A Black Nurse’s Warning to Black Women About Counterfeit Supplements
February 1, 2026
They knew exactly what to say to get my attention.
“Becky’s method doesn’t work for us.”
“Tired of Jamaican Black Castor Oil ruining your pillowcases?”
I felt SEEN. Finally, a company that understood the Black woman’s hair growth struggle. A company that got it – the mess, the frustration, the products that weren’t designed with our texture in mind.
So I did what many of us do. I saw the Facebook ad, got excited, and went to Amazon to find the product.
That’s where I got played.
What Happened
The ad I saw was for LUMIN Hair Growth Gummies – marketed as the “#1 Rated Hair Formula for Black Women” with over 40,000 happy customers. The product promised visible results in 3 weeks with a formula containing 3X more biotin, advanced silica complex, Rosemary, and Saw Palmetto.
Those last two ingredients matter. Rosemary has been clinically studied for hair growth – some research suggests it rivals minoxidil. Saw Palmetto blocks DHT, the hormone that contributes to hair loss. These are the hard hitters.
Instead of clicking the ad’s link, I went to Amazon and searched “LUMIN Hair Gummies.”
What I received was a product with nearly identical packaging – same red and white design, same “60 soft gummies,” same claims about hair growth. But it was distributed by a completely different company: BioPop Health Inc out of Aurora, Colorado.
And when I compared the ingredients?
No Rosemary. No Saw Palmetto.
Just a basic biotin gummy with vitamins C, D, and E – the same formula you can find in any drugstore for a fraction of the price.
The Scam Ecosystem Targeting Black Women
Here’s how this works:
Step 1: A legitimate company (like LUMIN) creates targeted ads that speak directly to Black women’s hair struggles. They use our language. They reference our experiences. They acknowledge that mainstream solutions don’t work for us.
Step 2: Knockoff companies create lookalike products with similar packaging and use the legitimate brand’s NAME as keywords on Amazon.
Step 3: When you search for the product you saw in the ad, you get served the counterfeit instead.
Step 4: You receive an inferior product missing the key active ingredients – but you don’t know that unless you compare labels side by side.
And who’s behind these knockoffs profiting off our pain points?
Let me just say this: the people running these operations don’t look like us. They’ve studied our struggles, our culture, our frustrations with hair loss – traction alopecia, CCCA, thinning edges – and they’re using that knowledge to sell us watered-down products at premium prices.
That’s not marketing. That’s exploitation.
Why This Matters: Black Women and Hair Loss
Studies show that anywhere from one-third to one-half of all Black women experience hair loss in their lifetime. Traction alopecia – caused by years of tight braids, weaves, and protective styles – affects one-third of women of African descent, making it the most common type of alopecia in our community.
We’re not just looking for cosmetic solutions. For many of us, this is about identity, confidence, and cultural expression. Our hair is our crown.
And these scammers know that. They’re counting on our desperation and our willingness to try anything that promises results.
How to Protect Yourself
As a Licensed Practical Nurse with 17+ years of clinical experience and over 30 years of personal supplement use, here’s what I want you to do:
1. Buy directly from the source. If you see an ad for a product, click THEIR link or go to THEIR website. Don’t search for it on Amazon – that’s where the counterfeits live.
2. Compare ingredient labels. Before you buy, look up the official product’s ingredients. When your package arrives, compare. If key ingredients are missing, you’ve been scammed.
3. Check the distributor. Look at who’s actually making the product. If the company name on your package doesn’t match the brand in the ad, that’s a red flag.
4. Research the company. A quick Google search can reveal when a company was formed, who’s behind it, and whether there are complaints.
5. Report counterfeits. If you’ve been scammed, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, report to Amazon, and dispute the charge with your bank. Leave reviews warning other sisters.
6. Support verified Black-owned businesses. Look for companies certified through the US Black Chambers, NMSDC, or other directories. Our money should go to people who actually care about our community – not people exploiting it.
What I’m Doing Now
I’m returning the counterfeit product to Amazon and reporting the listing. I’m disputing the charge. And I’m sharing this story so other Black women don’t fall into the same trap.
I still want to do an honest 90-day hair growth review – but I’m going to do it RIGHT. With a verified product from a company I can trust. And when I do, you’ll be the first to know.
In the meantime, protect yourself. Protect your coins. And spread the word.
Because our hair – and our trust – is worth more than a knockoff gummy.
—
Linda Beauty Marks is a Licensed Practical Nurse, AWAI-certified copywriter, and wellness advocate who believes in protecting her community through education and honest reviews.
—
Have you been scammed by a counterfeit supplement? Share your story in the comments below. The more we talk about this, the harder we make it for these companies to take advantage of our community.