Exposing the Truth Behind Mall Skin Care Consultation Scams

Malls serve as convenient centers for professional skin care consultations, usually available at major department stores and specialized clinics. However, there's an increasing number of mall skin care consultation scams to be cautious of.

These scams involve aggressive, high-pressure, and often deceitful sales tactics, primarily targeting women and elderly individuals to sell products and devices worth thousands of dollars. These kiosks, often located in busy malls, use "free" demonstrations to lure customers, then pressure them into private, back-room sales meetings, leading to purchases ranging from hundreds to over $100,000.

Salespeople attract shoppers with free samples, hand lotion, or complimentary 10-minute facials, which turn into high-pressure sales pitches for anti-aging creams and LED infrared light devices. Customers are often taken to a private area where salespeople use intimidation, fear, and sometimes false claims about product effectiveness to keep them from leaving. Sales are typically final, with non-refundable policies not disclosed properly before purchase.

Prices are initially quoted at thousands of dollars (e.g., $10,000-$15,000) and then quickly reduced to a fraction (e.g., $1,000) to make customers feel they are getting a deal, or by claiming to use an employee discount.

In one case, a woman spent over $147,000 of her life savings on skincare products and devices at an Introstem kiosk in the Danbury Mall in 2024. Another woman with bipolar disorder was pressured into buying a $72,318 infrared sauna during a manic episode, unaware of what she was signing, and only later discovered the "no-refund" clause. A 75-year-old woman in Vancouver, WA was pressured to withdraw $50,000 to become a "spokesmodel" for a skincare store in the mall.

After investigations by local media, police arrested a store owner (BH28 Skincare Consultants) for aggressive sales, and the store and related kiosks were shut down. Nevertheless, similar kiosks are opening in various locations, using the same tactics to lure women. These individuals can also be found in high-traffic tourist areas like Hawaii, where they approach people with compliments and free samples to entice them into a shop.

A few years ago, a scam took place at the Manhattan Village mall in Manhattan Beach, California. The scammers set up kiosks at both ends of the mall, focusing on women entering and leaving the two anchor stores. Friendly young women engaged the shoppers by offering free samples. Once drawn in, they used aggressive sales tactics to persuade them to spend hundreds on skincare products and a complimentary facial available that day.

The unsuspecting women were taken to an empty store location for facials and were convinced to invest in ongoing skincare seminars and additional products. Some women fell for the scam, while others left with just their initial purchases.

One of the products offered was from the Lavelier line. According to their website, Lavelier is a high-end skincare brand that uses Corallina Officinalis (red coral seaweed) for its anti-aging and moisturizing benefits.

Corallina Officinalis (red algae) is a mineral-rich seaweed extract known in skincare for its anti-aging, moisturizing, and skin-barrier strengthening qualities. It is rich in calcium and magnesium, helps regulate oil, supports cellular turnover, and protects against photodamage, making it ideal for mature or dry skin in need of rejuvenation and protection.

Lavelier offers various skincare products and states on their website that "ALL LAVELIER RETAIL LOCATIONS ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND MANAGED."

The product offered by the scammers was the Divine Day Defense SPF 30 in the 60g / 2.11oz size. It was marketed for achieving a luminous and balanced complexion while protecting against harmful UV rays. The moisture cream is claimed to be formulated with powerful antioxidants, hydrating marine extracts, and complexion-brightening botanicals to protect the skin from the sun, leaving it refreshed and youthful-looking.

Although the ingredients are not listed on the product itself, they are available on their website. The active ingredients in this product are essentially sunscreen. Active ingredients in common sunscreen are classified as either mineral (physical) or chemical filters. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the main mineral filters, acting as a protective barrier. Chemical filters, such as avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and octisalate, absorb UV rays, with FDA-approved options totaling 16 compounds, although 8 are commonly used.

Active Ingredients in Divine Day Defense SPF 30:

Octinoxate 7.40% Sunscreen

Homosalate 6.20% Sunscreen

Octisalate 5.20% Sunscreen

Oxybenzone 3.10% Sunscreen

Avobenzone 1.50% Sunscreen

The inactive ingredients in Lavelier's cream, which retails for $1,200 (https://www.lavelier.com/product/divine-day-defense-spf-30/), include: Aqua, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium PCA, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Corallina Officinalis.

So, the rule of thumb, ladies:

• Avoid Kiosks: Do not engage with salespeople in the middle of the mall corridor.

• "No" Means "No": Be firm, ignore, or just keep walking if approached.

• Don't Go to the Back Room: Never go into a private, back-room area with a salesperson, as this is where high-pressure tactics are used.

• Do Not Disclose Credit Card Info: Avoid giving your credit card to salespeople to "hold" or to "check for promotions".

• Check Reviews: Look up the kiosk's name on Google or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) before agreeing to anything.

If you have been scammed, immediately contact your credit card company for a chargeback, file a police report, and file a complaint with your local Attorney General’s office.