In the late 20th century, teenagers admired their favorite celebrities not just for their work, but for their style—especially their signature scents. Fragrances like Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, Poison by Dior, Giorgio by Giorgio Beverly Hills, and classics from Chanel were aspirational icons of luxury. But for most teens, these perfumes were far out of reach.

Enter the dupe. The fragrance industry responded to the demand with affordable alternatives that mimicked the essence of luxury scents. For Gen X teens, these drugstore dupes offered an accessible way to participate in the prestige culture without the luxury price. They allowed us to feel glamorous and sophisticated, without draining our allowances.

Fast forward to today, and Gen Z is leading a full-blown dupe renaissance, fueled largely by TikTok. Early beauty influencers, many of whom worked at retailers like Ulta and Sephora, built massive followings by showcasing techniques and high-end products. But soon, the demand for cheaper alternatives took over. The desire for luxe results without the luxury spend sparked a shift: content creators began spotlighting affordable products that delivered comparable performance.

This gave rise to new go-to brands for beauty dupes. Morphe gained traction for its bold, affordable eyeshadow palettes, while Essence became a favorite for budget mascaras and lip glosses. In fragrance, ALT. Fragrances offers scents inspired by luxury houses like Tom Ford and Hermès, often for a fraction of the price.

But no brand has embraced dupe culture quite like e.l.f. Cosmetics. Known for affordability and innovation, e.l.f. has turned trend mimicry into a business model. Their Power Grip Primer competes directly with Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip, while their Putty Primers, lip oils, and liquid blushes consistently mirror popular prestige products. Even their tools and brushes echo the design of higher-end counterparts.

When consumers want what’s hot—without the luxury markup—they turn to the e.l.f. shelf. And frequently, they find it empty. Many of e.l.f.’s viral products are in such high demand that they sell out quickly, proof that performance and price can coexist.

I’d be remiss not to mention L’Oréal, a beauty juggernaut with one of the most strategic dupe pipelines in the industry. L’Oréal owns both luxury brands (like Lancôme, Kérastase, and YSL Beauty) and widely available drugstore lines (L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, NYX). This unique position allows them to scale down innovations from their prestige labels and bring them to mass-market products—making salon-worthy hair care and pro-quality makeup available in every drugstore aisle.

For example, Kérastase products inspire many formulations in L’Oréal Paris hair lines, while cult-favorite items from Lancôme or Urban Decay often find echoes in Maybelline or NYX at a much more accessible price point. This crossover appeals not just to Gen Z, but also to Millennials focused on budgeting, and Gen Xers who no longer see the point in overspending.

In today’s beauty landscape, dupe culture isn’t just a cost-saving hack—it’s a consumer movement. With TikTok as its engine and brands like e.l.f. and L’Oréal leading the way, affordable alternatives are redefining what it means to be a luxury beauty shopper.

About the Author

Ms. Elenita (Elle) Morris is a recognized consumer packaged goods brand design thought-leader with particular expertise in beauty, haircare, and skincare. She speaks frequently at beauty conferences on the changing beauty consumer landscape and how brands are evolving their offerings to appeal to this new constituency. Follow Elle Morris on LinkedIn.