Omg I literally thanked him out loud 😊 9 times out of 10 I’m doin something so that’s such a good idea idk if anyone else does it but he’s the only one I’ve seen it’s such a lil thing that shows he cares/knows his viewers
I think dupes fill an important role in the makeup industry, but you can't have your brand be entirely dependent on dupes. Like elf has some famous dupes, but they also have their own hero products.
Their pink concealer is the bomb and nobody else makes one that matches my skin tone. I'm of Irish decent, partially, and I am very pale with pink undertones. 400 shades of white girl foundation, and I still have to mix, lol.
Exactly. I also feel like there is a difference between a dupe and what Revolution is doing. A dupe would be something like making a similar shade of gloss, experimenting with new formulas or just using a similar concept or theme. Revolution is like the Shein of the makeup world. Ironically Shein's makeup line (Sheglam) has put more creativity into their products than Revolution has. Revolution just sees a popular item and copies it with cheaper ingredients
I'm honestly all for drugstore brands making affordable dupes of luxury makeup/skincare products. However, it is absolutely unacceptable to steal artistic ideas from smaller/indie brands, or steal packaging that had so much work put into it. It's like making counterfeit art.
I love dupes. It does make a better market for those who like an item but can’t afford it. I’ve saved up to buy a really nice brand name product that was out of my price range. But never in a million years would I want a carbon copy knock off. It sucks the soul and creativity out and says “I want money.” A dupe might be inspiration in packaging, color or even consistency but not everything.
I won't use Revolution. I actually like some dupes. If it's something very exspensive. But I will not use Revolution . I felt very bad for that girls small company. Revolution is everywhere. OMG. I had no idea
I think the perfect example of a good dupe is the elf putty primer. It’s not trying to be like the tatcha silk canvas primer in terms of packaging but it fills a gap in the market for a more affordable dimethicone-ey balm like primer. Dupes should be made with the intent of creating more inexpensive versions of an existing product without looking like a cheap knock off at the same time
The only primer I use is the putty, I even use it with no makeup on top because it just makes my skin look so amazing! I didn't even know it was supposed to be a dupe
Rainbow is pretty, colorful, it's something you don't see every day,it makes people smile (usually) when they see one. You could think of people's lives as everyone having their own cloud. It's something like: "she's/he's a ray of sunshine in my life". At least that's how I understand it. (I didn't reach that point in video yet,so I don't know the context.I assume it's some brand's marketing "catchphrase") 😅
As a person who can't afford a $12 box of hair dye, I really appreciate dupes and don't feel bad about luxury brands losing money over them. However, I do feel bad about indie brands losing money to dupes created by larger compied like Revolution.
If you are an American have you tried applying for the UHC card? if you are on Medicaid/EBT/SSI you probably qualify and it gives you gap coverage insurance on top of $168 a month for health items or healthy groceries at certain stores or you could pay a phone bill with it. You can also earn rewards every month that could be spent on anything in the store and I think those rewards would help you be able to afford a box of hair dye. So far this year I have gotten $10 in rewards every month for exercising for 10 days and reporting it to the app. And in the beginning of the year there’s a lot more opportunity to earn these rewards that could be spent on most anything at Walmart. This is also not a sponsor but I do like the Flip app because I joined it and got a $35 off coupon making it so I could afford Anastasia Beverly Hills. I got 55 dollars off her make up for 21 with free shipping but they have all sorts of stuff on the app including a hair dye I know my neighbor used her coupon and got a bunch of perfumes for $13. This all coming from someone whos physically disabled & unable to work with only 100-200 a month left after bills. I hope this helps you because these things have helped me be able to afford things I wouldn’t otherwise
If you are an American have you tried applying for the UHC card? if you are on Medicaid/EBT/SSI you probably qualify and it gives you gap coverage insurance on top of 168 a month for health items or healthy groceries at certain stores or you could pay a phone bill with it. You can also earn rewards every month that could be spent on anything in the store and I think those rewards would help you be able to afford a box of hair dye. So far this year I have gotten 10 in rewards every month for exercising for 10 days and reporting it to the app. And in the beginning of the year there’s a lot more opportunity to earn these rewards that could be spent on most anything at Walmart.
First part wont post so sorry if this doesnt make sense. This is also not spons but I do like the Flip app because I joined it and got a 35 off making it so I could afford Anastasia Beverly Hills. I got 55 dollars off her make up for 21 with free shipping but they have all sorts of stuff on the app including a hair dye I know my neighbor used her coupon and got a bunch of perfumes for 13. This all coming from someone whos physically disabled & unable to work with only 100-200 a month left after bills. I hope this helps you because these things have helped me be able to afford things I wouldn’t otherwise
The first part won’t post for some crazy reason but if you look into the UHC card if you are on any sort of benefits in America you probably can get it & they have monthly rewards that have helped me afford things
To me, I feel like we got carried away with the word "dupe" what Revolution does and what Shein does with clothes and make up are not "dupes" in my opinion. Maybelline has those super stay liquid foundation and if I happen to find one in my shade that acts similarly to like Teint Idol by Lancome, THAT is a dupe. Thats just an example but if you happen to find something from an already existing cheaper range that works just as well, THAT is a dupe. Waiting for collections to launch, or runways shows to happen and then launching the exact same products in the exact packaging that DOESNT wear, look, or feel the same; isn't duping. it's copying and you should be sued.
Hey Robert! Love these videos. Dupes are okay, as long as it's not a carbon copy. Also I neeeeed to tell you...I booked my first paying client this morning!! 😊😊 have a lovely day!!
I believe there’s a difference between providing an affordable dupe of high end luxury products at drugstore price points and just straight up copying any product that goes viral. It’s literally fast makeup, and Revolution’s business model is no different than SHEIN ripping off small business designs.
They suck because of how they just rip off indie brands. I HATE it. I prefer to support indie brands, and it just annoys the hell out of me how they just steal everything. So rude.
I'd prefer supporting smaller brands when I can unfortunately when you're sensitive or allergic to certain formulas if can be sketchy and scary. And it sucks because you feel stuck with a product you can't use. I've never had a allergy test done and am not sure exactly what in sensitive to and it seems to change. Wish companies would make "gentle" versions of the same thing so everyone can use the product.
@@FukaiKokoroAllergy tests typically look at more common allergens, unless you’ve been able to pinpoint specific ingredients and even then it depends on if they can get that specific allergen by itself to test. A good thing to do is keep a journal of things that cause an allergic reaction and compare the ingredient lists to see if you can find a shared ingredient that is specific to those formulas. Even then it is probable with less common allergies that you may never be able to pinpoint your allergens. I have life threatening allergic reactions to allergens that we’ve never been able to identify (called idiopathic allergies) which is common with mast cell disorders (mast cell activation syndrome, mast cell activation disorder, mastocytosis, etc). As far as gentle formulations (I assume you mean hypoallergenic), it’s impossible to produce anything that has zero possibility of causing an allergic reaction in someone. The term hypoallergenic means that they claim to be free of common allergens but even then the term is not regulated so it’s more of a marketing gimmick.
Okay I understand! Thanks for the information! I am sensitive to most plants except poison oak which is bizzare. I don't think I've ever had a reaction to poison oak. I'm also sensitive to latex. Because latex is plant based. The worst reaction I had was from morphe and as I'm aware they don't list ingredients so I've stayed far away from them. It was such a beautiful pallet too. It makes my eyes red and itchy and puffy. And kinda swell up. It sucks having allergies/ sensitivities to things. Definitely makes basic life stuff so hard. @@teufel75
@@RobertWelshhave you done videos on smaller indie brands? I don’t know many and I’d like to try some out. Have you tried anything by BeatsByDeb? I adore her and want to support her brand and I know you have the tea on great quality products
I love seeing your eyebrow scar and that you don’t fill it in. I have a scar all the way through one brow and I try to hide it, but it never looks good. You’ve made me feel like I should just embrace it…at 54 years old. And wait! You colored the scar! A vibrant color too! ❤
Dupes are always so hard for me. On the one hand, theft is bad. Stealing someone's idea sucks. On the other hand, I also think sometimes high end brands charge INSANE prices for something that doesn't need to cost that much, so it feels very Robin Hood at times.
Robin Hood is literally the best way to put it... like yes, we all love a dupe cos if we could go & drop close to £100 for a CT highlighter & blush I'm sure we would... but totally ripping off/ straught up copying a brand's innovative product (especially smaller brands) is wrong imo
I couldn't love this comment more! The beauty industry actually marginalises people who don't have the cash. Today I was obsessing over the new highlighter by Katie Jane Hughes, £70 for a little pot, I simply cannot afford this product and it brings out this jealousy in me for people who can blow tons of high end make up who truly don't even use it for anything noteworthy. I have MUA friends who do shoots for Vogue who can't even afford these brands yet the brands are dropping every shade of a new foundation to everyone on their PR list! I don't buy revolution because I hate the brand ethos, but if I can get a dupe of Nars orgasm, I'm buying it (thank you Sleek)
The worst part is that someone like me who is not a makeup afficionado and just a casual user/ occasional wearer would never know the small brand bc most would find their knockoff first for distribution reasons in retail settings or online bc of advertising dollars in search engines. So the intellectual property owners/ originators have no way to correct the narrative until it's too late...
I've always felt there is a difference between a dupe done with some level of integrity and just ripping someone off. Like I personally feel ELF does a good job. The products they dupe have been out for a time before they dupe it, and it's also comparable, so it's a nice alternative. Revolution is such low quality and do it so rapidly that it does feel like they are ripping people off and not just giving people a more affordable option.
Yeah the ELF dupes are not exactly the same. They have a unique feature that makes them not exact copies and that brings something unique. Like the halo glow liquid filter has more coverage than CT
Oomf. Revolution has long been my problematic fave. I didn’t realize how badly they were ripping small businesses off. Thanks for enlightening me, I’m done with them.
😂😂😂😂 when I say it… I can picture people cleaning, or working or doing their skincare so I am absolutely talking to you personally and asking you to look! 😂
When they bought BH it broke my heart. Since they did so the melanin-friendly shades I love have faded into TikTok Ameliorated pale shades for girls obsessed with unicorns.
Makeup Revolution is more inclusive than BH ever was. They did a collab with The Plastic Boy and his whole collection was made with melanin-friendly shades. They have a lot of black creators featured on their social media. A lot of their eyeshadow palettes are dark skin friendly. I don’t understand your comment.
