Did MCoBeauty Just Find a Smarter Way to Dupe? Plus, Gap Fragrances Are Back

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Did MCoBeauty Just Find a Smarter Way to Dupe? Plus, Gap Fragrances Are Back
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Release Date: July 28, 2026

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Overview

This episode of Gloss Angeles dives into two major topics at the intersection of beauty, pop culture, and nostalgia: the resurgence of 90s icon Gap (with a focus on its in-demand fashion collabs and the relaunch of its signature fragrances) and a spicy, headline-making move by Australian “dupe” brand MCoBeauty, who may have just redefined what a smart dupe can be with a new, direct partnership with Skindinavia—original developers of Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray.

The co-hosts, longtime beauty journalists and editors, share not only consumer insights and shopping tips but also industry context and expert critique. Listeners get analysis that balances fun personal anecdotes and a sharp, insider perspective.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lip Plumper Drama & Ice Breakers

• Segment Start: [00:53]
• Kirbie shares her extreme reaction to trying the Polite Society lip plumper: “My lips are on fire. I have never used the Polite Society lip plumper before… It works like, I feel like my lips are nice and plump, but I had to remove that stuff because my nose is running, my eyes were watering. That was crazy.” ([00:53])
• They compare ultra-tingly vs. gentle plumpers, mention Tower 28’s vibrating sensation, and riff on household fly drama, offering relatable banter before diving into main stories.

2. Gap’s 90s Nostalgia Takeover

• Segment Start: [03:04]
• The co-hosts discuss the viral success of Hailey Bieber’s Gap jeans collab, emphasizing the 90s style revival and changing fit preferences.
  • Kirbie describes how the jeans sold out instantly: “After me, no less than 15 other women came in going, 'Where are the Hailey jeans?' And she basically was just like, ‘This rack right here is all we have left.’” ([04:18])
• They reflect on how Gen Z and Millennials both crave 90s throwback, and how sizing anxieties and resale culture shape shopping behaviors today.
• The segment includes a playful quote from a male TikToker explaining proper “low rise” fit: “Get the jeans off your belly button… it’s supposed to sit above the croc. At least six inches below the belly button. All these people putting the jeans on, and it’s, like, hovering around the belly button…” ([06:17])

3. Gap Fragrances Are Back

• Segment Start: [07:03]
• Sara and Kirbie reminisce about “mall culture” and the sensory memories of Gap, Abercrombie, and iconic 90s scents.
  • Sara: “...this mailer reminded me of the mall. Like, how Abercrombie’s fragrance reminds me of the mall. This reminded me of the other end of the mall, which is Gap.” ([07:14])
• They unbox and describe the five reimagined fragrances:
  1. Dream – warm, woody, Italian bergamot, jasmine, cedarwood
  2. Grass – clean, green mandarin, matcha, Virginia cedar
  3. Heaven – soft, sensual, amber, crisp pear, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli
  4. Homme – deeper, ginger, sandalwood, cedar
  5. Harmony – new, playful, apricot nectar, gardenia, amber ([08:58])
• Both reflect on shifting consumer attitudes toward legacy brands and the art of authentic nostalgia marketing. Notable: “Gap has really been doing such an incredible job over the last few years with all of their collaborations... They really have just such a good sense of, like, who to partner with.” ([13:10])
• Fragrance launch details: Discovery kit ($20), mini size ($20), full size ($52), launching July 30 in-store and online. ([15:31])

4. MCoBeauty’s Dupe 2.0 – “All Dayer” and Industry Disruption

• Segment Start: [16:00]
• Kirbie introduces “the spicy story”: MCoBeauty, famous for imitation (“duping”) top brands’ formulas and packaging, has entered its “Dupe 2.0” era—partnering directly with Skindinavia, the manufacturer behind Urban Decay’s original All Nighter setting spray, to re-release the OG formula as “All Dayer.”
  • Kirbie: “This is not only like giving the people what they want, but also we’re going to give it to you for less.” ([21:24])
• They break down the strategy:
  • MCoBeauty’s past—unapologetic copying of packaging, branding, and formulas (“down to the packaging, the font, the whole color... It’s egregious but clearly they’re doing something right…” [17:39])
  • New move: legit licensing partnership, not a reverse-engineered clone. All Dayer will use the patented, original Urban Decay formula, selling for $19.99 (significantly undercutting the new Urban Decay version). ([21:24])
  • Gen Z focus: “Millennials wanted to pull an all-nighter. Gen Z… their makeup has to work all day. They’re ready to go to bed at night.”
• This move is hailed as a “genius level partnership” ([26:24]), with the hosts noting even industry peers and founders are praising the shift, despite past controversy over IP copying and ongoing legal battles.
  • “This era of EM Co is quote, unquote, Dupe 2.0, which could include resurrecting discontinued formulas… working with the same manufacturers as premium brands… investing more in third party testing.” ([26:30])
• Both muse on the potential for mass market brands to bring back discontinued formulas beloved by older Millennials, calling the strategy “delicious” and “the way forward.” ([27:18] onward)
• Release details: All Dayer launches August 3 at Amazon and Target for $19.99. ([31:22])

