In my experience during the years, TikTok has made a huge platform for creators and brands. During those times I have seen different trends, and different influencer to promote those trends. One that has been around are “dupes.” The term dupe, short for duplicate, is a product that is sold for cheaper that has a goal of working almost the same as a more expensive product. For example, I have seen many accounts that have made a platform based off of finding the perfect dupe for cheap, than having to spend a lot of money on an expensive product that works the same such as @snipestwins on TikTok. Influencers will make posts about two brands, examples being Amazon and Lululemon, or E.L.F. and milk makeup, and compare them side by side to show that each product works the same.

With audiences loving the content, TikTok has noticed and has helped promote the accounts with the uses of generated accounts of boosting content, and the company makes the influencers accounts appear on peoples for you page. Not only that, there is now a “TikTok Shop” influencers promote these dupes that TikTok now sells and influencers and TikTok can make money. I think finding a dupe can be great, but I do see issues where the term “Dupe” is being misused. I see companies who have the same price points, such as Charlotte Tilbury and Tarte, having copies of each others products, such as Charlotte’s liquid highlighter wand and Tarte’s highlighter tape, being almost the same thing.

I think dupes are great, but now I see a chain reaction of products all looking the same with one brand having the the main idea, whether the price point. I have dupes myself such as E.L.F.’s power grip primer, the dupe to Milk Makeup’s hydrogrip primer, and I love both, but I do not like how brands use other brand’s ideas, packaging, and almost the same name to promote theirs. I love how we have cheaper alternatives and high quality products for low prices with platforms to help find those products, but I wish brands would have more original thinking.

But enough about me; what are your thoughts and opinions?