@neovalkyrie0 I think the op just meant since BH was bought out, their specific melanin friendly shades have been erased. BH was around for such a long time and plenty of people had favorites so even if Revolution has plenty of melanin friendly products, some people have favorites that are now gone. And sadly, Revolution cycles and discontinues so much product that it's sometimes hard to pick a favorite no matter your skin tone bc you blink and the product is gone. 😭
@@Silenceeifya relatively cheap but still good quality makeup brand that used to do collabs with RUclipsrs back in the day like Carlie Bybel (or however you spell it Im not sure)
@@neovalkyrie0 I’ve used Revolution as well. When a Brown girl tries their eyeshadows, no matter how intense they are in the pan, on our skin they’re too sheer and very dry. Unless you’re wearing pale pinks, blues, greens, etc. With sparkles. Is that easier to understand?
Dupes are such a fine line: on one hand it can be useful if you're wanting makeup on a budget and a product happens to perform as equal to something more expensive, but on the other you'll hear a product is a carbon copy just at a cheaper price and both look the same. Then you have influencers say something is a dupe but it's really not. Since I don't wear makeup often I usually keep to products that 100% work for me so I normally don't venture into dupe territory
Another way to look at it, one companies formula maybe contain ingredients or a formula that someone could be sensitive to or allergic to while the dupe maybe doesn't. So it can also give people with allergies or sensitivities a chance to use a similar product. Wish companies would make gentle versions of the same product so you could buy the regular one or the gentle one.. it's annoying and frustrating when You feel stuck with a pallet you can't use because it makes your face puzzy, red and itchy and makes your eyes water.
Revolution is the makeup equivalent of a RUclips content farm, istg. No makeup brand should realistically have THIS MANY sub-brands, especially when they’re all essentially the exact same in terms of quality and branding.
Robert I’m a 17 year old student in a beauty academy who has been watching you since 2019. I carry your knowledge with me through every service I give and you have truly changed my life and artistic ability. I could never stop watching you, and sending you love ❤❤❤
As someone who up until very recently was living off £500 or less a month, I loved makeup revolution for making affordable dupes so I could still have makeup as my creative outlet. Now that I have an actual income that doesn’t restrict me, I’m planning to move away from it as it’s not what I *need* to buy anymore. (I wonder how my view will change by the end of the video)
@@RobertWelshmy opinion did change! I learned a lot of stuff I didn’t know before that has lead me to make the decision that I won’t return to their products again. I can’t believe I missed that whole thing with Pink Honey!
Your going from 500 a month to something affordable as income, don't rush into more expensive brands. Robert has tons of money. Get your essentials and learn how to manage your money first cause when you go from poverty level to a decent income most people end up just getting by as if still on poverty level because they don't learn money management instead they run to consume.
@@Danielle-ze9ds oh, I don’t plan to be diving head first into lush brands. I still have the makeup I have now- it’ll still last me a while. No need to go out and spend all my money needlessly. Also, I appreciate the concern. I have fine money management skills. I was only on £500 a month as I’m an international who was at uni, my immigration visa severely restricted my work.
I became aware of their bullshit after Manny's highlighter debacle. And until recently you were still able to find those Revolution knock-offs here in New Zealand in a major department store. I agree with your final take. When you start out playing with makeup they seem a good option, but with time comes awareness of their hi-jinks at which time I think a know-better, do-better approach is appropriate. I have similar feelings about Jeffree Star and Too Faced.
Love you Robert! I'm a licensed cosmetologist and while this is a tough industry people like you keep me going and I'm able to see the beauty in it!! Thanks for always being honest and putting out quality videos for us ❤️❤️
@@RobertWelshI've always been curious about something. And I understand that UK, and US guidelines may differ, but where is the line between legal, and illegal dupes? I'll use ELF for example. They make pretty accurate dupes of expensive products, but they don't get sued. Is there a way that works?
@@crissy4346 The best example I can think of is Elf's 16 HR camo concealer. It has a similar formula to Tarte's Shape Tape, and also has the big applicator. But it's not a total rip off of Tarte's packaging and marketing. And they only dupe products from large brands, they don't steal from indie brands and small businesses
I'm still sad about Bh cosmetics 😭 their zodiac pallet was the absolute best, but if they re-release it I already know I'm going to hate the quality and formula change
Dupes for high end DISCONTINUED products are 100% needed (RIP my cracked KVD eyeshadow palette). Mac is notorious for discontinuing lipsticks I love, so someone keeping the things I love alive is fine in my book 🤷🏻♀️
I used go believe in dupes and buy them religiously. Then I started creating custom jewelry lol once you've had your idea stolen, that you worked so hard on, it changes your mind about a lot of things.
When it comes to dupes, I think having a similar color story is fine, but ripping off packaging and layout and making claims that they perform the same isn't fine. Don't get the business by lying about what you're selling. Update: yep, that went where I thought it was going. There's nothing wrong with being an affordable makeup choice, but don't oversell what you're capable of, and don't rip other creatives and companies off.
So many thoughts about this video: 1) I think when it comes to dupes, I am in favor of ones like Elf, but there's a lot of nuance and discussion to have around it, like better standing up for Indie Brands when it's happening and holding big companies accountable. 2) Class is in SESSION! Once again, I am SO here for Robert's teaching videos. Robert, your teaching style and manner, like all else you do, is top notch, easy to listen to and follow, and so illuminating. Also class is in session because as always you never stop being classy. 3) Can we talk about the way that eyeliner made your brown eyes just pop? If milk chocolate was a gemstone... damn! Anyways, thank you so much for this video! I love the interactive nature of it and found it a breath of fresh air compared to other videos out there.
Revolutionen can't see the difference between creating a dupe or a copy. One thing is to create a cheaper version of a product wich gives the same result, but to steal the design and exact colour stories is something else.
The ordinary has showed us ingredient prices are way more affordable than these big brands are advertising them us so it's good that there's healthy competition, because as someone who buys luxury makeup some of these prices really are ridiculous.
“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” The audacity of appropriating a Maya Angelou quote to advertise their cheap makeup! Her estate should send them a cease & desist! It shouldn’t surprise me that a company known for copying other brands would use a quote from a civil rights leader to sell eye shadow. What’s next? “I Have a Dream” lip gloss?
I think I have exactly one Makeup Revolution product I’ve ever purchased, which is the dupe of the Morphe matte setting spray, and it was not good. I think dupes are perfectly fine and having affordable versions of higher end products is great! Some of them are even better! But there’s a difference between a dupe and a complete copy or rip-off, especially when they harm small businesses.
Totally agree whit you i own a few revolution products. The Shoph pallet, one balm blush (thats a dupe of Jones Road i didnt know). I love the Soph pallet and the balm blush. A few other things that are not dupes. But i wil never buy from them again. And i will do research in brands in the future. Because i dont want to support brands who steal one on one copy's. And were the ceo is an racist. Thank you Robert for pointing things out and jusing your time to do the research. I cant trow my revolution products away because i had to save for a year for the Soph pallet. And can't buy something new. And trowing it away is also waistful. But what i can and will do is think about what i buy in the future from other brands.❤❤
That poor girl from Pink Honey, she doesn't deserve that. There's dupes and there's taking the p, they were doing the latter with what they did to her 😢
As far as dupes go, I feel like brands offering a more affordable version of popular expensive products sounds good in theory, but it seems to usually end up looking more like plagiarism...also, offering a similar-looking product with sub-par results (*ahem* revolution) isn't bringing a benefit to anyone but the dupe brand. I'd rather use unique, good-quality drug store products than cheap dupes that won't live up to the expensive versions.
100 percent. There are plenty of good quality affordable brands nowadays. Just because you don't have the money for more expensive brands, (I definitely don't) doesn't make stealing ok. Or contributing to it. Also, stealing from an indie brand is just shitty.
Plus, there is absolutely no need to buy expensive stuff since there is more than a lot of affordable products around. As if a Pat McGrath makeup was as necessary as food, clothes or having a roof over one's head...
I adore your integrity, Robert, and how you’re plugged into the best of the influencer beauty community. So glad you’re sharing Jen’s videos (she also deserves all the success, and she’s done SO much research and work to make it understandable for us all, and I’m so glad you’re referring to her work!)
I'm okay with dupes. Not everyone can afford higher end makeup and imo those people should be able to get good products that are in their budget as well. Edit: I don't agree on the dupe just straight up copying the packaging/name etc. People should know it's a dupe for the other product
I wish I could sit here and say I’ll never buy a dupe again…but as a skint single mum, I definitely will. The high end brands just charge FAR too much. I’m sorry 😬 PS - Love this look. Your eyeshadow is divine!! 😍
Dupes are okay if the ingredients aren't harmful. Many people can't afford the named brands especially in times like these. They still want the pleasure of taking care of their skin and wearing makeup on a daily basis. Love your videos Robert, much love from Glasgow Scotland. 💙
I think you're talking about counterfeit products rather than a dupe. Dupes shouldn't pretend to be the original products. AFAIK dupes don't typically contain dangerous products while counterfeit can.
Makeup Revolution was the final nail in the Bh Cosmetics coffin. Very sad because those travel palettes were some of the best eyeshadow formulas ever- and not just for the price! I’m sad to see that brand fail.
Totally agree. So sad about the demise of bh. Still my favourite affordable Indie brand with amazing quality. I have a rather vast collection of bh palettes which are ageing…but still beautiful to use. MR also ripped bh out of Australia so even the newer releases weren’t available here anymore. 🥹😔
BH did try to continue their travel series and came out with quads but they were no good. Their releases shortly after they closed weren’t made by MR, they released BH’s last original products. They did come up with new products under MR but I don’t see anyone reviewing them.
@@neovalkyrie0 oh yes- it’s so disappointing, isn’t it? Wherever it was that Bh Cosmetics sourced their formula from originally- that was the winning formula. It have heard it was a Japanese formula, even though the palettes were manufactured in China, although that may not be true- but Japan is known for churning out high quality products and that formula was exquisite. There really isn’t anything that quite compares. I do like the Glam Lite formula, but I’m tired of the horror genre releases. I want pretty makeup- not something that reminds me of gore and blood and violence. There is too much of that in the real world these days. I like my makeup to be a little escape from that. Colourpop is still good- but Bh Cosmetics was next level. The travel and brunch palettes were not only great formulas, but they were also very beautiful and well thought out color stories. The nuances in the shades were really beautiful too. How this company mismanaged things so terribly is beyond me and it’s probably a lesson in How to Lose a Business.
@@kam0406 yes their brushes are some of the best I own. Their early eyeshadow palettes weren’t anything special but their releases after their ice cream palettes were top tier. MR hasn’t released any new eyeshadow palettes for them mostly blushes, bronzer and lip products. Wish BH was able to come out of their demise b/c they were on a roll.