5. The Bigger Conversation: Ethics and Innovation in Duping

• Extensive discussion about the ethics and creative barrenness of simply copying—versus innovating or respectfully licensing.
• Charlotte Tilbury’s public comments on duping are revisited, and Kirbie explains why “duping the customer” misleads about sameness, especially when the formula isn’t from the same manufacturer ([23:39]).
• Advice for deepening understanding of how beauty manufacturing—and true innovation—work, citing experts like Javon Ford, Aaron Parsons, and Alex from Educated Mess. ([23:56])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Polite Society Lip Plumper:

  “My lips are on fire. I have never used the Polite Society lip plumper before... It works, but I had to remove that stuff because my nose is running, my eyes were watering.”
  —Kirbie ([00:53])

• On the viral Hailey Bieber jeans at Gap:

  “[The store associate] was just like, ‘This rack right here is all we have left.’ ... And she said, we are going to restock next week. But the pair that she wore last year… they had a ton of.”
  —Kirbie ([04:18])

• On 90s nostalgia:

  “It reminds us of simpler times.”
  —Sara ([03:12])

• Fragrance description:

  “This mailer reminded me of the mall. Like, how Abercrombie’s fragrance reminds me of the mall. This reminded me of the other end of the mall, which is Gap.”
  —Sara ([07:14])

• On MCoBeauty’s previous dupe strategy:

  “They dupe the exact packaging. It is, like, in case—yes, unapologetic. They go as far as they can without calling it the exact name…”
  —Kirbie ([17:18])

• On All Dayer partnership:

  “This is literally, yeah, genius level partnership. I think it’s so smart.”
  —Kirbie ([26:24])

• Dreaming of discontinued product resurrections:

  “Imagine the millennials they could acquire if they brought back the original Givenchy powder… bring me back OG Armani Luminous Silk. Yeah, please.”
  —Kirbie ([27:35], [28:59])

• On new dupe ethics:

  “This is the way to even get respect… not a big fan of what they do normally, but this is the way forward for them.”
  —Sara ([30:40])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Host banter and lip plumper talk: [00:53–02:50]
• Gap’s fashion comeback & Hailey Bieber collab: [03:04–06:59]
• Breakdown of Gap fragrance relaunch: [07:03–15:31]
• MCoBeauty “All Dayer” dupe 2.0 explained: [16:00–27:18]
• Ethics, IP, and the new business model for duping: [22:35–31:22]

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Gap is expertly leveraging 90s nostalgia to appeal to multiple generations, not only with apparel but by bringing back beloved fragrances—authenticity and “mall culture” matter.
• MCoBeauty’s partnership with Skindinavia (rather than copying) could signal a smarter, more ethical future for dupe brands—resurrecting OG formulas, serving price-conscious Gen Z, all while potentially restoring some respect in the beauty community.
• The episode provides actionable info for shopping both Gap’s new fragrance releases and the game-changing “All Dayer” setting spray.
• Listeners are encouraged to try, review, and report back on the new products, continuing the community-driven spirit of the podcast.

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For more on fragrance notes, dupe ethics, and beauty history, replay the segments at:

• Gap Fragrance Revival: [07:03–15:31]
• MCoBeauty x Skindinavia Deep Dive: [16:00–31:22]

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Gloss Angeles listeners: Let the hosts know your take on the new Gap scents and whether you’ll be snagging “All Dayer”!

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Glam Los Angeles.

[C]

Hi, Kirby.

[B]

Hi, Sarah.

[C]

Welcome to Los Angeles.

[B]

My lips are on fire. I have never used the polite society lip plumper before.

[C]

She wasn't ready.

[B]

I did not know what to expect. And it wasn't that. It works like, I feel like my lips are nice and plump, but I had to remove that stuff because my nose is running, my eyes were watering. That was crazy. Is it? I'm sure it's probably capsaicin that's in there.

[C]

I think so.

[B]

Holy moly. Don't kiss your children or your dog.

[C]

If you're looking for something that works, that's the one. I do feel it's the best selling lip plumper at Ulta Beauty, according to one of our guests.

[B]

I mean, I'm not surprised it works, but I mean aggressively. Like, this isn't one of those lip plumpers that's like going to massage its way to plumpness.

