Complaint Review: Refreshing Beauty LLC

On 1/27, I reviewed an advertisement on Facebook for a revolutionary skin product that was funded by the Shark Tank.  I several before and after photos of a woman my age and the seemingly miraculous results.  I did a little more research outside of facebook and read about the investment in the company and renaming the product to Amore.  I returned to Facebook as there was 14-day free trial offer.  At the bottom of the page, I was taken to another webpage to fill out the data collection form.  However, the product was now called Coal Cosmetic Moisturizer.  Confusing, but I didn't really think about it since the article had stated that they were chaning the name of the product.

In early February, I received an unmarked box with a 1oz/30ml container of COAL Cosmetic Moisturizer.  This rang a bell from when I was trying to order a 14-day trial.  There was no packing slip inside so I looked back through my statements and found a charge from Clear Pours on 1/27.  This rang a bell...However, I remained really confusted since the name of COAL Cosmetic Moisturizer seemed wrong for what i thought I ordered.  I called the 800 number listed for Clear Pours on my statement and there was no answer.  I did a quick search on the internet for Clear Pours and came up with nothing. I read the ingredients on the bottle and it contains Aloe Vera, a product which I have severe reactions when there is contact with my face.  I set the bottle aside and quickly forgot to follow-up.  Fast forward to 4/12 and I happen to pull up my credit card statement and see that there is a charge from Clear Pours for 89.69.  I recalled the bottle I received back in February and realized this had slipped my mind.

I returned to my credit card statements and Year-to-Date been charged $274.02 for one 1 poz jar of product. 

I tried the number on my statement for Clear Pours (800-758-8412) and again there was no answer.  I gathered up the bottle of the moisturizer and called the number on the label 800-958-5410.  I was on hold for nearly 1/2 hour during which I did some additional research on the Facebook advertisement that I had responded to originally.  There were dozens of the interview articles and before & After pics, but the products that were used were all different!  (FACEBOOK search:  Shark Tank Wrinkle Cream, then select videos).  In one sponsored by skincare.shapenews.online, the article starts out discussing the Kim sisters product, they then refer to it as SolaGenics.  The next paragraph, it stated Coal cosmetic, then further in the article the article refereces SolaGenics again.  If you click the link to the SolaGenics, you are rerouted to another website www.activefirming.com with a call to order your free trial of a product called Active Firming.  

About this time, I am thoroughly confused.  I view a few more of the articles from the Facebook Search and I find that these products are also listed:  Nuvella, Aviqu Antiwrinkle, SolaGenics Active Firming, Coal cosmetics and Amore Skin Treatment to name a few.  I scroll down to the bottom of the page at www.activefirming.com and there are Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Contact us.  I review the Terms & conditions and this is where I find the first reference to Refreshing Beauty, LLC in Buffalo, WY.  Furthermore, I read through the Terms and Conditions and had I seen this at the beginning, I would not have purchased...they send you a 30-day supply.  The trial ends on the 14th day (10 days plus 4 days for shipping) and then you are charged for the entire 30-day supply.  If you do not cancel, they will continue to send you 30-day supplies of the product (however, that didn't happen in my situation!).  They also have an appalling returns policy and subscription cancellation policies.

My 45 miutes was well spent because by the time Epolito came on the line I had lots of questions.  The next 20 minutes were incredibly frustrating - Epolito was insulting, dismissive, accusatory, and generally unhelpful in resolution.  He kept telling me that if I had really looked into the compnay I would have found the contact information in less than one minute in a google search.  He never commented on my complaints that the phone number on the Credit Card Statement doesn't work, or that I thought I was ordering a product called Amore and it ended up being Coal Cosmetics.  He insinuated that I didn't understand the terms of the 14-day trial period and obviously that's where the problem is, and I reminded him that I am not questioning the 14-day trial offer at all - I just wanted to know why I ended up with another product than I was supposed to receive - furthermore, the Coal product contained Aloe Vera to whcih I am allergic.  Then I asked to speak with his supervisor and he came back in a few minutes and said all he could offer was 75% return credit for the last 2 months.  And that he would not require me to return the one currently in shipping (because there is a restocking fee and return fee and shipping charges - all of which would have cost more than the 25% discount.  

I asked again for confirmation that they had cancelled my subscription and credited back the two months of transactions.  I don't know who is behind all the bait and switch or deceptive advertising, but I will never buy anything through Facebook again!!!