When they describe Revolution Pro it’s basically saying “New and Improved” which basically is saying “regular Revolution is old and shitty”. I didn’t mind them ripping off Too Faced Chocolate palettes bc I hate Too Faced😂 Lastly, I’m convinced they have moles inside other companies bc the sheer speed at which they come out with dupes is mind boggling. I guess they have some standards since they didn’t dupe James Charles palette😂(not that I saw anyway) Sorry, I’m salty today😂
This is probably gonna upset some people but it's just my opinion so I'm gonna add it here anyway... When Revolution won't make the effort to copy a James Charles palette, to me it definitely says it isn't worth copying. 😂
Hit or miss quality, but if they get it exact, then shame on the high end company for over pricing it. ELF is kind of proving my point. Yes shame on price points for Mothership palettes, ND anything, TFord eye quads, CharlotteT anything, and Prada. Come on. We are all financially less capable than 5-10 years ago. While I dont approve of stealing formulas and packaging ideas, I do hate that the high end brands sit so high on their Laurels.
I like some dupes. It depends on how they’re done. I cannot afford high end all the time, so if the dupe is a good alternative I’m for it. I am not for brands just copying everything other brands do and not coming out with their own unique products. And then sometimes there is just NO duping a high end product. Nothing is as good 😊. Ya just have to save up and get the good stuff lol. Thank you for these reviews! So helpful ❤️
Dupes are a difficult one. Frowned upon when revolution does it but elf has started to do it too. Almost all their 'hero' products are carbon copies of highend products with similar packaging. The Anastasia brow freeze, the Charlotte Tibury flawless filter and glow wands, the It cosmetics CC cream, Tarte shapetape, milk cosmetics hydragrip, clinique black honey lipbalm.... so much more to mention and yet people don't seem to compare this to revolution. Revolution also tried to put out marshmallow sponges like Chloe's but as far as I know they were pulled too
love this series from you! would it be too much to wonder if there'll ever be a deep dive on jaclyn hill cosmetics?? those lipsticks were CARTOONISHLY awful i have memories of watching her double down and lie and just being.... kind of amazed at her audacity lmao... i KNOW your take on it would be hilarious
@@RobertWelshthank you so much! the kids these days need to know about rawbeautykristi with her microscope finding hairs in those lipsticks. it truly changed the world of beauty forever
Very informative video. I’ve seen Makeup Revolution at Target but didn’t really know anything about the brand. Personally I think dupes are ok as long as you’re not ripping off the packaging and design. And brands should behave ethically and avoid duping small indie brands. Dupes should be more “inspired” by the expensive versions rather than being a complete knockoff. But I think it’s good to provide an option for people who can’t afford expensive makeup. Makeup prices can be outrageous. Luckily I’m not really into eyeshadow, but I’m always amazed at the prices of palettes. Recently the beauty community was all buying the new $70 Natasha Denona palette. $70 for one eyeshadow palette! Before I discovered beauty RUclips I had no idea makeup cost this much. I thought that only snooty rich ladies at Sacks were spending these amounts on makeup, not your average college student! 😅
"Universally loved by MUAs" Robert's face 😂☠️ Revolution moved into Walgreens, and now the beauty consultants are expected to push it. I feel sorry for them. I did try an eye cream, and it's nasty and keeps separating. Never again.
To be honest I can go to the garment district, Santee alley in Los Angeles and purchase Charlotte or Kylie or Gwen or Gaga or Manny or Jeffrey, you name it I can buy pallets everything less then 10dollars. Or those cheap websites based in China. So what I see happening is dept store high end makeup is insanely over priced to the point these companies can dupe. These companies need to understand there is an entire new demographic to market other then the wealthy 60+ retired. I am on dialysis disabled sick and would absolutely love to have a real pallet of pretty eyeshadows or lip pallets but I simply can't afford it. So I either buy a dupe or go without. I understand putting blood sweat and tears into a product and some dupe comes out identical. But to be honest the wealthy will still buy real. If they believe it's wrong then create a less expensive alternative. Before the professional dupers do.
It’s such a fine line especially when certain brands are logistically or financially unavailable. Butttt, despicable when it’s an indie brand that they’ve put blood, sweat & tears into. L&B from 🇺🇸, Bella
I can't really afford the luxury brand, the most expensive makeup I own is a eyeshadow palette from Nomad Cosmetics and it was $40 and I have a KVD lipstick that was $21. I like it when the dupes aren't exactly the same but they have similar ideas. And having smaller pan sizes is cool because most of us don't need forty nudes
Right on the money with this one Robert. Ripping indie brands is a HELL NO in my opinion. But creating dupes of high end and luxury brands is fine because there's usually very little difference in the quality of the EXXXY stuff versus the affordable stuff. Luxe brands are laughing all the way to the bank. Amazon and Alibaba do the exact same thing to all kinds of products, not just cosmetics. They just straight-up rip a brand create a copycat product and selling it for peanuts and it ruins the brand they hijacked. A decade or two ago all of this conduct was unheard of! Oh how times have changed, and it has changed like a beast all thanks to social media, influencers and viral trends --- all of which stems from our voracious need to consume, consume, consume in an attempt to smash our brains with serotonin and dopamine 🙄
I wear their foundation it is one of my favorites , there’s others I like also but if I’m going to the drugstore, I buy Revolutions . I also have a pallet by them it’s tin and all the colors are pressed with a marijuana leaf. I didn’t know they were like stealing ideas for others.
I feel like the whole brands creating dupes situation would've never been a thing if brands didn't come up with ridiculously high prices products and focused on making good stuff snd keeping the prices reasonable..Thank you Robert for giving in your time into research l! 💖
I remember when kat von d made a video about how they pretty much copied her contour palette and I saw so many comments stating it wasn’t an issue. But I’m glad people are seeing the issue with it now. Revolution has mediocre crap and can’t come up with an original idea if their life depended on it
As a student without a job, I was so excited to be able to use eyeshadows at affordable price. My choice was Makeup Revolution and ngl I was impressed with quality. I stopped purchasing their products when I found about Manny and Pink Honey situation. Now I have a job and I'm so happy that I can afford much higher quality products and let me tell you from this perspective their products are shitty quality and not worth your money. Better save some money and purchase from good brands that don't steal ideas and concepts 💁🏻♀️
Given the utter disrespect and disregard for the amount of hard work blood sweat tears heart soul & immense about of time that went into creating products like Manny & Olivia and other indie brands have put in.. not to mention their own money & having to pay for the team & labs & ingredients and cost of materials and components and everything I'm forgetting to mention that goes into creating a product that they were super proud of... Only to be shit on by a huge company like Revolution.. which in most cases they've supported.. had got to be a horrific and extremely bitter pill to swallow. Absolutely soul crushing to say the least... Then this "brand" pumps out a "replica" of a much lower quality product... Its sickening and disgusting behavior that should NEVER be supported or condoned by anyone.
I only use their Sport Fix setting spray because it keeps my face together while I'm sweating on stage profusely. But their eyeshadow pallets are just so terribly formulated, and I'm disppointed I spent money on them. 😔
I want to add, there are so many companies that steal creative designs. I constantly see ads on Facebook and on other places online where companies (often scams) literally steal artists’ and other creatives’ pictures and videos and present these items (often trademarked) as their own. Key things to watch out for are insanely low prices, a wide mix of products, and scrubbed and fake reviews (if every review is 5 stars, it’s a scam). In some cases, the buyer gets a substandard or different product (often sent so the company can claim they fulfilled the purchase). In others, the buyer gets nothing. If you manage to get the company’s ads taken down, they just change their name and do it again. Sadly this act also affects the actual artist’s reputation because the scammed customers don’t understand that they were never dealing with the actual artist. I’ve had designs stolen. I’ve recently reported a ton of companies stealing pics and videos from the artist Lunar Arthouse (they make gorgeous handmade wooden boxes with hidden keys).
“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud- what does that mean? Invade someone’s space?!” This is my new favourite phrase. Also, I understand WHY people like dupes- not everybody has the means to get the original product… but… dupes can be problematic by taking the ideas of others and profiting from them
Speaking of "taking the ideas of others" ... pretty sure they took that quote from Maya Angelo without crediting her 😅 (P.S. also, possibly just a phrase that she popularized, but I have only ever heard her say it 🤷♀️ it actually means something like "be the one to brighten up someone else's bad day" :)
I'm so sorry you've been going through this. You and James don't deserve that at all. I'm praying for you, and remember when you feel so over whelmed close your eyes and take a slow deep breathe. Sending love and strength to you.
Hi Robert. Ok.. so as a person that doesnt have a crazy amount of money to spend ..especially on high end makeup... I do see the appeal for dope products. Personally, I would rather find items that were affordable ,like drug store products. Colour pop has some amazingly affordable items as well. I dont look down on people that buy dopes but I also see how its not really fair to the companies that are getting their ideas ripped off
Unintentional dupes have never bothered me, like how Wet n' Wild has a highlighter that just happens to be a similar color and finish ro Becca's Champaign Pop. The packaging looks norhing alike and you can tell it was a coincidence. Revolution, on the otherhand has always felt more like direct copies than actual "dupes" which has always rubbed me the wrong way. I have never really purchased from them because I think there are other brands of the drugstore with better products for the same price, but the way they copy small businesses gives me the ick.
I am not anti dupes at all. If other highend brands did not charge so much, it might not happen. A lot of them are daylight robbery. Lipsticks costing £80! That in my opinion is really dodgy. The quality cannot justify it.
I used to love Revolution until I realised they are shady AF. Would much prefer to spend a bit more and support independent and smaller businesses - Love your transparency, definitely an opinion I trust ❤
To your question, I don’t mind if a brand was to give you vibes of similar beauty products at a lower price point because we all deserve great makeup. If you’re balling on a budget, you deserve quality. But to straight up dupe another brand (Manny MUA, HUDA come to mind), is unacceptable. It shows a lack of integrity, morality, creativity and business acumen. Hire a team to do it right! Shit hire me, I’m sitting on 30 years of opinions and ideas for beauty! 💜 What was that Julia Roberts line, “I’ve got moves you’ve never seen!”
So I'll be honest here, most of my makeup is Revolution or one of their many minions. Recently, after some crappy health issues, I've become less and less bothered about actually applying anything these days so whether something is a dupe doesn't bother me as such. But after watching, maybe I should just bin it off, and maybe when I love myself again, I'll start new.
