The Skinny: Why I Hate Beauty Dupes

Sure, we should acknowledge that dupes were created and popularized to make products accessible for all, we fail to mention a few important points, and I'm here to provide you with some food for thought!

First, the formula matters, and the percentage of every single ingredient matters. So unless a company has the ingredient dossier (aka recipe with blending instructions), no two products will EVER be the same; they're just not.

I would say the ONLY exception is *maybe* color cosmetics, and it would be more so for the shade and not necessarily for performance.

Secondly, dupes are less expensive and are often associated with beauty hauls. It plays into the "more is better" mentality, and people often purchase more products because they are less expensive. That contributes to several things...

1. Jumping around and inconsistency with skincare could cause irritation, acne, and other adverse effects to the skin or no results at all.

2. It creates a massive amount of waste for the environment.

3. Many copycat brands want to get their product on the market as quickly as possible to keep up with the trends. Sourcing is often non-recyclable packaging, and ingredients may not be ethically sourced or high-quality, etc. Essentially, corners must be cut to make the quick launch time of a dupe. In my opinion, dupes are equivalent to fast fashion. 😳

YES, affordable options are a good thing! There are tons of fantastic products on the market that are very reasonably priced. I always recommend budget-friendly products on my social media and blog. My suggestions are to buy less (for your skin and environment), buy with intention, and buy well informed from brands that are within your budget and not copying others!

As always, I am here to provide information so you can make decisions on your own!

Here are some #babeonabudget options!