[C]

So opposite what you have not tried yet, the tower 28 one that, that just came out. It's a vibration. It's really weird. I really need you to try it because it feels like it's vibrating, but it's gentle. It's for people who cannot use the polite society. The two face one that does the two face still make theirs?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the one that you scared me off of because you were like, I couldn't kiss Zoe because, well, I certainly

[C]

can't kiss her with this one either. But it, I was saying earlier, it's like addictive. The polite society one you just keep. We have a guest and it's a giant fly.

[B]

We have a guest. It's this fudgeing fly that's flying around and I always think about flies. Yeah, I always think about flies. Like, what were you doing in a past life? Oh, really requires you to be a fly.

[C]

I am like a dog. Like I'm like, I need to kill this. Like, I'm fixated.

[B]

Yeah. I do call them candy. Like flying candy for Queen.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Anytime she sees a fly, she's like, yeah. I'm like, that's disgusting.

[C]

I have the, like, fly zappers that you like. The. The ones that look like tennis rackets that you can just stick onto the charger and it stands there and it's like blue light. It doesn't really work. You really. But I have them because I'm so set on killing these things.

[B]

So if you guys hear a fly or see a fly while watching, please, just. So sorry, but we can't get rid of it. We tried. We tried for like 10 minutes.

[C]

The fly was like, I literally want to be a fly on the wall. I want to be on glossy recording.

[B]

So way to go. We have some news stories. This is. I fear that Gap is taking over the world.

[C]

Gap is back. I feel like it was a great setup for them. Just everything 90s nostalgia, the gen Z, they want it and we obviously want it. We love it because it reminds us of, you know, simpler times.

[B]

Yeah. Gap is absolutely killing it. If you have been living under a rock for the past month. Hailey Bieber came out with a gene with Gap a couple years ago, maybe last year. She was photographed in these 90s loose baggy jeans. Everyone wanted to know what they were. Then she launches her own. The whole theme is 1996. That's the year she's born.

[C]

Such a cute campaign.

[B]

Yes, very cute. Very rooted back in that time. Like Cranberries playing in the commercial.

[C]

There's like the little head over ear headphones. The boombox is like the ones that we used to have when we were little.

[B]

A Burn CD with her name on it. Like all of those things. Right. And I went out to try to acquire these jeans and they were completely sold out. They had them online. They were completely sold out. There were certain stores around the country that carried both options, and the only one in LA was at the Grove. So I went to the Grove. I asked this lovely store associate, where are the Haley jeans? After me, no less than 15 other women came in going, where are the Haley jeans? And she basically was just like, this rack right here is all we have left. And it was like three pairs in sizes that were not going to fit me. And she said, we are going to restock next week. But also, the pair that she wore last year and was photographed in is actually this one, which they had a ton of.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I tried that one on I loved it. But I was like, I'm going to wait.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Until they restock to see which one I prefer.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And go from there.

[C]

So I have those jeans, the ones that came out last year, because after she wore them, I was like, I need them, and I love them. They're like one of my favorite jeans. And Alexa was kind enough to add me to her order when she ordered the jeans. So they're outside right now.

[B]

Nice.

[C]

The baggy ones. So I. I definitely will have to get them altered because I'm much too short, but I will let you know how they fit.

[B]

Yes, let me know. And also, I've been seeing a lot of discourse about how they look on certain people because there were people going to Gap stores and buying. I'm not even kidding you. 10 sizes.

[C]

Oh. Because they were just like. I don't know how this is going to fit.

[B]

Right. Which I thought was like, kind of a wild spread of like, five different sizes. Ten different.

[C]

Trying to resell them. Yeah.

[B]

I was like, yeah, exactly. I was like, this is kind of whack. And the.

[C]

They should have put a limit. Did they?

[B]

I don't know. Because the store associate said we have people returning a bunch of them daily because. Different sizes. But the whole point is that they're supposed to be loose, baggy. They're not supposed to be right up on your belly button.

[C]

Nope. Nope.

[B]

And if. And they're not even as low and as loose as the ones we used to wear.

[C]

Oh, no. Okay. I know.

[B]

Like, not even close.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But some people are like, these don't look good on me. And then some guy, which will play this video, he's like, they're low. Loose, baggy. On your midriff. Tight.

[A]

Get the jeans off your belly button. It's a low rise, Jean. That means it's supposed to sit above the croc. The. Or the conk. Okay. At least 6 inches below the belly button. All these people putting the jeans on, and it's, like, hovering around the belly button. And you're like, it doesn't look right because you're not even wearing it. Low rise. And it's a low rise.

[B]

Jake. I'm like, fair. Fair, dude.

[C]

Alexa, have you tried your pair on? Not yet. Okay. You'll report back, too.

[B]

Okay. I need to hear a report. I need to know if they're worth getting, because they're what? They're pretty cheap. Like $89.