I’ve found some really great products for a similar price. I don’t wear makeup much myself but some of my favourite lower cost brands are e.l.f, made by Mitchell and wet n wild. There’s some great alternatives with better results 😊
I had to retire early because of many chronic health issues. So, I decided to only buy affordable makeup. I have stuck with Elf, Essence, and a lot of Wet n Wild. Their Tinted Hydrator is the prettiest foundation type product I have ever used!! You might want to give it a try!
I've got more than a few of their eye shadow palettes, and Morphe. I've bought what I can afford to experiment with. Having probable ADHD can mean I jump from hobby to hobby quickly so it doesn't make sense to buy expensive palettes to play with. My dearest are probably JSC I've bought on sale. And currently my hobby switches between sewing and nail art and I'm learning about how eye shadows can be used in nail art lol. So they may still be used in another hobby while I'm waiting for that interest to spark back up.
I'm all for dupes but there's a difference between dupes (i.e. Alter Ego) and straight up copying (what Revolution was obviously doing). Also I love that you mentioned Jen Luv - she's the reason I found you in the first place!!
I think dupes are okay when they’re not straight up ripping off other products, especially with indie brands. Like, when Becca was around, I couldn’t really afford their highlighters, but found great dupes with Colourpop, though they’re not the same formula. That being said- there’s something about saving up for a certain product that does feel special cause sometimes dupes aren’t going to be exactly like that product it’s duping. But with that as well, dupes are great when it comes to college students and others who don’t want to pay that much money. Only for colors and such rather than the entire packaging and concept and such.
I think there is a HUGE difference between selling a shade of lipstick that's a good match for a mac color, in your own brand's look and packaging, for less money, vs copying the product and packaging of a small indie brand to the point that you couldn't tell the difference at a store.
As a trans man i dont wear makeup anymore (honestly too lazy, but i like to clean up a bit with some concealer sometimes) but your videos are amazing and i send them to my girlfriend :)
"It's like gummy bears & shit" 😂😂😂 omg I love you, Robert! I needed that laugh, it's been a shitastical week so far. Thank you for making videos to entertain & educate me! ❤❤❤
i think making dupes is necessary in this capitalistic world. not everyone can afford a $30 eyeliner or $80 makeup palette or whatever. What i do think is completely unethical is having the audacity to not only name the dupes very similarly to the original, but copying the packaging. At least make the packaging different, change the design, change the order, change the names, BE CREATIVE! edit: also, duping luxury brands is way different than duping indie brands because what is the point??? most of their products are cheaper most of the time. if you copy indie brands, we all know it's to take money away from them and ride of their hype. luxury brands are going to get their coin anyways because they have a following. who often have the money, so creating dupes is less damaging to that company. duping and copying indie brands can end those brands :(
my first ever palette was a revolution one. i thought it was ok, but then i got a smaller and cheaper palette from wet n wild later, and it wasn't amazing but it was definitely better than the revolution one. never bought anything from revolution ever again
I have no problems with dupes to be honest. We live in a society where we are expected to wear certain things, use certain products, appear a certain way. However not everyone can afford that. If you want a gucci shirt but found a knock off for $20 rather than $200, then go for it!! Only time I genuinely have an issue with dupes is if a bigger company is stealing designs from an independent creator or a significantly smaller company.
my opinion is that dupes depends on the circumstance. i dont want dupes of small businesses/indie companies works because that feels very very scummy. on the other hand, theres no way in hell i would buy a gucci eyeshadow pallete. luxury brands get away with a lot because in part youre paying for the name. i am in favor of dupes to an extent, as long as it isnt negatively hurting indie companies. gucci will be fine if i get a dupe of their makeup, theyre not going to go bankrupt lol
Unfortunately, once you put a product out and it’s successful, other brands are going to make the “same” product but cheaper to compete. It’s shitty to do. I do have some dupes like the elf halo glow filter( side note: I don’t use it because the lightest shade still makes me look like Donald Trump😂) and even though e.l.f. makes it less obvious than MR, they are still copying other brands and charging near $15 for a product. Where is the originality? Most of the products I like from more affordable brands are not dupes and are around $5.
As someone to whom half of the drugstore is not affordable anymore i really appretiate dupes of high end brands, especially the eyeshadow pallete ones. Finding interesting eyeshadow palettes at the drugstore is already hard, and here in Serbia its even harder and unfortunately here Revolution is as interesting as it gets basically, and i do owe an early part of my makeup yourney to them since they enabled me to experiment with color and makeup in an artistic way. ON THE OTHER HAND, makeup has evolved since then, and i think drugstore brands are finally realising that were bored of their shit. Also, probably most importantly to me, making “dupes” of alreadu affordable brands (CeraVe, the Ordinary etc) and making your version MORE EXPENSIVE is just a blatant money grab at this point. Also just flat out stealing from indie brands is peak fast fashion/makeup bs, its giving shien. Its very clear that what ever noble objective they might have had has long evaporated, they have become an absolute bahemoth of a fast makeup company that is unfortunately, i think, too big to fail at this point.
I think dupes are fine for certain brands. For example I don’t mind elf duping Charlotte tilbury because they’re such a big brand. In all honesty I would prefer they just do their take on it. Maybe like a similar concept or package, but their own colors for example. What I am not okay with is big brands duping indie brands.
My gut reaction to dupes is stealing creativity and mass production from the originators. The concept of "dupe" within beauty has multiple definitions be it it color, formula, theme, or packaging similarities. In my opinion when it comes to beauty "dupes" I tend to shy away from them when they're being marketed as a dupe to the everyday beauty enthusiasts and influencers. Inspiration is one thing, copying is another thing altogether.
Hi Robert okay so :52 seconds in my opinion on dupes I think it’s a great idea because maybe someone can’t afford that $100 item so another company makes a similar one but I don’t know how I feel about straight up just copying them. Hint hint charlotte tilbury vs elf wand thing. I mean I definitely think if the brand creates it in a way to make it their own not just steal someone else’s idea and product to make a quick buck.
i know its not the best brand ethically, but its the brand that got me obsessed w makeup! as a broke teenager their stuff was amazing, they really do have good quality items especially for that price. still use some of their products years later.
I have a pallete from the Makeup Obsession line for years. It was an original color story and design. I don't get why they go the dupe round? I have lost my interest in them 🤷
Imo, dupes are great! I think mroe affordable versions of products are amazing as long as the packaging and art etc isn't exactly the same. A dupe is supposed to be a similar formula/effect and you also should expect to get what you pay for which is a cheaper version of the original product. Let's see if I change my mind!
I am on a very limited income and I save up for higher end products as i find that dupes just dont have the quality or durability of the more expensive items they are mimicking. It does mean that i have to wait longer for items but its worth it 🥰
24:25 packaging is key. I care less and less about packaging and thankfully, gimmicks don’t catch my eye like they used to… Where can I find an affordable, quality makeup brand that has the most basic packaging? 🤔
i’m not as deep in the makeup community as i am in the fashion community, so most of my opinions on dupes come from fashion. basically, when it comes to the simple things like construction (or the color/composition of makeup), that kind of thing isn’t and shouldn’t be copyrightable. if it was, then only one brand could ever make, say, a basic white t-shirt. that would be stupid. what is wrong, however, is stealing art. this includes prints on fabric or the packaging of makeup. i think it’s fine to make a piece inspired by someone else’s, but when you’re intentionally trying to pass your product off as someone else’s (counterfeit) or confuse people as to which is the original (knockoff), then it’s not okay. i also think it’s not okay for large brands to be copying from smaller brands. i have no problem with an indie brand making something inspired by or even copying something a big brand has made (as long as it’s not art theft or attempted brand confusion like outlined above), but a big brand ripping off an indie one is unacceptable in my opinion. it’s like punching down. there’s no way a small business could compete with a large corporation, and they could be run out of business.
Awwww twins!!!!!! Congratulations!! Sometimes things that aren’t so important need to take a backseat! Drug store makeup is so much more advanced than it used to be there are amazing shoes out there! 🖤
I love when Robert politely invites us to look at the screen when something important is happening, you know this man understands the viewers haha
Yessss! I was thinking the exact same thing!
Totally!
I was absolutely across the room when he asked me to look at my phone lol
Re-watching this vid again because of the content & this beautiful halo eye MU. Well done, Robert! 🏆
Omg I literally thanked him out loud 😊 9 times out of 10 I’m doin something so that’s such a good idea idk if anyone else does it but he’s the only one I’ve seen it’s such a lil thing that shows he cares/knows his viewers
I think dupes fill an important role in the makeup industry, but you can't have your brand be entirely dependent on dupes. Like elf has some famous dupes, but they also have their own hero products.
I love ELF.
Very well said
Their pink concealer is the bomb and nobody else makes one that matches my skin tone. I'm of Irish decent, partially, and I am very pale with pink undertones. 400 shades of white girl foundation, and I still have to mix, lol.
I think the key is that people would still buy them if they weren’t a dupe. They’re still good in their own way.
Exactly.
I also feel like there is a difference between a dupe and what Revolution is doing. A dupe would be something like making a similar shade of gloss, experimenting with new formulas or just using a similar concept or theme.
Revolution is like the Shein of the makeup world. Ironically Shein's makeup line (Sheglam) has put more creativity into their products than Revolution has. Revolution just sees a popular item and copies it with cheaper ingredients
I'm honestly all for drugstore brands making affordable dupes of luxury makeup/skincare products. However, it is absolutely unacceptable to steal artistic ideas from smaller/indie brands, or steal packaging that had so much work put into it. It's like making counterfeit art.
Revolution only recently got into places like Walmart and grocery stores and they’re some of the most expensive products there 😭
Stealing is stealing whether from a luxury, drugstore or indie brand. And there is NO excuse for it.
💯
Dupes are a similar color not a full on copy
I love dupes. It does make a better market for those who like an item but can’t afford it. I’ve saved up to buy a really nice brand name product that was out of my price range. But never in a million years would I want a carbon copy knock off. It sucks the soul and creativity out and says “I want money.” A dupe might be inspiration in packaging, color or even consistency but not everything.
My heart hurt for the Pink Honey founder as she watched her brainchild and income come under threat after Revolution ripped off her excellent product.
I cried listening to her. The utter devastation and sense of betrayal she clearly felt.
Yes omg. I watched her when she still had the product in development and was using sample jars & stuff. I felt horrible for her.
