According to trend forecasting company WGSN’s “Beauty Big Ideas 2023” report, today’s consumer tends to take counsel from virtual communities. Considering that is where dupes are highly talked about, it is no surprise that social media platforms form the foundation of dupe culture.

The benefits of dupes

For some, trying a dupe lets them test a shade or hue range or a variety of ingredients before they splurge on the original.

For others – especially those constantly trying the latest trends – it is about not spending all of their money on an expensive product that may not be a good fit for their routine or is only a passing fad.

When are dupes worth it, and when are they not?

One of the common worries that people have when considering dupes is if they will work as well as the original product. The bottom line is their worthiness should be evaluated on a case-to-case basis.

Some dupes deliver almost identical benefits to those you will get from their more expensive counterparts, while others look similar but will differ significantly when it comes to formulation and effectiveness.

This is why one of the most important questions to ask yourself before getting a dupe is: “What aspect of the high-cost product am I attempting to replicate?”

Is it the colours, the longevity or its effects on your skin? Is it all the ingredients in the formula or only a few of them? Is it about the possibilities it offers or the specific, unique characteristics one of the products provides you with?

Once you have the answer to that question, take advantage of the thousands of videos and reviews available online to figure out if a dupe is worth trying.

Additionally, especially for skincare, you should compare the ingredients to analyse how similar the products are. Sometimes two products will have the same ingredients but different percentages of them in the formula, which can influence how effective they are.

The ethical factor

One of the main controversies surrounding dupe culture is how ethical it is. Before getting into that, it is important to understand the difference between a dupe and a replica.

A dupe is a product that is similar to something else but not an exact copy. While it is easier to tell the difference between the two in the fashion world, the line can be a bit more blurry in the beauty world.

Some experts believe that, though the idea behind buying a dupe is to spend less, most people end up consuming more by buying more products than they need.

“A less expensive item can mean that ingredient sourcing and production practices are more likely to feed into the same ills as fast fashion,” says sustainability expert and author Ashlee Piper.

“Instead of making do with items we currently have and paring down our beauty routines to focus on sustainable items with a focus on multi-use, reusability, and circularity (using food waste to make eco-conscious beauty products), dupe culture can sometimes focus on acquiring more than we actually need and will use.”

Popular products people seek dupes for

While there are countless dupes to choose from, there are a select few that have become cult favourites.

According to Google’s ranking of the most searched-for beauty products for those seeking dupes, Clinique’s Black Honey lipstick tops the list with an estimated 16,000 monthly searches, followed by Dyson’s Airwrap with over 14,000 searches every month.

Olaplex also makes it to the list, with over 5,000 monthly searches, while Kylie Jenner’s Matte Lip Kit and Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream take fourth place with almost 4,000 searches each.