[C]

I wouldn't call them cheap, but I would say for a nice denim pair.

[B]

Yeah. Okay.

[C]

Fair. Fair. Gap price. Great. But we are here also to talk about Gap Beauty.

[B]

Gap Beauty is back. This mailer was amazing.

[C]

So good.

[B]

I was so freaking excited. So did you ever wear Gap perfumes back in the day?

[C]

So I have such vivid memories of Gap perfumes because of my sisters. I didn't personally wear them myself, but what the mailer reminded me of was the mall. Like, Cal Abercrombie's fragrance reminds me of the mall. This reminded me of the other end of the mall, which is Gap.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Because the whole mailer was. How many cents were there? There were five.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

They were a reimagination of the iconic fragrance collection. But literally when I opened it, I was like, oh, my God. It was, like, so sweet. And then they also included over the ear, headphones, and then a little ipod esque music thing.

[B]

An actual ipod.

[C]

It's not an ipod.

[B]

It's not.

[C]

It's not an apple. Because I don't even know if Apple makes them anymore.

[B]

Yeah, it looks like an ipod.

[C]

Looks like an ipod Nano. So we said, what kind of phone is this?

[B]

Oh, my God. So it is. You age us.

[C]

It only plays music. She was like, oh. Couldn't even comprehend.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Crazy.

[B]

She's like, yeah. Like, what kind of care. Yeah.

[C]

Why?

[B]

Why? I was gonna ask. So you didn't wear. I did not. Fragrances.

[C]

No. No, but.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

But my sisters wore it.

[B]

I didn't either. I wonder if we missed the mark a little bit. Maybe we were a little too young for the Gap fragrances. I remember seeing them sometimes at the Gap store, but I was wearing.

[C]

I needed something sweeter. Yeah. No, I think for us at an early age, we, like, really wanted something sweet, which is what the kids are wearing now too. But these scents are sense that I would wear now. Like, it's very crisp and bright and clean smelling.

[B]

Yes. So why don't you go through the five offerings that they have? Because, again, these are not the originals. They're reimagined from the originals.

[C]

Yes. Okay, so first there's Dream, and they're saying that it's returning closest to its original form, which is a warm, woody scent with fresh notes of Italian bergamot, jasmine, and cedarwood. Then they have grass, which is one that I remember very much. And it is light and restorative, clean freshness drawn from green Mandarin matcha and Virginia cedar. Then Heaven, which is a softer and more sensual built around proprietary amber molecule and brightened with crisp pear, Madagascar vanilla, and Patchouli Homme, which is a deeper grounded alternative with notes of ginger, sandalwood, and Cedar. And then Harmony, which is a new addition and is the most playful of the five. It's bright and uplifting, with notes of apricot nectar, gardenia, and amber.

[B]

Okay, I think I'm gonna like that one. And Harmony is probably gonna be my favorite. I haven't taken them out of the mailer yet because I want to film a video, so I didn't want to destroy the beautiful work that had been done. Yes. Ohm is the one that I remember the most.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Because I think when I was younger, I was like, what's. Oh, yeah. Like, I didn't understand what that word.

[C]

Right, right, right.

[B]

And it made me curious. And I remember looking into it and be like, oh, maybe it means this. Maybe it means this. And I asked my mom. She's like, maybe like home. Like, you're, like, you know, meditating.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It is interesting, because when you think about Gap, they really push the 1969 narrative. Like, Gap established 1969. Right. And a lot of fashion brands do that. But I think we're starting to see that a lot of, you know, this new generation, they don't care when you were established. I feel like it's almost a detriment to be like, oh, we were established this long ago, because people are thinking, well, what relevance do you have to me now?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I don't remember that time.

[C]

Right.

[B]

At least with Haley's jeans and the whole 1996 narrative.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, Tony Bravo was on this podcast, and she said, you know, I wasn't born till 1999, but I could imagine what 1996 was like. It wasn't that far off. And I'm like, okay, yeah, like, we were 10 in 1996.

[C]

Yeah. I remember it clearly.

[B]

I mean, it's wild that now 1996 is, like, the new barometer of.

[C]

I know. Nostalgia. No, it's so wild.

[B]

We're going back to those sense. We're going back, like, not just the fashion of it all. You know, we saw, you know, Zach Posen, he came on recently and. And showed that there's, like, this new mesh version of the stripes.

[C]

Did you have the stripes that everyone's a little bit upset about, actually?

[B]

Oh, no, no, no. Okay. Sorry. What I meant was this. They loved the original stripes, but the new mesh version, people are like, what

[C]

are we doing here in this? Yeah.

[B]

But did you ever have anything striped from Gap?

