L'Etoile Premium Skin Care, AKA. Beauty Impression, PIEROSKINCARE, AGEFREESKIN restoraagedefy.comskincarebeautyshop.com getluxuriousbeauty.com wrinklefreeproducts.com skincreamspecialoffer.com trynewageskin14daytrial.com letoileskincream.com letoilecream.org simpleantiagingskin.com Sells expensive monthly subscriptions to skin care products disguised as a free trial Los Angeles California

L'Etoile Skin Care uses a deceiving ordering process for selling their skin care products online disguised as a free trial. I reported several of their deceptive practices to the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau and, within less than a week, I managed to get refunds for the 2 products they charged me once the 14 day trial ended, for a total of almost $200. I also contacted my financial institution to report the fraud and block my payment card from future charges.

I am still working with the BBB to get the merchant to correct their web pages.

I was also told you can file a complaint through Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://complaint.ic3.gov, who are in the best position to fully investigate any such issue across any/all service providers. I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Here are a few of the many domain names they use:
> skincarebeautyshop.com registered 12/5/2016
> skincreamspecialoffer.com " 1/16/2017
> trynewageskin14daytrial.com " 3/15/2017
> letoileskincream.com " 2/1/2017
simpleantiagingskin.com
getluxuriousbeauty.com
wrinklefreeproducts.com
beautyimpressions.net
...

A note in small print at the bottom of the checkout page does indicate a charge after 14 day trial, but no checkbox, as claimed when I called for a refund (see sample text below).

They advertize, for instance, product trials for $5.96 Illustra and $4.94 L'Etoile skin care including shipping (as well as other product names). While you think you are ordering 1 trial product, you are truly placing an order for 2 trial skin products and 2 monthly subscriptions. I received 2 emails from support@getluxuriousbeauty.com for l'Etoile trial and a buyer protection charge and another email for an Illustra eye serum trial order from support@wrinklefreeproducts.com, right after I placed my order for l'Etoile cream.

A small 'Buyer Protection' checkbox for "safe shipping" is checked by default and causes you to be charged an extra $1.98 if you don't take the time to read through the whole page before submitting your order.

They make false claims about celebrities using their products and an advanced highly concentrated maximum strength formula with premium ingredients. The product sheet in shipment has absolutely no product name but a list of claims: decreases fine lines, removes puffiness, hydrates... diminishes wrinkles. They do not list their ingredients on the products themselves. The shipment includes a little card with a list of possible billing names for your upcoming credit card statement, signed by Erica Baldwin, Chief Beauty Officer, and a customer service # 888-636-1356.

When I called for a refund, they falsely claimed that their page includes a "I accept terms & conditions" checkbox that I had to click. Most people do not scroll down the checkout page and therefore they do not notice that information. The confirmation emails (1 per product with different company names) do not include that information either.

I was billed respectively $98.09 for L'etoile cream (88T*PIEROSKINCARE 888-370-1432) and $89.29 for Illustra (AGEFREESKIN 866-495-1782).

Several websites (unfortunately, ranked higher than ripoffreport.com) rate their products decently well.

If you call any of their customer service numbers, they refuse to refund the charges after the 14 day trial period and they decline any return, even if the product is unused. They offer a discount for future months, which I wasn't interested in. If you insist, they claim they will cancel the subscription and you will not get charged for the following months. I wouldn't trust that.

Unsurprisingly, their product quality is low. No noticeable skin improvement with l'Etoile cream, unlike other products I've used.

The phone rep gave me this address for their company, after I insistently asked for it:

L'Etoile Premium Skin Care
120 East 8th St #301
Los Angeles, CA 90014

The product names, price amounts, company names, domain names keep changing.

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Sample small print I found after the fact on one of their checkout pages:
http://www.simpleantiagingskin.com/
"By clicking "Order Now" we're giving you a trial bottle for only $4.95 today (non refundable), and then you have 14 days from the date you place your order with us to evaluate the product. If you are unhappy with the product at any time during those 14 days, you must call or email us to avoid being billed and cancel receiving future shipments. If you are satisfied with our product, do nothing and we will bill you $89.95 for the trial bottle you received. We will also send you a full month supply for $89.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling, every thirty (30) days thereafter. Cancel anytime by phone by calling 866-991-4084."

See also http://skincreamspecialoffer.com, etc.

A few of the observations I shared with the Better Business Bureau:
1. If you click on the Rush My Trial button at http://letoilecream.org/, it navigates you to https://restoraagedefy.com/special/ccm/desk/?tid=102e16918fc377e610099a5f7e0b11&subid=letoilecrmLaura&affid=1006.
After entering your contact info, you land on the checkout page https://restoraagedefy.com/special/ccm/desk/checkout.php.
If you scroll down the page, you can find the small print note below. This information needs to be moved to the top of the page, so all customers see it. There should be a checkbox, unselected by default, requiring users to acknowledge they read this condition. Checking this checkbox should be required to submit the order.
"We take great pride in our Restora Age-defy Skin Care Line! It is the most powerful Anti-Aging system on the market. All our customers love it! If for some reason you do not, we can issue a refund. By Submitting, you consent to having read and agreed to our Terms. After your fourteen days trial period, you will be charged the retail price of the product $89.97 and will be enrolled in our anti-wrinkle membership program. Call Customer Care anytime if you have any questions or concerns."

2. Also note that when you click on the Rush My Trial button, this places an order for a serum called Restora, not l'Etoile cream, presented in the previous page http://letoilecream.org/! This is also a deceptive practice.