I won't use Revolution. I actually like some dupes. If it's something very exspensive. But I will not use Revolution . I felt very bad for that girls small company. Revolution is everywhere. OMG. I had no idea
I think the perfect example of a good dupe is the elf putty primer. It’s not trying to be like the tatcha silk canvas primer in terms of packaging but it fills a gap in the market for a more affordable dimethicone-ey balm like primer. Dupes should be made with the intent of creating more inexpensive versions of an existing product without looking like a cheap knock off at the same time
The only primer I use is the putty, I even use it with no makeup on top because it just makes my skin look so amazing! I didn't even know it was supposed to be a dupe
I DIED at “be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud!” …. “What does that mean? Invade their personal space?!” 😂😂😭😭
Rainbow is pretty, colorful, it's something you don't see every day,it makes people smile (usually) when they see one.
You could think of people's lives as everyone having their own cloud.
It's something like: "she's/he's a ray of sunshine in my life".
At least that's how I understand it. (I didn't reach that point in video yet,so I don't know the context.I assume it's some brand's marketing "catchphrase") 😅
the sunshine would make more sense to me..
@@karolina285Yeah we understand that, it's still cringe
I died at this part too 😂😂😂😂
As a person who can't afford a $12 box of hair dye, I really appreciate dupes and don't feel bad about luxury brands losing money over them. However, I do feel bad about indie brands losing money to dupes created by larger compied like Revolution.
Feel the same way.
If you are an American have you tried applying for the UHC card? if you are on Medicaid/EBT/SSI you probably qualify and it gives you gap coverage insurance on top of $168 a month for health items or healthy groceries at certain stores or you could pay a phone bill with it. You can also earn rewards every month that could be spent on anything in the store and I think those rewards would help you be able to afford a box of hair dye. So far this year I have gotten $10 in rewards every month for exercising for 10 days and reporting it to the app. And in the beginning of the year there’s a lot more opportunity to earn these rewards that could be spent on most anything at Walmart.
This is also not a sponsor but I do like the Flip app because I joined it and got a $35 off coupon making it so I could afford Anastasia Beverly Hills. I got 55 dollars off her make up for 21 with free shipping but they have all sorts of stuff on the app including a hair dye I know my neighbor used her coupon and got a bunch of perfumes for $13.
This all coming from someone whos physically disabled & unable to work with only 100-200 a month left after bills. I hope this helps you because these things have helped me be able to afford things I wouldn’t otherwise
If you are an American have you tried applying for the UHC card? if you are on Medicaid/EBT/SSI you probably qualify and it gives you gap coverage insurance on top of 168 a month for health items or healthy groceries at certain stores or you could pay a phone bill with it. You can also earn rewards every month that could be spent on anything in the store and I think those rewards would help you be able to afford a box of hair dye. So far this year I have gotten 10 in rewards every month for exercising for 10 days and reporting it to the app. And in the beginning of the year there’s a lot more opportunity to earn these rewards that could be spent on most anything at Walmart.
First part wont post so sorry if this doesnt make sense.
This is also not spons but I do like the Flip app because I joined it and got a 35 off making it so I could afford Anastasia Beverly Hills. I got 55 dollars off her make up for 21 with free shipping but they have all sorts of stuff on the app including a hair dye I know my neighbor used her coupon and got a bunch of perfumes for 13.
This all coming from someone whos physically disabled & unable to work with only 100-200 a month left after bills. I hope this helps you because these things have helped me be able to afford things I wouldn’t otherwise
The first part won’t post for some crazy reason but if you look into the UHC card if you are on any sort of benefits in America you probably can get it & they have monthly rewards that have helped me afford things
To me, I feel like we got carried away with the word "dupe" what Revolution does and what Shein does with clothes and make up are not "dupes" in my opinion. Maybelline has those super stay liquid foundation and if I happen to find one in my shade that acts similarly to like Teint Idol by Lancome, THAT is a dupe. Thats just an example but if you happen to find something from an already existing cheaper range that works just as well, THAT is a dupe. Waiting for collections to launch, or runways shows to happen and then launching the exact same products in the exact packaging that DOESNT wear, look, or feel the same; isn't duping. it's copying and you should be sued.
Yasss! Your comment is spot-on!
Hey Robert! Love these videos. Dupes are okay, as long as it's not a carbon copy. Also I neeeeed to tell you...I booked my first paying client this morning!! 😊😊 have a lovely day!!
Congrats on booking your first paid client!! 🎉
AMAZING!!!’
congratulations!!! 🎉
Exactly my view of dupes 😊
Congrats. I wish you a long, successful, fun career. 💜
I believe there’s a difference between providing an affordable dupe of high end luxury products at drugstore price points and just straight up copying any product that goes viral. It’s literally fast makeup, and Revolution’s business model is no different than SHEIN ripping off small business designs.
They suck because of how they just rip off indie brands. I HATE it. I prefer to support indie brands, and it just annoys the hell out of me how they just steal everything. So rude.
Absolutely! 🖤
I'd prefer supporting smaller brands when I can unfortunately when you're sensitive or allergic to certain formulas if can be sketchy and scary. And it sucks because you feel stuck with a product you can't use. I've never had a allergy test done and am not sure exactly what in sensitive to and it seems to change. Wish companies would make "gentle" versions of the same thing so everyone can use the product.
@@FukaiKokoroAllergy tests typically look at more common allergens, unless you’ve been able to pinpoint specific ingredients and even then it depends on if they can get that specific allergen by itself to test. A good thing to do is keep a journal of things that cause an allergic reaction and compare the ingredient lists to see if you can find a shared ingredient that is specific to those formulas. Even then it is probable with less common allergies that you may never be able to pinpoint your allergens. I have life threatening allergic reactions to allergens that we’ve never been able to identify (called idiopathic allergies) which is common with mast cell disorders (mast cell activation syndrome, mast cell activation disorder, mastocytosis, etc). As far as gentle formulations (I assume you mean hypoallergenic), it’s impossible to produce anything that has zero possibility of causing an allergic reaction in someone. The term hypoallergenic means that they claim to be free of common allergens but even then the term is not regulated so it’s more of a marketing gimmick.
Okay I understand! Thanks for the information! I am sensitive to most plants except poison oak which is bizzare. I don't think I've ever had a reaction to poison oak. I'm also sensitive to latex. Because latex is plant based.
The worst reaction I had was from morphe and as I'm aware they don't list ingredients so I've stayed far away from them. It was such a beautiful pallet too. It makes my eyes red and itchy and puffy. And kinda swell up. It sucks having allergies/ sensitivities to things. Definitely makes basic life stuff so hard.
@@teufel75
@@RobertWelshhave you done videos on smaller indie brands? I don’t know many and I’d like to try some out. Have you tried anything by BeatsByDeb? I adore her and want to support her brand and I know you have the tea on great quality products
I love seeing your eyebrow scar and that you don’t fill it in. I have a scar all the way through one brow and I try to hide it, but it never looks good. You’ve made me feel like I should just embrace it…at 54 years old. And wait! You colored the scar! A vibrant color too! ❤
Rock the scar! It’s a part of your story
Dupes are always so hard for me. On the one hand, theft is bad. Stealing someone's idea sucks. On the other hand, I also think sometimes high end brands charge INSANE prices for something that doesn't need to cost that much, so it feels very Robin Hood at times.
Yesss Robin Hood is a good way to put it!
Oh my god, just got to the Lunar Beauty segment! Dying. Yeah, that isn't a dupe, that's intellectual property theft. Ew.
And, yes, well put on the unspoken rules of duping. The rules in my head are very similar.
Robin Hood is literally the best way to put it... like yes, we all love a dupe cos if we could go & drop close to £100 for a CT highlighter & blush I'm sure we would... but totally ripping off/ straught up copying a brand's innovative product (especially smaller brands) is wrong imo
I couldn't love this comment more! The beauty industry actually marginalises people who don't have the cash. Today I was obsessing over the new highlighter by Katie Jane Hughes, £70 for a little pot, I simply cannot afford this product and it brings out this jealousy in me for people who can blow tons of high end make up who truly don't even use it for anything noteworthy. I have MUA friends who do shoots for Vogue who can't even afford these brands yet the brands are dropping every shade of a new foundation to everyone on their PR list! I don't buy revolution because I hate the brand ethos, but if I can get a dupe of Nars orgasm, I'm buying it (thank you Sleek)
The worst part is that someone like me who is not a makeup afficionado and just a casual user/ occasional wearer would never know the small brand bc most would find their knockoff first for distribution reasons in retail settings or online bc of advertising dollars in search engines. So the intellectual property owners/ originators have no way to correct the narrative until it's too late...
I've always felt there is a difference between a dupe done with some level of integrity and just ripping someone off. Like I personally feel ELF does a good job. The products they dupe have been out for a time before they dupe it, and it's also comparable, so it's a nice alternative. Revolution is such low quality and do it so rapidly that it does feel like they are ripping people off and not just giving people a more affordable option.
Yeah the ELF dupes are not exactly the same. They have a unique feature that makes them not exact copies and that brings something unique. Like the halo glow liquid filter has more coverage than CT
Oomf. Revolution has long been my problematic fave. I didn’t realize how badly they were ripping small businesses off. Thanks for enlightening me, I’m done with them.
Anyone else feel personally talked to when Robert invited us to come back to look at the screen?
😂😂😂😂 when I say it… I can picture people cleaning, or working or doing their skincare so I am absolutely talking to you personally and asking you to look! 😂
Always! I wish he was my friend 💜
I must obey immediately
I honestly really loved and appreciated that he called our attention lmao esp as a multitasker w adhd lol
I love it when he does ❤
When they bought BH it broke my heart. Since they did so the melanin-friendly shades I love have faded into TikTok Ameliorated pale shades for girls obsessed with unicorns.
Makeup Revolution is more inclusive than BH ever was. They did a collab with The Plastic Boy and his whole collection was made with melanin-friendly shades. They have a lot of black creators featured on their social media. A lot of their eyeshadow palettes are dark skin friendly. I don’t understand your comment.
@neovalkyrie0 I think the op just meant since BH was bought out, their specific melanin friendly shades have been erased. BH was around for such a long time and plenty of people had favorites so even if Revolution has plenty of melanin friendly products, some people have favorites that are now gone. And sadly, Revolution cycles and discontinues so much product that it's sometimes hard to pick a favorite no matter your skin tone bc you blink and the product is gone. 😭
What's BH?
@@Silenceeifya relatively cheap but still good quality makeup brand that used to do collabs with RUclipsrs back in the day like Carlie Bybel (or however you spell it Im not sure)
@@neovalkyrie0 I’ve used Revolution as well. When a Brown girl tries their eyeshadows, no matter how intense they are in the pan, on our skin they’re too sheer and very dry. Unless you’re wearing pale pinks, blues, greens, etc. With sparkles. Is that easier to understand?
