trustworthy US sellers with authentic wholesale makeup products for sale, so it makes sense to keep your options open and consider buying from them at some point down the line.

When buying from the US, the additional costs you need to consider are the shipping costs, VAT and customs duties, and also any extras like a handling fee.

The main suppliers all use major couriers to ship to their UK customers, and shipping quotes are usually available before you order. The cost depends and the size and weight of the package. You pay the agreed shipping cost up front at the same time as you pay for your order.

Obviously, and it depends what you are buying, but in my experience shipping is usually never more than around $50, and that can be for up to 200 items – remember that lipsticks, mascaras, eyeshadows etc are small and light. So the cost of shipping per item for small items can be very reasonable.

You can always ask for a couple of shipping quotes depending on the quantity of items, as there may be a minimum charge which makes it work out more expensive per item. For example, the cost to ship 100 items may be only a little bit more than for say 20 or 30 pieces.

VAT also gets added to any goods shipped to the UK with a value over £18. VAT is charged at 17.5% on the value of the goods so you will need to factor this cost into your budget as well. I should also mention that VAT is also applied to all orders from UK suppliers as well, and UK suppliers always list their prices before VAT. That means that you will always have to pay VAT, and you will never have to pay any additional VAT just because you are buying from the US. It is possible to reclaim VAT if you are VAT registered, but most people reading this will not be.

Next up, customs duties. I am no expert on this because there are loads of different customs rates depending on what the product is, so as a rule of thumb I just budget for another 10% of the order value.

Finally, a handling charge of around £10 or £15 is added by the courier company (or £8 if your package is delivered by normal post). You will need to pay the VAT, customs duty, and handling charge when the package is delivered. The courier company usually telephones you for payment by credit card beforehand and the post office leaves a red card through your door with details of the charges due before the item can be delivered.

When you work it all out, the additional charges of buying from the US still make it worthwhile. I know, because I do it all the time, and so do a great many other eBay cosmetics sellers. The fact is that to get the best stock, the US is where it’s at. It may take a little longer for your goods to arrive, but only a few days, and the little extra effort involved is well worth it.

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The collection was announced at New York’s cool Beauty Bar, a place that sounds like my kinda heaven. It is a bar where you can indulge in beauty treatments, cocktails and cosmetics. It’s a converted salon with a retro feel and I would like one to open over here in the UK, please.

Described as a “frump-fighting, pro-pixie, anti-seriousness collection of colour” the limited edition Alice & Oliva for MAC line includes three shades of So Rich So Pretty Nail Lacquer, £8 each, three shades of Dazzleglass Creme gloss, £14.50 each, and three shades of Partylicious Pigment, £15 each.

My top picks are the Nail Lacquer in Morning.After; as the must have nail shade for next season is deffo teal – so it’s worth getting in on the act early with this creamy, opaque version. And I also love the Pigment in Later, which is a loose black eye shadow shot through with purple – which is perfect for creating a fast, multi-tonal smoky eye with just one product.

Word on the beauty boardwalk is that Harrods in London have bagged the exclusive launch of the collection this August. I can’t wait!!

Keep your eye out for any wholesale makeup deals on the collection coming up in the next few months after its launch. MAC bring out new limited edition makeup collections so regularly, that you can be sure that this one will not be around on MAC counters for very long.

For reliable sources of authentic MAC wholesale cosmetics, just check out the sellers on Cheap Slap. If you are not already a member, why not join Cheap Slap today? It only takes a minute and gives you instant access to an enormous range of high end wholesale makeup deals, all of which are available for immediate purchase.

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A lot of fake beauty products are for items that do not actually exist in the proper range – different MAC colours etc. I give several warnings on Cheap Slap about sellers to avoid, but always always do your own due diligence as ultimately your cosmetics business transactions are your own responsibility. Pay by Paypal for maximum buyer protection (and make sure that you NEVER pay by bank transfer).

Sorry that’s not more definitive, but it pays to trust your own intuition and if anything seems at all dodgy, then always walk away. There are enough genuine deals around to get a good selection of stock without resorting to desperate measures.

Two very widely faked cosmetics brands are MAC and Benefit, but many other beauty brands are too, so never assume that all the other brands are okay either! You will gain a lot more confidence once you have more experience dealing with the wholesale makeup sellers and a wide range of cosmetics products, but when starting out it is a good idea to be cautious.

If you are sourcing wholesale cosmetics products yourself, do a who.is search to check where the website is registered. If it is registered in China – avoid! A lot of Chinese websites look like they are US sites because the products are listed in US dollars but a who.is search should give you more information.

Cheap Slap members have a head start with our list of trusted wholesale makeup suppliers, as well as warnings about the cosmetics sellers to avoid. Many people have thanked me for saving them from unscrupulous sellers.

If you are not a member yet, why not take a minute and join Cheap Slap today – members can contact me directly any time for advice on wholesale cosmetics sellers or websites you may be unsure about.

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Strictly speaking, if you are not an authorised supplier of the cosmetics brand you are selling, and you do not have permission to use the makeup brand manufacturer’s stock photos (which are copyrighted) then you
are supposed to take your own photos of the products and use those images on your site (or eBay).

In reality, if you copy and paste photos from another site you might be okay but you could be asked to remove the photos if anyone checks. In that case you would have to use your own images.

My recommendation would be to always use your own photos for selling makeup on eBay. There is so much fake high end makeup on eBay that using stock photos actually makes the listing look dodgy, even if your products are authentic. Also, there are more official checks on eBay making it more likely that you will be asked to remove the beauty product image if it is copyrighted.

If you have your own cosmetics website, then you are less likely to be caught using someone else’s images. Not that I would ever encourage you to do that. Of course not.

For authentic wholesale cosmetics stock to sell on eBay or for starting your own website, you will find great deals on authentic MAC, Bobbi Brown, Stila, Too Faced and more from the trusted sellers featured on Cheap Slap.

Not a member yet? Big mistake, as your competitors already are!! Get a move on and join Cheap Slap today!!

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Some of these sites claim to have details of thousands of suppliers for products that you can sell for a profit.

Before you decide to pay for this type of information, you should consider the following:

1. The purpose should be to make life easier and save you time so you do not need to search for suppliers of your chosen products. However, some of the directories, like Salehoo, are massive so you may still need to trawl through a lot of information to find what you are looking for.

2. Large directories can be a useful guide if you are not sure what to sell or what is available. If you only are looking for niche products, like high end wholesale cosmetics, then a lot of the information in a large directory may not be relevant for you.

3. Always check the sellers’ credentials before buying. If a seller is verified by the site, check what that means. Only ever use secure payment methods, and never send cash. 



Cheap Slap is a specialised high end wholesale makeup directory, featuring trusted top end branded cosmetics and beauty wholesalers only. I have already done all the hard work weeding out the bs so you don’t have to.

The wholesale cosmetics suppliers featured on Cheap Slap have been tried and tested by myself and other members. Warnings are also included on the site about specific sellers and websites known to be selling fakes.

There is a nominal joining fee to cover my costs of maintaining the site, and you will never have to pay anything else. You will save yourself tons of time and effort, and have the benefit of advice from myself at any time. It really is a no brainer for anyone serious about succeeding in the cosmetics business!

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