[C]

Oh, my God, yes.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay. Love talking about this. Okay. And I still think about this outfit to this day. Remember when my mom took me to Gap?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I bought my Gap Sparkle jeans.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And I've made videos about this, if you follow me. And so many of you remember Sparkle jeans.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

These Sparkle jeans, though, were not, like these spray painted sparkle jeans that were, like, rigid and hard.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It was the fabric that was actually shimmery. Yeah. And. And when you looked at them to the naked eye, they had a little gleam, but they didn't look sparkly until you got close. And then you're like, who? The light hits it. I'm sparkling, so. Felt so cute in those. They're like dark indigo. Then I had my Gap sweater with all the colors of the rainbow that I got because I saw in a Gap Christmas commercial where everybody sang Love Train.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And I had a scarf that matched with a little hat and a puffer.

[C]

Yes, the puffer.

[B]

The pink puffer on top. And I remember just, like, waltzing into school that December before Christmas break thinking, like, I am perfectly Gap. Like, everyone's gonna ask me about my Gap Sparkle jeans. Nobody asked me about any of my outfit, but I was so excited to have all my gaps.

[C]

Oh, my God. No, I. Yeah. It's just, like, such a significant part of our childhood experience. Mall culture, which I feel like is, you know, malls are back, but it's definitely more of, like, the outdoor mall. And it's not the same as, like, when we were growing up. But I'm glad that they are trying to sort of bring it back, bring it back, make it modern and connect with Gen Z. Like. Like Tony Bravo being like. I can imagine what it was like.

[B]

That was so funny.

[C]

But I do think Gap has really been doing such an incredible job over the last few years with all of their collaborations. They really have just such a good sense of, like, who to partner with. Like, Haley, obviously. Katsai, the campaign videos, the dancing, they

[B]

understand their brand in a way that I think many beauty brands actually can look to and should be looking to. First of all, there's legacy there. They've been around since 1969. Right. The cat's Eye video, I was looking into, like, what they were wearing because I loved the video.

[C]

Right.

[B]

And I learned the choreography. And growing up, we knew Gap as the brand that had these really fun commercials. Yep. There was singing and singing Mellow Yellow. Like Rashida Jones is in Mellow Yellow.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

The ice skating video.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Where, you know, ice. Ice babies incorporated. There's just so many aspects of Gap that are ingrained into our brains from being that young. And it really was, like, a part of the culture.

[C]

Yeah. But like you said, they've always stayed true to their brand identity. Like, if you watched the ad and there was no logo, you would know. You would know, like, oh, that's a Gap ad.

[B]

You would 100% know. I also think that they done a really good job of innovating and figuring out how their brand works into today's culture.

[C]

Yes, exactly.

[B]

Zach Posen, he also made a dress inspired by the Gap T shirt for Kendall Jenner.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's, I think, a really cool way to implement the ethos of your brand into what people are talking about.

[C]

Right, right. And so I think that same sort of strategy has been applied to Gap Beauty. And I remember when we heard that Gap Beauty was coming out, I was like, I don't know.

[B]

I know.

[C]

I'm like, is this gonna be like a.

[B]

Here, take it. We're gonna just revive and call it

[C]

or even, like, try to, you know, come out with color cosmetics or something that feels like. I don't know.

[B]

Or appeal to Gen Z in a way that alienates the original consumer.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Which would be probably like, coming out with, like, body mists.

[C]

Right.

[B]

That are extremely fruity, or gourmand lip

[C]

gloss that they've, you know, a lip tint, a peptide. Don't know them for that, but they were like, no, let's, like, go back to what people know us for. And that is the fragrance, the scents. Okay, Kirby, when does it come out and how much are they?

[B]

It says, Gap fragrance arrives in all Gap stores nationwide and online July 30th. Available in three formats. There is a five piece, 0.05 ounce discovery kit, which is $20, so you can try all of them. Then there's a 10 milliliter size for $20, and then the 50 milliliter size, which is $52.

[C]

Okay, we have some. I feel like this is kind of spicy. I love it.

[B]

I kind of love this.

[C]

Yeah, because we love a revenge story.

[B]

Yeah, I'm into revenge. I. I dig it. I think it's kind of amazing. And I also like it when brands surprise me because, of course, we're human beings. We form opinions on brands that we like, we don't like based off of personal experiences. Experience with product, whatever. And this story, I think, is so interesting because I feel that this could completely change the trajectory of a brand that I personally feel kind of hits the low hanging fruit and doesn't necessarily do much to really innovate.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's just a bunch of consumption versus, like, actually innovating and making original. Yes.

[C]

Having an original idea, like original stuff. The idea around it is original, but

[B]

it's because it's not. Okay. Yes.

[C]

Okay, let's get into it. So what are we talking about?