Dupes are such a fine line: on one hand it can be useful if you're wanting makeup on a budget and a product happens to perform as equal to something more expensive, but on the other you'll hear a product is a carbon copy just at a cheaper price and both look the same. Then you have influencers say something is a dupe but it's really not. Since I don't wear makeup often I usually keep to products that 100% work for me so I normally don't venture into dupe territory
Yes absolutely! 🖤
Another way to look at it, one companies formula maybe contain ingredients or a formula that someone could be sensitive to or allergic to while the dupe maybe doesn't. So it can also give people with allergies or sensitivities a chance to use a similar product.
Wish companies would make gentle versions of the same product so you could buy the regular one or the gentle one.. it's annoying and frustrating when You feel stuck with a pallet you can't use because it makes your face puzzy, red and itchy and makes your eyes water.
Honey-Brow-gate-drama should not be forgotten. It was the last straw.
Revolution is the makeup equivalent of a RUclips content farm, istg. No makeup brand should realistically have THIS MANY sub-brands, especially when they’re all essentially the exact same in terms of quality and branding.
That is the best description I’ve ever read for Revolution
Yes! The 5 Minute Crafts of makeup!😂
Bro right??? No one is buying all those products....makes you wonder where it all gets dumped. Probably a land fill.
@@TheodoreHilgemanall brands do that.
They’re like SHEIN-level stealing
Robert I’m a 17 year old student in a beauty academy who has been watching you since 2019. I carry your knowledge with me through every service I give and you have truly changed my life and artistic ability. I could never stop watching you, and sending you love ❤❤❤
🥰💗 I wish you all the best in your journey!
As someone who up until very recently was living off £500 or less a month, I loved makeup revolution for making affordable dupes so I could still have makeup as my creative outlet. Now that I have an actual income that doesn’t restrict me, I’m planning to move away from it as it’s not what I *need* to buy anymore. (I wonder how my view will change by the end of the video)
I think we both have the same view on the situation to be honest I don’t think your view will change! 😝
@@RobertWelshmy opinion did change! I learned a lot of stuff I didn’t know before that has lead me to make the decision that I won’t return to their products again. I can’t believe I missed that whole thing with Pink Honey!
Your going from 500 a month to something affordable as income, don't rush into more expensive brands. Robert has tons of money. Get your essentials and learn how to manage your money first cause when you go from poverty level to a decent income most people end up just getting by as if still on poverty level because they don't learn money management instead they run to consume.
@@Danielle-ze9ds oh, I don’t plan to be diving head first into lush brands. I still have the makeup I have now- it’ll still last me a while. No need to go out and spend all my money needlessly. Also, I appreciate the concern. I have fine money management skills. I was only on £500 a month as I’m an international who was at uni, my immigration visa severely restricted my work.
I became aware of their bullshit after Manny's highlighter debacle. And until recently you were still able to find those Revolution knock-offs here in New Zealand in a major department store. I agree with your final take. When you start out playing with makeup they seem a good option, but with time comes awareness of their hi-jinks at which time I think a know-better, do-better approach is appropriate. I have similar feelings about Jeffree Star and Too Faced.
Love you Robert! I'm a licensed cosmetologist and while this is a tough industry people like you keep me going and I'm able to see the beauty in it!! Thanks for always being honest and putting out quality videos for us ❤️❤️
Thank you so so much! 🖤
@@RobertWelshI've always been curious about something. And I understand that UK, and US guidelines may differ, but where is the line between legal, and illegal dupes? I'll use ELF for example. They make pretty accurate dupes of expensive products, but they don't get sued. Is there a way that works?
@@crissy4346 The best example I can think of is Elf's 16 HR camo concealer. It has a similar formula to Tarte's Shape Tape, and also has the big applicator. But it's not a total rip off of Tarte's packaging and marketing. And they only dupe products from large brands, they don't steal from indie brands and small businesses
I'm still sad about Bh cosmetics 😭 their zodiac pallet was the absolute best, but if they re-release it I already know I'm going to hate the quality and formula change
Agreed
Duping big luxury brands is different than taking creative ideas from smaller Indie brands. Thanks for the video!
Dupes for high end DISCONTINUED products are 100% needed (RIP my cracked KVD eyeshadow palette). Mac is notorious for discontinuing lipsticks I love, so someone keeping the things I love alive is fine in my book 🤷🏻♀️
Yep. I like them.
Ooooh this should be good!
No issue really with dupes, but there is such a fine line between dupe and flat out copying.
Yes absolutely agree’
I used go believe in dupes and buy them religiously. Then I started creating custom jewelry lol once you've had your idea stolen, that you worked so hard on, it changes your mind about a lot of things.
When it comes to dupes, I think having a similar color story is fine, but ripping off packaging and layout and making claims that they perform the same isn't fine. Don't get the business by lying about what you're selling.
Update: yep, that went where I thought it was going. There's nothing wrong with being an affordable makeup choice, but don't oversell what you're capable of, and don't rip other creatives and companies off.
So many thoughts about this video:
1) I think when it comes to dupes, I am in favor of ones like Elf, but there's a lot of nuance and discussion to have around it, like better standing up for Indie Brands when it's happening and holding big companies accountable.
2) Class is in SESSION! Once again, I am SO here for Robert's teaching videos. Robert, your teaching style and manner, like all else you do, is top notch, easy to listen to and follow, and so illuminating. Also class is in session because as always you never stop being classy.
3) Can we talk about the way that eyeliner made your brown eyes just pop? If milk chocolate was a gemstone... damn!
Anyways, thank you so much for this video! I love the interactive nature of it and found it a breath of fresh air compared to other videos out there.
Revolutionen can't see the difference between creating a dupe or a copy. One thing is to create a cheaper version of a product wich gives the same result, but to steal the design and exact colour stories is something else.
The ordinary has showed us ingredient prices are way more affordable than these big brands are advertising them us so it's good that there's healthy competition, because as someone who buys luxury makeup some of these prices really are ridiculous.
I LOVE The Ordinary! It's the only reason I actually have skincare.
The ordinary qualifies as pricey were i live.
Affordable would be revox, revuele, maybeline, and yes, revolution.
I'm glad you're doing them because I'm so confused about their history 🖤🖤🖤
I still am 😩😂
@@RobertWelsh thank God it's not just me 🥲
“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” The audacity of appropriating a Maya Angelou quote to advertise their cheap makeup! Her estate should send them a cease & desist!
It shouldn’t surprise me that a company known for copying other brands would use a quote from a civil rights leader to sell eye shadow. What’s next? “I Have a Dream” lip gloss?
I think I have exactly one Makeup Revolution product I’ve ever purchased, which is the dupe of the Morphe matte setting spray, and it was not good. I think dupes are perfectly fine and having affordable versions of higher end products is great! Some of them are even better! But there’s a difference between a dupe and a complete copy or rip-off, especially when they harm small businesses.
Absolutely!!
Totally agree whit you i own a few revolution products. The Shoph pallet, one balm blush (thats a dupe of Jones Road i didnt know). I love the Soph pallet and the balm blush. A few other things that are not dupes. But i wil never buy from them again. And i will do research in brands in the future. Because i dont want to support brands who steal one on one copy's. And were the ceo is an racist. Thank you Robert for pointing things out and jusing your time to do the research. I cant trow my revolution products away because i had to save for a year for the Soph pallet. And can't buy something new. And trowing it away is also waistful. But what i can and will do is think about what i buy in the future from other brands.❤❤
That poor girl from Pink Honey, she doesn't deserve that. There's dupes and there's taking the p, they were doing the latter with what they did to her 😢
As far as dupes go, I feel like brands offering a more affordable version of popular expensive products sounds good in theory, but it seems to usually end up looking more like plagiarism...also, offering a similar-looking product with sub-par results (*ahem* revolution) isn't bringing a benefit to anyone but the dupe brand. I'd rather use unique, good-quality drug store products than cheap dupes that won't live up to the expensive versions.
That's great for you and you privellage !
100 percent. There are plenty of good quality affordable brands nowadays. Just because you don't have the money for more expensive brands, (I definitely don't) doesn't make stealing ok. Or contributing to it.
Also, stealing from an indie brand is just shitty.
Plus, there is absolutely no need to buy expensive stuff since there is more than a lot of affordable products around.
As if a Pat McGrath makeup was as necessary as food, clothes or having a roof over one's head...
I adore your integrity, Robert, and how you’re plugged into the best of the influencer beauty community. So glad you’re sharing Jen’s videos (she also deserves all the success, and she’s done SO much research and work to make it understandable for us all, and I’m so glad you’re referring to her work!)
I'm okay with dupes. Not everyone can afford higher end makeup and imo those people should be able to get good products that are in their budget as well.
Edit: I don't agree on the dupe just straight up copying the packaging/name etc. People should know it's a dupe for the other product
I wish I could sit here and say I’ll never buy a dupe again…but as a skint single mum, I definitely will. The high end brands just charge FAR too much. I’m sorry 😬
PS - Love this look. Your eyeshadow is divine!! 😍
Yep. This. And were i live nobody carroes elf, at all, and brands don't sell their full range in general, so i can't afford to be picky.
Dupes are okay if the ingredients aren't harmful. Many people can't afford the named brands especially in times like these. They still want the pleasure of taking care of their skin and wearing makeup on a daily basis. Love your videos Robert, much love from Glasgow Scotland. 💙
I think you're talking about counterfeit products rather than a dupe. Dupes shouldn't pretend to be the original products. AFAIK dupes don't typically contain dangerous products while counterfeit can.
@@michellemelville8979Point taken. ✨💯
Makeup Revolution was the final nail in the Bh Cosmetics coffin. Very sad because those travel palettes were some of the best eyeshadow formulas ever- and not just for the price! I’m sad to see that brand fail.
Totally agree. So sad about the demise of bh. Still my favourite affordable Indie brand with amazing quality. I have a rather vast collection of bh palettes which are ageing…but still beautiful to use. MR also ripped bh out of Australia so even the newer releases weren’t available here anymore. 🥹😔
BH did try to continue their travel series and came out with quads but they were no good. Their releases shortly after they closed weren’t made by MR, they released BH’s last original products. They did come up with new products under MR but I don’t see anyone reviewing them.
@@neovalkyrie0 oh yes- it’s so disappointing, isn’t it? Wherever it was that Bh Cosmetics sourced their formula from originally- that was the winning formula. It have heard it was a Japanese formula, even though the palettes were manufactured in China, although that may not be true- but Japan is known for churning out high quality products and that formula was exquisite. There really isn’t anything that quite compares. I do like the Glam Lite formula, but I’m tired of the horror genre releases. I want pretty makeup- not something that reminds me of gore and blood and violence. There is too much of that in the real world these days. I like my makeup to be a little escape from that.
