October 20, 2010, 1:23:00 PM

Why so many dupes?

Hi guys, with the latest releases, I couldn't help but wonder, how on earth did we end up with so many dupes? Especially this season. For example, Orly's Halleys Comet is an exact dupe for OPI Catch me in Your Net, Zoya Charla and Essence Choose Me. And there are more dupish polishes in that beloved Cosmic FX collection, I mean, look at the MAC's Venomous Villains polishes. It made me wonder, and I decided to write my figments down, of course I'm no expert or insider, these are just ramblings. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments as well!

Patent

A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for a public disclosure of an invention. These patents do expire, so it's possible you'll notice some dupish products after this. A good example is when the patent on Lancome's Precision Point Eyeliner ran out and suddenly there were two similar products, namely Illamasqua's Precision Ink Liquid Eyeliner and MAC's Superslick Liquid Eyeliners. Funny how that works!

New technologies

Sometimes it could be new technology too. Once it hits the market, it's very well possible that new finishes and stuff like that, get picked up by the nail polish companies. Orly claims their Cosmic FX collection contains a new Mineral FX technology. What they did is use Mica for those 'glass flecks'. Mica itself is not particularly new (or that healthy btw), but the new fleck shape could be. I'm not sure.

Lifting on the succes of others

This happens quite often. After Chanel's Jade there was a huge jade/mint green hype. If you look at Models Own, you can see they're blatantly using Chanel's Paradoxal to sell their Purple Grey and when they found out this was working out for them, they released their Car Key Collection. A major Chanel Les Khakis ripoff.

Sheer Coincidence

Nothing to add to that one, I guess it happens!

And what are your thoughts? Let me know!

Comments (59)

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Arantxa · 758 weeks ago

I have no idea why there are so many dupes around. You can't tell me that four different companies accidently came up with the same color.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Yah, that's what I wrote about. Basically. Because I don't think that's the case either. :)

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Floor / Marjolein 92p · 758 weeks ago

Woow, wat veel, en ze lijken allemaal echt precies op elkaar ;O

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Haha ja ze zijn echt zo'n beetje exacte dupes! Niet normaal he! :D

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Tessa · 758 weeks ago

pfff thanks for showing us :) But indeed.. sooo many dupes!

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nuaeabhrac 14p · 758 weeks ago

thank God for dupes, there's no way I'd be able to afford all the high end polishes otherwise!

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Irenka · 758 weeks ago

I heard that, with this particular color, some sort of new colorcombination came out and everyone was able to buy it. Or something. I really believe this, since the colors are SO alike and came out around the same period..

Also, patents on color can't be done in the Netherlands, I thought, but they can in America (No one can use the pantonecolors from MacDonalds, patented colors. Or whatever you call that D:). But I think it's hard to put patent on nailpolish colors. They're never excactly alike.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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Irenka · 758 weeks ago

Nieuwe pigment kwam uit! Dat was het.

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Emelie · 758 weeks ago

I've been wondering this too since there was more than one dupe for Zoya Charla on the market. I mean - one dupe could be an coincidence - but four or more? I don't think so. I have no idea why and I have no idea how long it takes for the companies to make idea into reality but that makes me think that there might be an "insider leak" somewhere. But again - how could this apply to all the companies?

I understand why some of the brands have made their own dupes since the "original" colors became available and they realised the hype around them. They saw $$$ which I totally understand. It's a bit boring knowing that we could have missed even better colors that had to stand back while these dupes were created - but then again - I'd rather spend $5 than $25 on a nail polish in the shade I want. Eg. Chanel. So from that point of view, as a consumer, I'm satisfied with cheap dupes.

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ManicureTime · 758 weeks ago

I guess it works like this in fashion and beauty, How many Louboutin-like high heels can you find in any shop these days? And Marlies Dekkers' underwear is also not very exclusive anymore. I do like the idea there's an alternative for each budget:) I mean, Essence choose me only cost me 1,60 euro, LOL!
On the other hand, I felt a little studpid for buying Models Own Purple Grey, CND Effects and Barry M Dusky Mauve! I mean, why didn't I just buy Paradoxal, the real thing, immeadiately? XO

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@Nelleke · 758 weeks ago

Hmm, interessante gedachte. Want in sheer coincidence geloof ik niet. Meer in meeliften op het succes van anderen. Maar dat is in het geval van deze lakjes misschien wat minder obvious dan bij de Chanel dupes...

