As someone who loves making videos online about beauty, I also watch a lot of them. In the time I’ve been on TikTok (around 2 years now), I’ve watched as the beauty landscape has steadily skewed more and more in favour of dupes.
Promises of new discoveries draw me in, like “I’ve found an alternative to Chanel’s cream bronzer for a fraction of the price!” (If you’re wondering, they’re hailing the Primark Bronze Whip, which is available in store.)
But is this really true? People often ask me now to confirm that a ‘dupe’ is really as good as they’ve heard, but sometimes, beyond similar packaging, there is a tenuous likeness at best.
One of my favourite websites is incidecoder.com. You copy and paste any ingredients list into it, and it will tell you exactly what you’re looking at, also flagging helpful factors like whether the product is fragrance or essential oil-free.
Out of curiosity, I recently compared the ingredients list of the cult Dr. Paw Paw Original Balm, £6.95, LookFantastic – family-owned and manufactured in the UK – and the strikingly similar version that the Aldi Lacura range offers en masse. Despite an almost identical packaging and name, the ingredients lists hugely differed.
Despite these examples, I’m definitely not saying that quality, legitimate dupes don’t exist – it’s just about sniffing out the hidden gems.
Take the Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 fragrance, for example; a unique (and now viral) scent, this is one of the sexiest fragrances in existence. Somehow understated and head-turning all in one, this is priced in accordance with its splendour at an eye-watering £215.
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Imagine my delight, then, when fellow Eliza columnist Laura Capon texted me from LA to tell me that Sol de Janeiro had released a new cream, Beija Flor (now available in a matching scent), which smelt just like it and came in at over 10x less price-wise.
Speaking of fragrance, when exploring Yorkshire during a weekend away last winter, I discovered the Yorkshire Soap Company, which offers a Willy Wonka style patisserie-meets-perfumerie experience. The brand’s Night Night Sweetheart fragrance is incredibly similar to Jo Malone London’s Pomegranate Noir, without needing to emulate it in name or packaging to entice an audience.
Makeup-wise, my argument stands that there is no need to look for intentional dupes when there are so many exceptional affordable brands – and this is how to save money best in this arena.
Tiktok is awash with dupes for Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter, from the e.l.f Halo Glow Liquid Filter, £14, Boots, to the Collection Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish, £6.99, Boots.
Personally, I find that mixing a touch of the Peaches and Cream Goddess Illuminator, £5.95, Peaches and Cream, into your everyday foundation will mimic that foundation/illuminator hybrid that Charlotte has captured so well, despite bearing no immediate likeness.
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Speaking of e.l.f, this is another brand to prioritise. Though a definite player in the dupe space (its Sheer Slick Lipstick in Black Cherry, which FYI is usually sold out everywhere, is a close match to Clinique’s iconic Black Honey) this isn’t necessarily intentional. Some of its viral heroes – like the putty blushers and bronzers – aren’t dupes per se but perform just as well as expensive counterparts.
Instead of beelining toward the latest dupe, my advice would be to write a list of what you want from your beauty routine and look for those things within your budget. Rather than trusting copycat packaging, see if your favourite affordable brand will offer that colour or texture.
With high street beauty more sophisticated than ever, and the return of brands like Bourjois (home to Healthy Mix, one of the earliest blogger dupes for Chanel’s Vitalumiere foundation), your routine can be cost effective and still deliver immaculate results.
All of this said – is there a higher end makeup item that you’re desperate to find an alternative for? Let me know on Instagram @RoseGallagher and I’ll start the search.
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