[B]

The headline is EMCO Dupes Scandinavia Undercutting Urban Decay's New All Nighter Formulation. So EM Co Beauty is a brand from Australia and it's largely known for duping. I was surprised at how many people were not familiar with EM Co when I wrote my substack about it. But Emco has duped every single brand. And the reason why I think a lot of people talk about it is not that they just dupe the formulas, but they dupe the exact packaging. It is like, in case.

[C]

Yes, unapologetic. They go as far as they can without calling it the exact name, like, but everything about it. Like, I'm thinking specifically of the Charlotte Tilbury Bronzers and Blush.

[B]

The Wands.

[C]

The Wands. Oh my gosh. Like, exactly. And that's just one of the. They're like many, many, many products. It's kind of crazy.

[B]

In my newsletter, I included screenshots of nine different products that they've duped from Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Benetton Road, Glazing Mist. I mean, there are a Glow recipe, there are endless products that they, they basically just look and say, oh, this product is doing well online. They sell it for 34, we'll sell it for 10, and we'll copy everything down to the packaging, the font, the whole color. Yep, it's egregious. But clearly they're doing something right because it's working. It's working. And obviously we know that not everybody can afford, you know, a $48 eyeshadow palette or a $69 foundation. But also at the same time, I do think that they're. I mean, everybody's duping everyone. Like an example I give is like Summer Fridays, their lip product has been duped by every other brand. There's a million of them at Sephora now. So I'm not saying that dupes don't exist in other forums. I just think that it is low hanging fruit to copy the identity of another brand. And we're actually starting to see it a lot more now, not just with EM Co, but with other brands as well.

[C]

Right. And also I think your argument too is that, and we've talked about this on the podcast, Em Co's whole identity is duping. It's not like they're coming out with anything else. Like, that's what they're known for.

[B]

Right. I Did talk to the CMO earlier this year for story. She did say that they do have original products. Okay, well, they do not promote that. I don't know about. Yeah. Okay.

[C]

That's not why customers are coming to them.

[B]

Right. She also argued that they have their own community of people. It's not just about the dupes. But I'm like, there are so many brands that do dupe that don't have as much fanfare as you guys. Like, I highly doubt that if you guys weren't ripping off the exact packaging of Summer Fridays or Charlotte Tilbury that people would bat an eye.

[C]

Right.

[B]

So it kind of feels like you're glazing over the fact that a large portion of your fan base comes from the fact that you are giving them the exact same packaging experience as a high end brand.

[C]

Exactly, exactly. So what are they doing with Scandinavia?

[B]

Okay, so this is. This like kind of made me clutch my pearls a bit because I'm like, oh, I like it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So they partnered with Scandinavia. And I will say that the original story that appeared on Business of Beauty's Instagram I felt was a little confusing.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Because when they say dupe, it makes it sound like they're copying.

[C]

Right.

[B]

And so initially when I, I read the headline and then I was reading the caption, I was like, it is absolutely abhorrent to copy and paste a formula from an indie brand.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like Scandinavia makes one product and it's these setting sprays, right?

[C]

Yep.

[B]

But then I realized, oh, they actually partnered with Scandinavia.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which I was like, cool, Great.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So Scandinavia, if you're not familiar, they developed and supplied Urban Decay's original All Nighter formula. This is one of the top selling sprays. I have heard that it's not the top anymore, like Charlotte Tilbury's big one. Obviously one size is a big one. So they've kind of fallen off the ladder. But Urban Decay ended its 15 year relationship with Scandinavia and reformulated All Nighter last year. So it doesn't have this cooling technology that Scandinavia patented. EMCO says that their product that is in partnership with Scandinavia all day or uses the original patented formula and will sell at a mass market price. 1999 versus the $34 for urban decay. So I was like, oh, shit. This is yeah, this is not only like giving the people what they want, but also we're going to give it to you for less.

[C]

Yeah. I feel like 1999 is higher price than a lot of their other products.

[B]

Yes, it is higher. But I think that when it comes To a dupe.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's still cheaper.

[C]

Totally.

[B]

Yeah. It's still undercutting the original product.

[C]

I was dying over the name of All Day.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

All Dayer. And then the way that it looked like, same font color. I was like, like, literally reading the story, like, with my hand over my mouth.

[B]

I think that this is interesting, though, because one of the executives that works for Emco mentioned that this is a product that they are creating for Gen Z. Right. That millennials maybe wanted to pull an all nighter. Gen Z doesn't like their makeup, has to work all day. They're ready to go to bed at night. Like, we were ready to, like, hit the club.

[C]

Yeah. They're washing their face, they're doing their skincare routine, they're ready to go to bed.