3 replies · active 758 weeks ago

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@Nelleke · 758 weeks ago

Is die van Essence trouwens echt een exacte dupe? Dan kan ik namelijk weer een lakje (OPI CYIMN) van mijn wishlist afstrepen. :)

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Haha ja wat mij betreft wel! Echt, ik zie het verschil niet :D

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Al weet ik niet of de kwaliteit hetzelfde is eigenlijk, dat moet ik nog eens testen!

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nailoholiccom 28p · 758 weeks ago

Same thing I thought! I didn't see so many dupes in any season than in this one.

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Joanna · 758 weeks ago

Maybe they have nail polish spy or something, lol.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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AmyGrace · 758 weeks ago

Exactly my thought! ;-)

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Miranda · 758 weeks ago

The only thing I don´t get is why they do it. For example Orly Cosmix and MAC Villains (or whatever it´s called :P). Aren´t they better of making some of the same finishes but with different colors? I would love to see more Space Cadet but then in other colors. This way those companies don´t have to compete against eachother with the same color and at the same time us polish girls don´t get any dupes in their stash, hahaha.
The same for Charla/Halley´s Comet/CMIYN/Choose Me. I love those finishes and I am glad that especially Zoya made them in different colors, but don´t see why they should make dupes. Accept for Essence of course, they make a lot cheaper dupes and that´s nice.
Same as Barry M who duped Paradoxal. It´s a much cheaper version, so that´s ok, I understand that.

6 replies · active 758 weeks ago

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Smaltoitaliano · 758 weeks ago

They do it because when a trend appears on the market (in make-up, fashion, EVERYTHING you can sell), it's better to have it in your offer, rather than not to have it.
There'll be ALWAYS someone who will buy it, maybe because one particular brand is not sold everywhere, and people have access to another one who has that trend in its collection...

It's just a question of money ;>

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Réka · 758 weeks ago

I agree. One of the reasons I'm glad dupes exist is that we have extremely poor range of selection in Sweden, so hopefully if there are many dupes, maybe one of the few brands available here will carry that particular color. There are so many beautiful shades that I check out on the polish blogs that never make it to Sweden or Amazon UK...

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Smaltoitaliano · 758 weeks ago

Haha, I'm italian and here it's worse, I know well what you're talking about!

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Miranda · 758 weeks ago

I know! Here in the Netherlands there aren´t a lot of brands available either. But for instance the Charla/CMIYN/Halley´s Comet/Choose me are all brands you can get online (and Essence in stores). So even if not sold here in stores I can easily get them either in an e-shop or on eBay.

I still don´t see nail polish as the same thing as fashion... Would really love it when all of them made differrent shades eventhough I do absolutely adore the finish.

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Réka · 758 weeks ago

The worst thing is that you cannot order nail polish from the USA because it is considered a hazardous (flammable) material and it is prohibited to put it in the mail. There should be a petition to change this :) there are lots of great American online stores, plus Amazon and American Ebay traders.

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kelliegonzo 101p · 758 weeks ago

i know, and those who do send it thru the mail in swaps run the risk of fines and such! *yikes* so silly. there needs to be a change to this.

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Ana · 758 weeks ago

Ik denk dat er meer gekeken moet worden naar de productie fabrieken van nagellak. Als consument ga je ervan uit dat een bedrijf zijn eigen fabriek heeft waar ze producten produceren. Realiteit is meestal dat de meeste merken in dezelfde fabriek geproduceerd worden. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn etenswaren in nederland like hagelslag(kijk naar het aantal merken hagelslag in de schappen, maar waarschijnlijk is er maar 1 fabriek die ze allemaal maakt). Hetzelfde geldt ook voor bijvoorbeeld zonnebrillen. Prada, Gucci en Chanel komen allemaal uit dezelfde fabriek uit Frankrijk(if I remember correctly).
Dus grote kans dat alle nagellakjes uit dezelfde fabriek komen rollen met eventueel een of 2 andere ingredienten zodat de andere bedrijven niet kunnen worden aangeklaagd voor imitatie.

