The idea of a dupe seems amazing. Being able to find cheap products that are exactly like expensive brands; sounds like a steal right? Dupes may sound great for a bank account, but in the long run they may not be worth the money, and in some cases worth one’s health.
Today a consumer can find a dupe for almost anything from the category of home appliances to makeup and skincare products. There is importance on budgeting and using money wisely on wants and needs, however it is also important to research dupes prior to purchases.
Shein has grown to be one of the biggest fast fashion distributors in the entire world. This Chinese online brand has become popular from TikTok and Instagram through social media icons like Hailey Beiber or Khloe Kardashian.
Shein has not been shy to limit their products to just clothing items; they have recently entered the cosmetic industry with their makeup line SHEGLAM. SHEGLAM is known for their cheap prices, large selection of makeup and most importantly: dupes.
Senior Chloe Chamberlin was easily influenced by social media popularity to purchase SHEGLAM products. “After seeing so many people on my Tik Tok for you page and Instagram explore page using SHEGLAM products, I decided to purchase a few items,” Chamberlin stated.
SHEGLAM has a variety of products that duplicate brands like Rare Beauty, Fenty Beauty, Tarte and other cosmetic name brands. These expensive name brands are sold through large companies such as Sephora and Ulta and are known for being safe and beneficial for their users’ skin.
When the customer is paying for these expensive products, they are paying for safe products as well.
Most SHEGLAM duplicate products are over 70% cheaper than the name brand products. For example, Rare Beauty’s highlighter’s retail price is $25.00 and SHEGLAM’s dupe for the same product is sold for $4.99.
Junior Hannah Horsfield is tempted to purchase SHEGLAM but is also skeptical of the quality of the product. “The cheap prices definitely draw me in to wanting to purchase SHEGLAM, but I have sensitive skin and I wouldn’t want to risk putting those chemicals on my face. It almost seems too good to be true to get good makeup for as cheap as $1,” Horsfield stated.
SHEGLAM is extremely cheap with harsh chemicals and products that can cause permanent damage to the skin and danger to health. Your Beauty Dr. explained how recently a report has been making the rounds on the internet claiming that a California woman received a safety warning when she tried to buy a Shein beauty product online. The product apparently had Di(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate, aka DEHP, which the Californian State law marks as a carcinogen.
This is just one of many SHEGLAM horror stories. Multiple SHEGLAM products have been flagged to cause extreme skin breakouts and acne scarring.
Next time a consumer sits down to purchase a cheap makeup dupe, they should indulge in some research on the ingredients and chemicals. The name brand product may be worth the expensive price over a nasty skin breakout.
