A woman claims that a skincare store manipulated her into buying moisturizers that broke her out and caused a bacterial infection, but when she confronted them it did not go well for her.
Helen (@helen.h.0) posted a video to TikTok as a warning to other would-be customers of the store. In the comments of the video, she says the name of the store is “Kristals in Erin Mills town center,” in Mississauga, Ontario.
“Long story short, I [had] been pressured to buy these products. It was two small bottles of moisturizer for over 100 bucks,” Helen says in her video.
She adds after she used the moisturizer, she broke out in spots and developed a bacterial infection. She also says that she’d never had such a reaction to a skincare product before.
“I never experienced that in my life even with the worst, the cheapest product that I bought from the drugstore, I never had any bacterial infection on my face,” Helen notes.
The TikToker claims that she bought the product because the seller essentially would not take no for an answer, even when she repeatedly told him she did not want the product.
“They can only make their money by pushing the sales of their product,” Helen says, claiming that the salesperson used manipulative tactics to get her to buy the moisturizer.
When Helen returned to the store and explained how the product had broken her out and even caused a bacterial infection, the owner said, “She can’t because it’s over the time limit,” although it’s unclear what the owner did not do exactly. The Daily Dot has reached out to Helen for further clarification via TikTok direct message.
The customer then expressed how she had felt manipulated into buying the products, to which the owner asked her, “Did [the salesperson] force you to buy it?”
Helen responded that there were also other customers complaining about a “scam experience,” which is when the owner threatened to call security on her.
In the end, Helen says she simply left the products on the store’s counter.
The video received over 34,000 views and numerous comments as of Monday. Many viewers advised her to flag the charge with her credit card company and recoup her money that way.
“I would 100% do the chargeback,” one person said, adding, “You could sue or have police involved.”
“Call your credit card company and they will refund you. Don’t let them use your money,” echoed another person.
@helen.h.0 be careful and learn to protect your money first. scams are at all times high in this economy😬 #storytime #mississauga #erinmills #skincare #scam #shopping #mall ♬ Storytelling – Adriel
One person claimed to have also had a similar experience.
“Their products should be tested cause I got a bacterial infection from their products too. I was put on antibiotics and topical fucidin daily,” they wrote.
However, a few viewers had a less sympathetic approach.
“I don’t get why you couldn’t hav just walked away instead of buying [the products],” one person wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kristals for further comment.
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