Ook moet worden gerealiseerd dat het 1 jaar duurt voordat een patent moet worden aangevraagd waarbij het product geheim gehouden moet worden. Voor een bedrijf als chanel is het dus beter om de producten zonder patent op de markt te brengen en een trendsetter te zijn, met risico's op dupes. Anders moeten ze 1 jaar een product geheim houden, veel geld betalen aan patentaanvragen en de nagellak verdwijnen na 1 seizoen weer uit de schappen. Door het een limited collection te maken hebben ze een grote marketing truc in handen waarbij ze weten dat mensen hun producten zowiezo kopen en zij hun winst dus binnenhalen. En zorgen ze ook dat hun merk sterker wordt.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Jaa dat gebeurt inderdaad wel vaker, dat Private Labeling. In het geval van de lakken die je bovenin ziet, hmmm weet niet, zou kunnen natuurlijk.. Wel een interessante gedachte natuurlijk en dat van die patenten wist ik niet, dankjewel voor de info!!

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DanSan · 758 weeks ago

As some other readers already mentioned, I'm very glad the dupes exist! Either way I wouldn't be able to have some colours. Maybe the brands also think about the poor! ;) Essence is pretty much affordable to me but I can't say the same about Chanel or OPI. So... HURRAY DUPES! ^__^

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gnoma · 758 weeks ago

Actually I don't know the real reason, but I think the combo of everything (except coincidence, I don't believe in coincidences at all, especially in business... :P). The most suitable opinion I could say is the success as reason, and the nw formula as alibi for reason ;)
By the way I'm pretty happy about dupes, since I have many difficults to find out a lot of polish brands, so it's useful for people like me the big range of choice :)

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nailyorkcity 80p · 758 weeks ago

goed artikel! Ik vind het allemaal maar een beetje nep, die dupes, zelf zou ik eerder de originele kopen. Maarja, als die van Essence voor 2 euro precies op OPI lijkt, dan neem ik toch wel Essence!

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babymael · 758 weeks ago

I'm sure big companies spy on each other, you could call it "industrial espionage"... but I'm a big conspiracy theories fan !
As for "smaller" brands like in this case essence but also milani or claire's for chanel jade's dupes, I think they just try and take advantage of a "new" trend buy copying a shade either because it is sold out or because it is expensive. This way they can expect to sell a huge quantity of a particular reference or just expend the popularity of their brand.
Take Catrice for example (it's the same company as Essence, by the way), I'm sure a lot of people didn't buy their polishes before they launched "Lost in mud" and "sold out forever" which surf on the particuliere and jade (again) trends.

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amusedPolish 75p · 758 weeks ago

i think it may be that the pigment they used- it is something brand new and a lot of companies are jumping on the wagon to buy it without knowing that the others are buying the same one too.

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penemuel 1p · 758 weeks ago

I'm pretty sure it's that the new pigments became available and everyone went "Oh wow - people will love these!" -- I'm all for it when there are more affordable copies or more accessible copies of things!

My only wish is that Orly hadn't trumpeted their collection as 'something brand new no one's ever done it ooh wow look how special!' because it really looks false when 4 different companies end up with a dupe of one of their colours and the other 5 have dupes or near-dupes available.

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Ulmiel · 758 weeks ago

The only two reasons why I like dupes are, that sometimes the original is already sold out and so gorgeus, I'd just love to have it, or it's so overpriced, that I simply cannot afford it no matter what. But those two chances are extremely rare and that's why I basically hate dupes in general. I think it's really unfair, that other companies get the glory of one company that came up with a fantastic colour, just stealing their colour and saying "so what". But what baffles me with this particular set (Charla, Catch me in your net, Choose me! and Halley's Comet) is that they got out in a very short period of time, it's like they all got the colour basically at the same time. I'm guessing it's some sort of agreement between companies, they have the people that know which colour will make us go crazy.
But it's like a bit of excitment over the colour was taken away with all the duplicating, do you know what I mean? Here you have Orly that goes from 10 dollars to 20 € (unbelievable price in Finland), and then Essence that goes in our country for 1,49€. I bet alot of those that bought the expensiver bottle kinda feel cheated. The quality difference is definitively there, but lets face it, we can all do just fine with Essence brush. ;)

Ok, you totally got me going on this subject, sorry for the speech, it's an interesting subject for me. :) To sum up - I think it's an agreement between companies or rather, living on the succes of another company that broke the ice and took the chance that the colour won't be succesful in nail polish world.

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Wow wow wow so many great comments, I'm gonna read them all when I get home! THANKS GUYS!