Colourpop is still good- but Bh Cosmetics was next level. The travel and brunch palettes were not only great formulas, but they were also very beautiful and well thought out color stories. The nuances in the shades were really beautiful too. How this company mismanaged things so terribly is beyond me and it’s probably a lesson in How to Lose a Business.
@@kam0406 yes their brushes are some of the best I own. Their early eyeshadow palettes weren’t anything special but their releases after their ice cream palettes were top tier. MR hasn’t released any new eyeshadow palettes for them mostly blushes, bronzer and lip products. Wish BH was able to come out of their demise b/c they were on a roll.
Bh cosmetics era 2018 was my favourite! I got so many of my family/friends hooked on them!
When they describe Revolution Pro it’s basically saying “New and Improved” which basically is saying “regular Revolution is old and shitty”.
I didn’t mind them ripping off Too Faced Chocolate palettes bc I hate Too Faced😂
Lastly, I’m convinced they have moles inside other companies bc the sheer speed at which they come out with dupes is mind boggling.
I guess they have some standards since they didn’t dupe James Charles palette😂(not that I saw anyway)
Sorry, I’m salty today😂
😂😂❤
This is probably gonna upset some people but it's just my opinion so I'm gonna add it here anyway... When Revolution won't make the effort to copy a James Charles palette, to me it definitely says it isn't worth copying. 😂
@@karenmichael5483 That was my feeling exactly! 😆
Hit or miss quality, but if they get it exact, then shame on the high end company for over pricing it. ELF is kind of proving my point. Yes shame on price points for Mothership palettes, ND anything, TFord eye quads, CharlotteT anything, and Prada. Come on. We are all financially less capable than 5-10 years ago. While I dont approve of stealing formulas and packaging ideas, I do hate that the high end brands sit so high on their Laurels.
I messaged Revolution about a allergic reaction on my eye and they left me on read 😂 Never got back to me .
Does not surprise me!!
I like some dupes. It depends on how they’re done. I cannot afford high end all the time, so if the dupe is a good alternative I’m for it. I am not for brands just copying everything other brands do and not coming out with their own unique products. And then sometimes there is just NO duping a high end product. Nothing is as good 😊. Ya just have to save up and get the good stuff lol. Thank you for these reviews! So helpful ❤️
Thank you!’ 🖤🖤🖤
Dupes are a difficult one. Frowned upon when revolution does it but elf has started to do it too. Almost all their 'hero' products are carbon copies of highend products with similar packaging. The Anastasia brow freeze, the Charlotte Tibury flawless filter and glow wands, the It cosmetics CC cream, Tarte shapetape, milk cosmetics hydragrip, clinique black honey lipbalm.... so much more to mention and yet people don't seem to compare this to revolution.
Revolution also tried to put out marshmallow sponges like Chloe's but as far as I know they were pulled too
love this series from you!
would it be too much to wonder if there'll ever be a deep dive on jaclyn hill cosmetics?? those lipsticks were CARTOONISHLY awful i have memories of watching her double down and lie and just being.... kind of amazed at her audacity lmao... i KNOW your take on it would be hilarious
I can absolutely do that! 😝 thank you! 🖤
@@RobertWelshthank you so much!
the kids these days need to know about rawbeautykristi with her microscope finding hairs in those lipsticks. it truly changed the world of beauty forever
@@musicobsessive123I don’t think that video will ever leave my mind. I was such a fan of RBK back then 😅
@@theroyalbugness it was a cultural MOMENT !!!
Very informative video. I’ve seen Makeup Revolution at Target but didn’t really know anything about the brand.
Personally I think dupes are ok as long as you’re not ripping off the packaging and design. And brands should behave ethically and avoid duping small indie brands. Dupes should be more “inspired” by the expensive versions rather than being a complete knockoff.
But I think it’s good to provide an option for people who can’t afford expensive makeup. Makeup prices can be outrageous. Luckily I’m not really into eyeshadow, but I’m always amazed at the prices of palettes. Recently the beauty community was all buying the new $70 Natasha Denona palette. $70 for one eyeshadow palette! Before I discovered beauty RUclips I had no idea makeup cost this much. I thought that only snooty rich ladies at Sacks were spending these amounts on makeup, not your average college student! 😅
"Universally loved by MUAs" Robert's face 😂☠️
Revolution moved into Walgreens, and now the beauty consultants are expected to push it. I feel sorry for them. I did try an eye cream, and it's nasty and keeps separating. Never again.
To be honest I can go to the garment district, Santee alley in Los Angeles and purchase Charlotte or Kylie or Gwen or Gaga or Manny or Jeffrey, you name it I can buy pallets everything less then 10dollars. Or those cheap websites based in China.
So what I see happening is dept store high end makeup is insanely over priced to the point these companies can dupe. These companies need to understand there is an entire new demographic to market other then the wealthy 60+ retired.
I am on dialysis disabled sick and would absolutely love to have a real pallet of pretty eyeshadows or lip pallets but I simply can't afford it.
So I either buy a dupe or go without.
I understand putting blood sweat and tears into a product and some dupe comes out identical.
But to be honest the wealthy will still buy real. If they believe it's wrong then create a less expensive alternative. Before the professional dupers do.
It’s such a fine line especially when certain brands are logistically or financially unavailable. Butttt, despicable when it’s an indie brand that they’ve put blood, sweat & tears into. L&B from 🇺🇸, Bella
An Australian brand called mco beauty does this, all their products are just dupes with almost identical packaging. Feels tacky imo
I can't really afford the luxury brand, the most expensive makeup I own is a eyeshadow palette from Nomad Cosmetics and it was $40 and I have a KVD lipstick that was $21. I like it when the dupes aren't exactly the same but they have similar ideas. And having smaller pan sizes is cool because most of us don't need forty nudes
Right on the money with this one Robert. Ripping indie brands is a HELL NO in my opinion. But creating dupes of high end and luxury brands is fine because there's usually very little difference in the quality of the EXXXY stuff versus the affordable stuff. Luxe brands are laughing all the way to the bank.
Amazon and Alibaba do the exact same thing to all kinds of products, not just cosmetics. They just straight-up rip a brand create a copycat product and selling it for peanuts and it ruins the brand they hijacked.
A decade or two ago all of this conduct was unheard of! Oh how times have changed, and it has changed like a beast all thanks to social media, influencers and viral trends --- all of which stems from our voracious need to consume, consume, consume in an attempt to smash our brains with serotonin and dopamine 🙄
I could watch hours of you side-eyeing these questionable makeup brands 🤣
😂😂😂😂
I DO watch hours of his brand history videos 😂
I wear their foundation it is one of my favorites , there’s others I like also but if I’m going to the drugstore, I buy Revolutions . I also have a pallet by them it’s tin and all the colors are pressed with a marijuana leaf. I didn’t know they were like stealing ideas for others.
I love your chuckle! It always makes me smile! You say thank you for joining, but I want to thank you for your videos. Makes my day!
Thank you so so much! 🥹🖤🖤🖤
Dupes of bigger brands (on the order of Estee Lauder) are fine, but undercutting small brands is garbage
I feel like the whole brands creating dupes situation would've never been a thing if brands didn't come up with ridiculously high prices products and focused on making good stuff snd keeping the prices reasonable..Thank you Robert for giving in your time into research l! 💖
I remember when kat von d made a video about how they pretty much copied her contour palette and I saw so many comments stating it wasn’t an issue. But I’m glad people are seeing the issue with it now. Revolution has mediocre crap and can’t come up with an original idea if their life depended on it
It’s because people don’t want to pay for the original. Brands need to stop copying each other and be original
As a student without a job, I was so excited to be able to use eyeshadows at affordable price. My choice was Makeup Revolution and ngl I was impressed with quality. I stopped purchasing their products when I found about Manny and Pink Honey situation. Now I have a job and I'm so happy that I can afford much higher quality products and let me tell you from this perspective their products are shitty quality and not worth your money. Better save some money and purchase from good brands that don't steal ideas and concepts 💁🏻♀️
Given the utter disrespect and disregard for the amount of hard work blood sweat tears heart soul & immense about of time that went into creating products like Manny & Olivia and other indie brands have put in.. not to mention their own money & having to pay for the team & labs & ingredients and cost of materials and components and everything I'm forgetting to mention that goes into creating a product that they were super proud of... Only to be shit on by a huge company like Revolution.. which in most cases they've supported.. had got to be a horrific and extremely bitter pill to swallow. Absolutely soul crushing to say the least... Then this "brand" pumps out a "replica" of a much lower quality product... Its sickening and disgusting behavior that should NEVER be supported or condoned by anyone.
I only use their Sport Fix setting spray because it keeps my face together while I'm sweating on stage profusely. But their eyeshadow pallets are just so terribly formulated, and I'm disppointed I spent money on them. 😔
I want to add, there are so many companies that steal creative designs. I constantly see ads on Facebook and on other places online where companies (often scams) literally steal artists’ and other creatives’ pictures and videos and present these items (often trademarked) as their own. Key things to watch out for are insanely low prices, a wide mix of products, and scrubbed and fake reviews (if every review is 5 stars, it’s a scam). In some cases, the buyer gets a substandard or different product (often sent so the company can claim they fulfilled the purchase). In others, the buyer gets nothing. If you manage to get the company’s ads taken down, they just change their name and do it again. Sadly this act also affects the actual artist’s reputation because the scammed customers don’t understand that they were never dealing with the actual artist. I’ve had designs stolen. I’ve recently reported a ton of companies stealing pics and videos from the artist Lunar Arthouse (they make gorgeous handmade wooden boxes with hidden keys).
“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud- what does that mean? Invade someone’s space?!” This is my new favourite phrase. Also, I understand WHY people like dupes- not everybody has the means to get the original product… but… dupes can be problematic by taking the ideas of others and profiting from them
Speaking of "taking the ideas of others" ... pretty sure they took that quote from Maya Angelo without crediting her 😅
(P.S. also, possibly just a phrase that she popularized, but I have only ever heard her say it 🤷♀️ it actually means something like "be the one to brighten up someone else's bad day" :)
I'm so sorry you've been going through this. You and James don't deserve that at all. I'm praying for you, and remember when you feel so over whelmed close your eyes and take a slow deep breathe. Sending love and strength to you.
Hi Robert. Ok.. so as a person that doesnt have a crazy amount of money to spend ..especially on high end makeup... I do see the appeal for dope products. Personally, I would rather find items that were affordable ,like drug store products. Colour pop has some amazingly affordable items as well.
