10 beauty dupes to know about

As the cost of living continues to rise, more cosmetics consumers have been trying to spend less money and are instead choosing ‘dupes’ – beauty products that emulate more expensive counterparts at a much more affordable price.  

What is a beauty ‘dupe’? ​ 

It can be disheartening for a cosmetics brand, when after years of R&D, a similar product is launched by another brand and then sold at a lower price, but ‘dupes’ have been part of the beauty industry for decades.   

But while there is nothing new about this phenomenon, within the past couple of years, the fashion of finding a cheaper alternative to an iconic product has ‘gone viral’ and taken on an almost competition feel. As such, the brands creating the dupes have become increasingly brazen in their mimicry.   

Why are beauty dupes so popular now?   ​

The inflationary economy has been a big factor in the popularity of ‘dupes’, as well as their prevalence on social media channels like TikTok.   

According to Euromonitor beauty and health senior research analyst Emilie Hood, TikTok has had a “massive influence on this.”   

“I think it is a lot down to the fact this is ‘gamifying’ finding a bargain,” she said, revealing that Euromonitor’s research found that 43% of consumers said they enjoyed finding bargains.  

“It's about having fun and being ‘in with the in-crowd.’ You can be on-trend while spending less money. So, dupes are a no-brainer for a lot of consumers,” she continued.   

However, Hood also said she foresees this “kind of drawing back as consumers get a little bit more spending power back.”  

“They do prefer to buy premium brands at the end of the day, and they will stay loyal to premium brands when they can afford them,” she highlighted.    

Hood also recommended that cosmetics businesses will have to “be a bit savvy about what they are doing for consumers to keep them interested when their budgets are stretched.”  

Who is buying beauty ‘dupes’?  ​

Recent customer research from the beauty brand Avon​ identified that globally, Millennial and Gen Z consumers were spearheading the dupe trend. For example, in the UK, 64% of Gen Zs agreed that swapping out dupe products was a good way to save money.  

While in France, 54% of consumers aged between 16-34 went as far as saying that dupes of premium and luxury products provided the same experience as the original.  

And in Poland, 21% of women had lost faith in the more costly options, saying they no longer believed that they’re more efficacious than cheaper versions.  

However, in some ‘emerging market’ countries, there was a stronger belief that the original luxury products were better than dupes.   

In the Philippines, only 7% of beauty consumers believed that cheaper products were as effective as the originals.  

While in Turkey, nearly a third (30%) of women said they were willing to spend more on skin care products and economise in other areas because they viewed their skin as an investment.  

10 beauty dupes you’ll want to know about  ​

Here are 10 much-loved luxury beauty products with their lower-priced counterparts... 

Original: Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit, €36.90 

Dupe: Aldi Lacura Lip Kit, £4.49, (€5.33) 

The Aldi lip kits launched in the UK market this summer at a cost of just £4.49, which is a bargain compared to the Kylie Cosmetics version (normally priced around £30).
There are three colours to choose from; Nearly Nude, Velvet Sugar or Just Peachy and many reviewers felt the end results were similar to the original product.  

Original: Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, €29.90  

Dupe: e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer, €8 

e.l.f.’s concealer offers full coverage and a matte finish just like Tarte's version, making it a favourite for those looking to save money while achieving a beautifully flawless complexion.  

Original: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb €28 

Dupe: ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip, €10 

Rihanna’s Gloss Bomb formula is a much-loved lip gloss that moisturises and plumps lips and adds long-lasting glossy colour. But some consumers believe that ColourPop’s high-shine alternative gives similarly non-sticky yet still beautifully glossy results.  

Original: La Mer Crème de la Mer €210 (30ml) 

Dupe: Nivea Crème €2.50 (150 ml) 

Many beauty experts have long believed that Beiersdorf’s Nivea Crème is a good (and much cheaper) equivalent to the original luxe skin favourite, La Mer’s Crème de la Mer.   

Both offer skin intense hydration, although the La Mer formula does include extra more exclusive ingredients, including a fermented algae broth.

Original: Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream, €47 

Dupe: Lacura Tropical Essence Booty Balm, £4.99 (€5.93) 

Another one from German supermarket chain Aldi, the Lacura Tropical Essence Booty Balm is said to be a good alternative to Sol de Janeiro’s iconic skin-firming cream.  

Like the costlier version, it features Guaraná Extract, along with Cupuacu Butter and Coconut Oil. The balm has a fast-absorbing formulation that melts onto the skin while leaving a visibly firmer look. It’s also scented with coconut, jasmine and orange for a similarly summery, yet less potent scent than Sol de Janeiro’s caramel and pistachio-scented cream.   

Original: Sunday Riley Good Genes, €99 

Dupe: The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA, €13.50 

Good Genes is known for its exfoliating properties to leave skin perfectly polished. However, many beauty-lowers have argued that the The Ordinary's Lactic Acid provides similarly good exfoliating benefits at a much lower cost.  

Original: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, €23 

Dupe: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Cleanser, around €12 (but only available in the US market) 

Both products aim to combat breakouts. The Badescu option is a targeted spot treatment, but Neutrogena's formula, which features benzoyl peroxide to reduce acne, is designed as a facial wash for spot-prone skin.   

Original: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, €32  

Dupe: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise, €13.90  

Both mascaras provide volume and length with a similar brush design, for a dramatic look, but Lash Paradise comes sans the higher price tag. 

Original: Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette, around €59.95  

Dupe: Makeup Revolution Reloaded Eyeshadow Palette, €10.95  

Makeup Revolution's palette features a range of comparable nude shades and versatile finishes, allowing for beautiful looks at a much lower cost in comparison to Urban Decay’s much-loved eye shadow palette.   

Original: NARS Orgasm Blush, €39 

Dupe: Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, €13.95  

NARS’ original Orgasm is an iconic blusher that was designed to give ‘just the right amount’ of colour for a naturally flushed look. Milani's blush offers a similar peachy-pink shade with a luminous finish, making it a fantastic everyday alternative to the pricier product.