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@thedollhazing · 758 weeks ago

At least in the US, color can be TRADEMARKED. It cannot be PATENTED, which is seen as two different things in the eyes of the law in the US.

Trademark = something that is intrinsic to the brand. The most well known example of this is Tiffany Blue, which is a certain Pantone color. Tiffany filed for trademark because that color is part of their brand concept. This is why colors such as ChG's For Audrey can come super close, but cannot exactly match the Pantone shade. Some schools have trademarked colors, as well. I don't know if any nail companies have claimed to trademark a color.

Patent = usually used for inventions, innovations and new/useful things. Just as an example, say that a nail polish company comes up with an amazing, truly never before seen chemical makeup for their nail polish that makes it last a long time. They can patent that formulation, but as Michèle, when a patent runs out, anyone can run out and copy it.

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@felizarine · 758 weeks ago

Dupes showing up on the market a while after a big hit has been released, and dupes entering the market at pretty much the same time, are two different things I reckon. The first scenario is no wonder, but the latter is weird and I have given it a lot of thought myself. I have been considering extremely efficient salesmen. Pigment salesmen. Can they convince several manufacturers to buy big bulks of their pigments at the same time, assuring them they will be the sole brand on the market using it, and then say the very same thing to every manufacturer? Or am I just prone to conspiracy beliefs? lol

You would think that brands would be really fucking bummed to see another brand putting out "their" color simultaneously, and want that to be avoided, especially if it's their more spectacular shade in a collection. I'm thinking of the examples in your photo, though I believe maybe Essence were later on this? (I don't have access, so I can't tell for sure.) It's one thing interpreting trends and put out *similar* colors, another one to put out EXACT matches. It sure is weird.

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Jackie S. · 758 weeks ago

At first all the dupes annoyed me, but then I realized, the more dupes, the more possibilities for everyone to be able to afford the color :)

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thifane 48p · 758 weeks ago

I am also highly thankful that dupes exist. And it's only natural in the market. Essence Choose me became my favorite nail polish and I would not have had the chance to try the shade if I had to depend on OPI, Zoya or Orly. I love nail polishes and make up in general but I am not willing to pay more than what I pay in my local drugstore. It's also no deal to me to order that kind of product online. I love when pretty shades are widely available so YES for dupes, but I also agree that each brand should keep their "own" line so we could have a broader range of shades to collect.

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Michy · 758 weeks ago

I suspect that it's a combination of different factors that brings out dupes. And that it makes a difference when they come out at basically the same time vs a dupe coming out much later. If it's around the same time, then I'm leaning towards companies getting their information from the same places, or perhaps, the manufacturers selling the same color to more than one company. After all, there are actually very few nail polish manufacturers. When it's some time later, then I'd be more inclined to feel that it's a bit of copying, which isn't always that bad, since colors do sell out and so on.

Regardless, I'm always happy to see really good dupes, because it makes beautiful colors available to more people. Heck, if I wont the lottery, I'd probably try to find a way to dupe the really HTF polishes in the least expensive method I could find and sell it for the smallest amount I could. It might not be the same as owning THE original, but at least it would bring some older beauties out to play (Clarins 230 anyone?).

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Gwen · 758 weeks ago

Lullig voor de merken, beter voor ons. Want ik koop toch echt liever dat Essence lakje van €1,29 dan een OPI van €13,95. De kwaliteit maakt voor mij niet eens zoveel uit gezien ik toch elke dag of 2 mn nagels opnieuw lak =)
Ik had neit verwacht dat Essence een dupe van Orly's Halleys Comet zou zijn, Orly leek me veel lichter en feller. Ik heb die van essence en die is echt super! Alleen die nagellak is niet zo geweldig, maar over een tealkleurtje of een midden/donkerblauwe nagellak, prachtig!

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TropicalChrome · 758 weeks ago

My best guess is that they all get the same information packet from the same "trend experts" announcing which colors are going to be hot next season/next year. It's not hard to extrapolate the same nail colors from that.

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Maggie · 758 weeks ago

Well, I'm sure part of it is that there are like half a dozen companies that fabricate makeup for all the brands out there. There's bound to be overlap, especially if a manufacturer develops some new and exciting formulation/texture/whatever, and all the companies want in.