[B]

Like, they're not really looking for a product that's going to last 24 hours or whatever it is. Right. And I felt like that is the most compelling and interesting argument that Emco has really ever provided in terms of, like, providing a quote, unquote, dupe of something. Granted, this is not a dupe because the original.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Which is a first for them.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I just do want to recognize that, like, Emcom has had lawsuits against them.

[C]

We've talked about their. Their legal team is probably the busiest legal team of any cosmetics, beauty, skin care company of all time.

[B]

Yeah. And, I mean, this strategy has brought attention from customers and lawsuits. And the criticism has always been that making affordable makeup isn't the issue. Presenting something as practically identical because it looks identical is. I think that this is what Charlotte Tilbury has been talking about when it comes to dupes. And she did that BBC interview that people are criticizing. And I think that the way that she discussed dupes in that interview wasn't the best, because if I were her, I would have said, sure, you can get the Charlotte Tilbury look using other products. Of course you can.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I'm not saying that you absolutely have to have my product. It might not perform as well, but you can imitate the look.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And. And get pretty close.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Right. The problem is taking a product, making it look identical, and claiming that also the formula is identical. That's not. Even if it has the same manufacturer.

[C]

Right.

[B]

That's something that's been consistently parroted online by, unfortunately, a lot of people who have never worked in product development before.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Thankfully, we have experts like Javon Ford and Aaron Parsons who have worked in that realm that have said, just because something's made at the same manufacturer doesn't mean it's identical formula.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's not a copy paste thing. Alex from Educated Mess also dove into this. So I would highly recommend the three of them if you want to learn a little bit more about manufacturing and that stuff. But for me, when I saw Charlotte's conversation with that reporter for the BBC, I was like, she's talking about mco.

[C]

Yeah, clearly.

[B]

And I think you obviously would have to have, like, background knowledge to understand that. And I think people really lost it when they were like, oh, so you want me to buy a 45 thing to be able to achieve your look? And then people are basically recreating her looks with cheaper products. Right. But I think having had the context of, like, knowing that she is, like, the number one, if not close to being the number one, most duped brand in the world.

[C]

Right.

[B]

People have copied everything from or tried to copy everything from her formulas to the packaging mechanism that we're using. I mean, like, those wands were really revolutionary for so many people because of the little puff on the end, like, contour was not being applied like that before her. And it was. I think of Alex Earl all the time because she would sit in front of her phone and she would put the contour wand on, and people were like, what are those dots on your face?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

She really did change the game in so many ways. So I agree with a lot of makeup artists and. And experts in the field who have been like, well, what was she supposed to do? Be like, yeah, buy the dupes.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

But I think there was a better way for her to articulate, like, listen when she's saying, like, when you dupe, you dupe the customer. And I think the. The real message of that statement is not that, you know, you can't achieve the look, it's that you're. They're thinking they're getting the exact same thing, and they're not. Especially when the packaging is identical.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Which has always been the problem with mco. Right.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. All of that being said, all Dayer is a different approach to this. EM Co is not reverse engineering a popular product and putting it in similar packaging. Like I said earlier, it would be absolutely horrendous for them to do that to an independent brand.

[C]

Like, people would be coming after them

[B]

totally, but they're partnering with them instead. And when I spoke with Meredith, the CMO earlier this year, I had gotten a tip. The brand had reached out to several different brands that they had been duping. Being like, let's partner together. Let's do something. Together. And everyone was like, what the.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Why? Yeah, I wouldn't want. I don't want to do that. And I kept thinking to myself, I asked her about it and she's like, how do you know this? And I was like, I just know these things. And she kind of gave me this, like, roundabout answer of like, you know, we're always looking for ways to partner with people. And for me, I could not wrap my head around how they would be able to do that.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

This is literally, yeah, genius level partnership.

[C]

It is.

[B]

I think it's so smart. And so the CEO of EM Co told Business of Beauty that this era of Emko is quote, unquote, dupe 2.0, which could include resurrecting discontinued formulas, using consumer feedback to improve existing products, working with the same manufacturers as premium brands, and investing more in third party testing. And I also just want to clarify, just because you work for the same manufacturer as a premium brand doesn't mean you're getting the exact formula. Let's be so for real here. But I think, in my humble opinion, that Emco may have discovered a smarter and more defensible business model.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

By doing this and this partnership with Scandinavia. I mean, I've seen founders going to Instagram, stories that don't speak on anything being like, this is so smart. This is smart. This is brilliant. Not a big fan of what they do normally, but, like, Right.

[C]

This is like, this is the way forward for them. Yes.

[B]

Like, think if I know that they're trying to appeal to Gen Z. Yeah. And I get it. Because Gen Z, when you're young, you don't have deep pockets. Right.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So they're priced for Gen Z. But imagine the millennials they could acquire if they brought back the original Givenchy powder.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

If they brought back velvet noir from Marc Jacobs Beauty. Because, guys, I have bad news or anything.