I dont look down on people that buy dopes but I also see how its not really fair to the companies that are getting their ideas ripped off
I 100% agree with you!
I love their skincare anyway. Especially concentrated serums etc. It’s affordable and it works.
Unintentional dupes have never bothered me, like how Wet n' Wild has a highlighter that just happens to be a similar color and finish ro Becca's Champaign Pop. The packaging looks norhing alike and you can tell it was a coincidence. Revolution, on the otherhand has always felt more like direct copies than actual "dupes" which has always rubbed me the wrong way. I have never really purchased from them because I think there are other brands of the drugstore with better products for the same price, but the way they copy small businesses gives me the ick.
I am not anti dupes at all. If other highend brands did not charge so much, it might not happen. A lot of them are daylight robbery. Lipsticks costing £80! That in my opinion is really dodgy. The quality cannot justify it.
I used to love Revolution until I realised they are shady AF. Would much prefer to spend a bit more and support independent and smaller businesses - Love your transparency, definitely an opinion I trust ❤
To your question, I don’t mind if a brand was to give you vibes of similar beauty products at a lower price point because we all deserve great makeup. If you’re balling on a budget, you deserve quality. But to straight up dupe another brand (Manny MUA, HUDA come to mind), is unacceptable. It shows a lack of integrity, morality, creativity and business acumen. Hire a team to do it right! Shit hire me, I’m sitting on 30 years of opinions and ideas for beauty! 💜 What was that Julia Roberts line, “I’ve got moves you’ve never seen!”
So I'll be honest here, most of my makeup is Revolution or one of their many minions. Recently, after some crappy health issues, I've become less and less bothered about actually applying anything these days so whether something is a dupe doesn't bother me as such. But after watching, maybe I should just bin it off, and maybe when I love myself again, I'll start new.
Keep what you have and see if you like it again later down the line! 🖤
I’ve found some really great products for a similar price. I don’t wear makeup much myself but some of my favourite lower cost brands are e.l.f, made by Mitchell and wet n wild. There’s some great alternatives with better results 😊
I had to retire early because of many chronic health issues. So, I decided to only buy affordable makeup. I have stuck with Elf, Essence, and a lot of Wet n Wild. Their Tinted Hydrator is the prettiest foundation type product I have ever used!! You might want to give it a try!
I've got more than a few of their eye shadow palettes, and Morphe. I've bought what I can afford to experiment with. Having probable ADHD can mean I jump from hobby to hobby quickly so it doesn't make sense to buy expensive palettes to play with. My dearest are probably JSC I've bought on sale. And currently my hobby switches between sewing and nail art and I'm learning about how eye shadows can be used in nail art lol. So they may still be used in another hobby while I'm waiting for that interest to spark back up.
I'm all for dupes but there's a difference between dupes (i.e. Alter Ego) and straight up copying (what Revolution was obviously doing).
Also I love that you mentioned Jen Luv - she's the reason I found you in the first place!!
I think dupes are okay when they’re not straight up ripping off other products, especially with indie brands. Like, when Becca was around, I couldn’t really afford their highlighters, but found great dupes with Colourpop, though they’re not the same formula. That being said- there’s something about saving up for a certain product that does feel special cause sometimes dupes aren’t going to be exactly like that product it’s duping. But with that as well, dupes are great when it comes to college students and others who don’t want to pay that much money. Only for colors and such rather than the entire packaging and concept and such.
I think there is a HUGE difference between selling a shade of lipstick that's a good match for a mac color, in your own brand's look and packaging, for less money, vs copying the product and packaging of a small indie brand to the point that you couldn't tell the difference at a store.
As a trans man i dont wear makeup anymore (honestly too lazy, but i like to clean up a bit with some concealer sometimes) but your videos are amazing and i send them to my girlfriend :)
Thank you so so much! I really appreciate it! 🥹🖤
Revolution is the shein of makeup :/ 100s of products daily, ripping off bigger companies AND smaller brands, bad quality, 0 work ethics...
"It's like gummy bears & shit" 😂😂😂 omg I love you, Robert! I needed that laugh, it's been a shitastical week so far. Thank you for making videos to entertain & educate me! ❤❤❤
i think making dupes is necessary in this capitalistic world. not everyone can afford a $30 eyeliner or $80 makeup palette or whatever. What i do think is completely unethical is having the audacity to not only name the dupes very similarly to the original, but copying the packaging. At least make the packaging different, change the design, change the order, change the names, BE CREATIVE! edit: also, duping luxury brands is way different than duping indie brands because what is the point??? most of their products are cheaper most of the time. if you copy indie brands, we all know it's to take money away from them and ride of their hype. luxury brands are going to get their coin anyways because they have a following. who often have the money, so creating dupes is less damaging to that company. duping and copying indie brands can end those brands :(
my first ever palette was a revolution one. i thought it was ok, but then i got a smaller and cheaper palette from wet n wild later, and it wasn't amazing but it was definitely better than the revolution one. never bought anything from revolution ever again
I have no problems with dupes to be honest. We live in a society where we are expected to wear certain things, use certain products, appear a certain way. However not everyone can afford that. If you want a gucci shirt but found a knock off for $20 rather than $200, then go for it!!
Only time I genuinely have an issue with dupes is if a bigger company is stealing designs from an independent creator or a significantly smaller company.
my opinion is that dupes depends on the circumstance. i dont want dupes of small businesses/indie companies works because that feels very very scummy. on the other hand, theres no way in hell i would buy a gucci eyeshadow pallete. luxury brands get away with a lot because in part youre paying for the name. i am in favor of dupes to an extent, as long as it isnt negatively hurting indie companies. gucci will be fine if i get a dupe of their makeup, theyre not going to go bankrupt lol
Unfortunately, once you put a product out and it’s successful, other brands are going to make the “same” product but cheaper to compete. It’s shitty to do. I do have some dupes like the elf halo glow filter( side note: I don’t use it because the lightest shade still makes me look like Donald Trump😂)
and even though e.l.f. makes it less obvious than MR, they are still copying other brands and charging near $15 for a product. Where is the originality? Most of the products I like from more affordable brands are not dupes and are around $5.
As someone to whom half of the drugstore is not affordable anymore i really appretiate dupes of high end brands, especially the eyeshadow pallete ones. Finding interesting eyeshadow palettes at the drugstore is already hard, and here in Serbia its even harder and unfortunately here Revolution is as interesting as it gets basically, and i do owe an early part of my makeup yourney to them since they enabled me to experiment with color and makeup in an artistic way. ON THE OTHER HAND, makeup has evolved since then, and i think drugstore brands are finally realising that were bored of their shit. Also, probably most importantly to me, making “dupes” of alreadu affordable brands (CeraVe, the Ordinary etc) and making your version MORE EXPENSIVE is just a blatant money grab at this point. Also just flat out stealing from indie brands is peak fast fashion/makeup bs, its giving shien. Its very clear that what ever noble objective they might have had has long evaporated, they have become an absolute bahemoth of a fast makeup company that is unfortunately, i think, too big to fail at this point.
Dupes of indie brands: no.
Dupes of insanely expensive brands owned by Estée Lauder, Charlotte Tilbury, etc.: heck, yeah.
So makeup revolution is basically shein of makeup world lol
Yessss!! 😂😂
I think dupes are fine for certain brands. For example I don’t mind elf duping Charlotte tilbury because they’re such a big brand. In all honesty I would prefer they just do their take on it. Maybe like a similar concept or package, but their own colors for example. What I am not okay with is big brands duping indie brands.
My gut reaction to dupes is stealing creativity and mass production from the originators. The concept of "dupe" within beauty has multiple definitions be it it color, formula, theme, or packaging similarities. In my opinion when it comes to beauty "dupes" I tend to shy away from them when they're being marketed as a dupe to the everyday beauty enthusiasts and influencers. Inspiration is one thing, copying is another thing altogether.
Hi Robert okay so :52 seconds in my opinion on dupes I think it’s a great idea because maybe someone can’t afford that $100 item so another company makes a similar one but I don’t know how I feel about straight up just copying them. Hint hint charlotte tilbury vs elf wand thing. I mean I definitely think if the brand creates it in a way to make it their own not just steal someone else’s idea and product to make a quick buck.
i know its not the best brand ethically, but its the brand that got me obsessed w makeup! as a broke teenager their stuff was amazing, they really do have good quality items especially for that price. still use some of their products years later.
I have a pallete from the Makeup Obsession line for years. It was an original color story and design. I don't get why they go the dupe round? I have lost my interest in them 🤷
Imo, dupes are great! I think mroe affordable versions of products are amazing as long as the packaging and art etc isn't exactly the same. A dupe is supposed to be a similar formula/effect and you also should expect to get what you pay for which is a cheaper version of the original product. Let's see if I change my mind!
I am on a very limited income and I save up for higher end products as i find that dupes just dont have the quality or durability of the more expensive items they are mimicking. It does mean that i have to wait longer for items but its worth it 🥰
24:25 packaging is key.
I care less and less about packaging and thankfully, gimmicks don’t catch my eye like they used to…
Where can I find an affordable, quality makeup brand that has the most basic packaging? 🤔
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i’m not as deep in the makeup community as i am in the fashion community, so most of my opinions on dupes come from fashion. basically, when it comes to the simple things like construction (or the color/composition of makeup), that kind of thing isn’t and shouldn’t be copyrightable. if it was, then only one brand could ever make, say, a basic white t-shirt. that would be stupid. what is wrong, however, is stealing art. this includes prints on fabric or the packaging of makeup. i think it’s fine to make a piece inspired by someone else’s, but when you’re intentionally trying to pass your product off as someone else’s (counterfeit) or confuse people as to which is the original (knockoff), then it’s not okay.
i also think it’s not okay for large brands to be copying from smaller brands. i have no problem with an indie brand making something inspired by or even copying something a big brand has made (as long as it’s not art theft or attempted brand confusion like outlined above), but a big brand ripping off an indie one is unacceptable in my opinion. it’s like punching down. there’s no way a small business could compete with a large corporation, and they could be run out of business.
I love dupes! I can never justify spending $30 or more on makeup, especially now that I have almost 9 month old twins!
Awwww twins!!!!!! Congratulations!! Sometimes things that aren’t so important need to take a backseat! Drug store makeup is so much more advanced than it used to be there are amazing shoes out there! 🖤
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TWINS. ❤️
Congratulations on your twins! ❤
Thank you so much! @@RobertWelsh
Thank you!!!@@Kpopjpop638