A few weeks ago I laughed when my friend told me she thought her ghd was a fake. ‘How does someone buy a fake ghd?’ I had asked myself at the time. There were a few flags that my friend admitted she should have seen when she first used her “ghd”, firstly hair would only straighten after about 5 strokes of the hair straightener (with very drying results) and secondly it was a gift from her boyfriend who had purchased it online.
After speaking with the PR girls for ghd Australia, they told me that the ONLY authorised online seller of ghd in Australia is the official ghd website. The ghd is such a cult item in many countries around the world, that it is not surprising that counterfeiters would go to the effort of replicating an electronic device and so well that fake ghd stylers are virtually impossible to spot. Though the picture I have above of the fake and real ghd stylers isn’t the best illustration as the fake is a copy of the ghd III Styler, while the real one is the ghd Gold Styler.
Why shouldn’t you buy a fake/counterfeit ghd styler?
First and foremost, it probably hasn’t be put under the same safety checks as the real thing. The ghd styler is an electrical appliance, so who knows what could go wrong behind the pretty packaging? Also I don’t think I need to mention that they heating plates probably don’t do you hair any more good than a clothes iron.
It’s an issue ghd are aware of and have created http://bewareoffakes.ghdhair.com/au/ with a great collection of FAQ’s for consumers.
Can you spot the difference between the hologram authenticity labels?
Top tips to make sure you’re not buying a fake ghd:
- To ensure you are buying a genuine ghd styler: Buy from ghdhair.com/au or one of the approved retailers.
- Always validate your warranty and verify if your styler is genuine: After you have made your purchase, go to ghd’s website to the Product Registration section and enter the styler’s hologram code and date.
After my friend tried my ghd Gold Styler, she had confirmation that her “ghd” styler was a fake and promptly purchased a real one from a trusted ghd Salon. It’s just a little warning tale for all of us who hunt online for the best bargains. One of my personal mantra’s when it comes to buying cult items is that old adage: If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Especially when ghd Stylers are being sold brand new from various online stores for prices well below AUD$180 when it retails for $269.
Have you purchased a fake ghd before? And how did you figure out it was a fake?
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I bought a ghd from ghdstraightenersirelandsale.com and when I got it the plug was faulty and it did not heat up the same as my older ghd. I tried to return the ghd but they would not reply to my emails. I called ghd and called out the code to register the straightner and they confirmed it was fake . Please please do not buy from this web site.
Hi i have tried to register my ghd set that i recieved for christmas on you site, it keeps saying theres a problem so i contact you through the website and have done so a number of times but i just keep getting automated answers? How can i get real person in real time please?
Hi there, I purchased a ghd styler from a nonregistered salon, I tried verifying my styler but says there is a problem with my date code and when asked the person whom I bought it from they said its because they not a registered salon thats why I cant validate, could someone please assist.