I remember one of my very first posts being about Lime Crime. Back then I thought I had discovered something unique and fun. Xenia has her own super-famous blog with awe-inspiring tutorials and style guidance. She always stressed how she had come up with her makeup line herself and how she had created all the colours.
I started hearing some alarming news about Lime Crime through my friend Phyrra's blog. Lime Crime was accused of repacking TKB minerals that are on sale on places like eBay with ridiculously low prices. I immediately e-mailed Xenia, asking whether these accusations were true or if they were concocted my jealous competitors. Here's the answer I got:
Hi Saila,
I knowww, it sucks how people would try to bring you down like that. :( But
like you said, it comes with the territory when you start to stick out a little
too much. It's a good example of how competitors will follow and try to imitate
something that's been prooven to be successful.
Colors cannot be legally copyrighted but we still stand by the quality of
our product as the best and most pigmented on the market! While we can't protect
ourselves from copycats, what we can do is continue moving forward, offer new
products and hopefully set new trends - exactly what we are trying to do with
our upcoming lipstick line, Candyfuture! The competition has no idea how much
new, exciting stuff is coming up in the Lime Crime line but once they do, it
will their minds all over the room. ;)
Thanks for your question & concern. xoDoe
So there's no way she wouldn't be telling the truth, right? Right?
Well, there are several bloggers who have done some more hands-on research about the matter and who have also e-mailed Xenia and gotten completely different answer than mine was.
Here are a couple of links:
http://www.lipsticksandlightsabers.com/2009/08/lime-crime-so-ordinary-it-should-be.html
http://www.lipsticksandlightsabers.com/2009/10/will-real-slim-shady-please-stand-up.html
http://sparkleismycrack.blogspot.com/2009/10/lime-crime-is-ripoff-please-read.html
http://gothique.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/made-me-giggle//lcomment-172
You can also do a search on Google by typing in 'Lime Crime' and 'repackage'.
So why I am I so bothered by this? Because I was being lied to when I asked for an honest answer. Mark (Xenia's husband) e-mailed Anastasia (the blogger behind 'Lipstick and Lightsabers') a completely different answer when she approached them and told about the little swatch test she did with Lime Crime and TKB.
So I've been duped. Not only have I been using products that are just repackaged cosmetics but Xenia also tried to pull one over me.
So bright it's illegal? I hope it was illegal.
Posts
9 comments:
Originally the only reason I didn't buy any Lime Crime when you did was that I was really thrown off by the price, and the fact that they don't sell samples. Once I found out that they sold repackaged TKB, I was disgusted!. TBK is a wholesaler and they've been around longer than Lime Crime has, so it's ridiculous for her to say that they're trying to rip her off! She's the one ripping people off. I agree with you, what she's doing SHOULD be illegal!
Yep, this is a classic case of "coulda woulda shoulda" from my part. But I was new to mineral makeup/pigments so I guess that made me blind to a lot of things.. You live and you learn, that's why I wanted to post this.
I don't understand how her colors can be "the most pigmented on the market" if she is just buying them from the same place everyone else is?
I can't believe they are still using the same canned response about everyone copying their colors, despite the angry reaction it drew from customers last time. Not the sharpest tools in the shed, I see.
The reply she sent you is almost verbatim the one she sent me and Ana. Cut and paste. No creative thoughts...
But yes. Let's just go with the idea that her SUPPLIER copies HER. How are we supposed to fall for that?
purplecutie: I'm completely stumped by her constant mantra that she's "created" her colours herself. Slapping your labels on a jar filled with someone else's product isn't called creating, it's called marketing. And yes, she's very good at marketing but on the creativity part... not so much. I just hope that more people will realize this and respond to this the only way that would make her understand the situation: by walking away.
Turn Two Grey: Well, maybe she thinks that if she repeats that long enough, it'll be true.. I mean, Pinocchio became a real boy, didn't he?
KTB (is that right?) is new to me apearantly I live under a rock, but I have recently seen swatches comparing the two and I was shocked. They are almost identical. I could totally see one or two being very similar, I mean that is an easy possibiltity but ALL of them are identicle. That is just criminal, imo. I suppose the name Lime- CRIME speaks for it's self.
Shame!
P.S. I love your blog!
Evil Angel: Thanks :) I love yours too, and as soon as my shopping ban is lifted, I'm going to check out your products :)
I just wish I had figured this out a lot earlier. Now I just feel like a donkey.
Notice how neither of them explicitly say "No, we make all of our own shades" - they talk about how people often try to imitate, etc, without making any firm statements.
Wishy-washy PR crap.
Anastasia: So true. I just hope that she doesn't get away with this, there should be some instant karma going her way.
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