[C]

Flash.

[B]

Honestly, flashes wasn't that good. The new Marc Jacobs mascara.

[C]

I didn't love about.

[B]

You tried yours.

[C]

I tried everything.

[B]

Well, I didn't. I had to buy the mascara because I didn't get it. Which is. It's fine. But I was like, I'm not spending money on things that I'm not hearing a ton of great feedback on.

[C]

No.

[B]

So I bought the mascara. I didn't love it. I'm. I'm going to keep trying it, but I'm going to be honest. I was.

[C]

I've been underwhelmed. I've been underwhelmed with what I've tried so far.

[B]

From Marc Jacobs Beauty brought Back, Mac, the original powder formula that they changed this year. Could they might with, you know, all these brands getting rid of, like, cytopentyloxane.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel like MCO could literally be like, we're going to stick it to the man. We're going to formulate just for the US this ingredient is not outlawed there. And bring back all these og. I mean, it would literally change everything.

[C]

Yeah. And sell it for 1999.

[B]

I would. I mean, I'm, like, getting hot thinking about it. I'm like, oh, my God. If you. If they brought back Bite Beauty's original agave.

[C]

Oh, my God. So good. I'm saying all the fragrances that have been discontinued that people and brands are trying to, like, we were just talking about Gap, like, put a fresh new spin. We're like, you know, actually, we want the OG old thing.

[B]

Totally. Bring me back og. Armani Luminous. Yeah, please. Like, I know you love the original. I know you love the new one. But, like.

[C]

But there are so many people that are really sad and now are searching for their. A formula that could, you know, replace it.

[B]

Armani luminous silk, OG at A$25 price point. Take my money.

[C]

Take it. They haven't been. If they're not working on that already, they need to be. But I agree with you. I think everything about this is just, like, so delicious.

[B]

Yes. Yeah. I mean, just like, from not that we consumer standpoint, like, sitting here reading something and just taking it as it is. I'm like, this is delicious.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, this is so fun.

[C]

We obviously, like, love urban decay.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And, like, all of the products. And like, we understand the reasoning, what had to be done, whatever why they, you know, needed to reformulate all those things, obviously. But the way that EM Co Beauty just decided to do this, partnering with Scandinavia, calling it all day or like, it's just. You're like, this is what. This is why we do what we do.

[B]

Yeah. Like, it just checks these boxes that you're like, yep, that makes sense. Yes. You're hitting your demographic. You're also helping a small independent brand.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

The founder of Scandinavia came out last year when, you know, this announcement was made about the reformulation. Like, this was my business for 15 years now. What?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And obviously I think they got a bump from people just buying directly from them. I did. I bought three of their different setting sprays, and they work like a freaking charm.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But I think at some point he realized, at least I need another partner.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then Emco was able to come in and they've been wanting to partner with people.

[C]

Right.

[B]

This is the way.

[C]

This is the way.

[B]

This is the way. I think this is the way to even get respect. Like, I know the consumer loves this brand because affordable looks like something that costs way more. Right. I've tried some Emco products. I didn't really think they held a candle to the products they were imitating.

[C]

No.

[B]

But they got the job done.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Right, Right. Which is sometimes what you're looking for. You just want to get the job done for me.

[C]

And again, like, if you are 14, 15, 18 years wanting to experiment a

[B]

bunch of different products.

[C]

Yeah. But you don't have a lot of money. It's a perfect way. Totally why we were buying, or I was buying, like, Nyx and Wet N Wild, just to, like, play and see if I liked how this looked on me.

[B]

Right. Like, try a trend. Yeah, all of those things. Yes, yes, yes. But have you tried it yet? No, I don't. It's not out yet, so it'll cut all. Dayer Setting spray, in partnership with Scandinavia, will be available on Amazon and Target at Target stores where Emco is sold in the U.S. for 1999 and August 3rd.

[C]

Okay. Oh, I cannot wait for all the reviews.

[B]

So I would love to hear. I'm. I'm probably gonna go out and buy it. Like, I really want to try it out. So I would love to hear from anyone who tries all day. Or if there's an EM Co beauty product that you love and really think stands up as a superior dupe to the brands they're duping, please let us know. Also, we're loving seeing all the comments on Spotify. I'm gonna be honest. Like, it brings me joy to see, like, how many new comments we get each week. So leave them there. Send us a DM comment on Instagram. Also, are you watching on Apple Podcasts? We're on Apple Podcasts.

[C]

We know some of you are.

[B]

We know a lot of you are. And we have some new listeners, which we're so excited about. So let us know. And also, do you plan on trying the new Gap fragrances?

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.