Thanks to TikTok, beauty dupes are the belles of the ball right now, especially with younger consumers. In particular, fragrance and makeup products are standouts amidst the frenzy, according to Circana’s Natallia Bambiza, director, beauty category analyst, makeup and hair,  and Jaquelyn Wenskus, director and fragrance category analyst, beauty.

Fragrance dupes aren’t new, of course. But #PerfumeTok has witnessed its popularity grow significantly over the past year, and Gen Z consumers are buying into the market. In fact, Gen Z accounts for the strongest year-over-year increase in engagement within the fragrance category, according to Circana’s 2023 Fragrance Consumer Report. This generation is also twice as likely to be influenced to purchase a scent that is a dupe or inspired by a more expensive scent. For Gen Z, an expensive product does not always translate to better quality. In fact, more than half of Gen Z fragrance wearers feel that lower-priced alternatives or dupe fragrance brands are just as good as luxury branded scents, said Circana.

Similarly, when it comes to makeup, dupes seem to be more appealing to younger consumers. While just over one-third of total makeup wearers lean into the dupe culture, this behavior is true for nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials, according to findings from Circana’s 2023 Makeup Consumer Report.

These generations are also more likely to be influenced by social media. In 2023, for the first time ever, Gen Z identified social media as their top source of information for makeup products, and it is the second most popular source for Millennials. Makeup dupe videos have been amassing millions of views; however, while this type of content helps increase dupe acceptance and purchasing, the relationship between a dupe and the duped product in many cases seems to be symbiotic.

While there are brands benefiting for their likeness to popular luxury scents and color cosmetics, it is not necessarily at the expense of those being duped, says Circana. In fact, luxury and prestige brands often benefit from the increased awareness and excitement generated by the dupe. While in some cases the consumer may trade down, others may opt to try both or even stick with the “original.”

Circana’s experts assert that it is important for luxury beauty brands to effectively communicate why their products are worth the investment – whether it’s through a focus on quality, craftsmanship, unique ingredients, or other distinct benefits.