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DanSan · 758 weeks ago

You actually know that sometimes the formula is the same... it's almost like electronic stuff and such...... a computer can be a Toshiba in brand and the inside of it is all Asus.... a car can be a Fiat in brand but the engine can be a Volkswagen. The formula can be the same, the polish can actually be the same, the bottle is different.... we never know ;)

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kelliegonzo 101p · 758 weeks ago

yeah...i am half thankful, half annoyed. i'm always down for a bargain, and i'm happy it makes things accessible to others. but i have to say, i'm pissed if i bought a $23 polish and a $2 bottle comes out that is exactly the same thing two weeks later. it makes it less "special" or something :/ also, i need NEW stuff people! c'mon, when i think of stopping buying nail polish altogether, i get a panic attack (kidding) haha! i seriously crave new colors and the more dupes there are, the less new things there are being created. it's just lame. that's why i like companies that do their own thing and not be on trend all the time (BB COUTURE! LIPPMANN!)

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Anne · 758 weeks ago

I think the one by O.P.I was the first ...

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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lacquerized 62p · 758 weeks ago

Yes, the first to be released, but that's all you know really.. `who knows how long those others have been waiting to get out ;-)

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Chrissy · 758 weeks ago

I actually think Zoya Charla beat OPI to the punch in this case.

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supketchup 95p · 758 weeks ago

Vind 't stiekem wel leuk dat er zoveel dupes zijn, dan is er in elke prijscategorie en soort winkel wel eentje te vinden. Maar ze kunnen soms ook wel een beetje overdrijven... Interessant artikel en interessante acties ook! :)

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Jenna · 758 weeks ago

They probably all use the same colorant (pigment). There are only a handful of manufacturers of micas/pigments and all the companies use the same ones which is why there are so many dupes of colors in not only polish but eyeshadow as well.

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Serena · 758 weeks ago

I don't mind dupes...honestly I will buy the colour that is cheaper and easiest for me to find.

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Valerie · 758 weeks ago

Very simple: brands do no MANUFACTURE polish, they SELL it...
So you can imagine that they have same manufacturers. So same polishes.

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Ilja · 758 weeks ago

Het is inderdaad wel opvallend dat er zoveel dupes zijn! Wel stom, ik bedenk me nu dat ik 3 van de 4 lakjes zelf heb haha! zit ik dan, met 3 dezelfde... *stupid!*

x Ilja

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sparris · 758 weeks ago

I'm guessing companies don't worry too much about putting out dupey colors if it's 'coincidental' dupes like the Orly/Zoya/Essence thing, because the average polish customer will never even notice there ARE any dupes to any given color. People in general don't pay attention to that. Also, they buy far less polish, so someone might come into the store, see this gorgeous blue-greeen glittery bottle and think 'hey, cool color, I'll get that' and be done with it. Before I became the polish addict I am today I hadn't paid attention to nail polish in years, much less bought any. I just occasionally used the bottles I already had.Does anyone have any info on how many bottles of polish people buy in a year(on average)?
As for copycat dupes i e jumping on the Jade or Paradoxal bandwagon, it's all about getting market share, isn't it?

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Rainbow Obsession 97p · 757 weeks ago

I think all polish companies are buying from the same manufacturer. Zoya got the sparkles, then OPI and Orly...and the the cheaper polish companies... It sounds like the same trickle down effect that happens on fashion.

This must be a new mica cut and since it was so successful w/ Zoya, everyone started to try it out!
It's a shame so many dupes are available. But... I think it's great that Accessorize and Essence released this blue, since many of the European ladies could not get their hands on them!

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Lisa · 757 weeks ago

I have a friend who works for and helped develop a company called Franche Cosmetics. She told me that there are only 4 or 5 plants that make the actual cosmetics and that there are huge vats labeled with the different companies that sell that particular product. For example, a vat of red lipstick that might say Lancome, Loreal & Max Factor on the side. The product is just packaged up and labeled for each company. This is why the two paradoxal's have the same number on them. Interesting huh?

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@BornFromSilenc · 753 weeks ago

I believe that it is to suit different people with different price ranges. I am definitely not one to buy a Chanel polish as I believe the prices to be extortionate, so I'd settle for anything similar but 10 times cheaper x

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Lauren · 751 weeks ago

I actually think it's a good thing that companies are duping each other. It gives us, the consumer, more options. For instance, I could choose the Zoya polish because it's cruelty-free while someone else may choose Essence because it's the cheapest. Plus, it drives the companies to come out with more creative and unique polishes to avoid dupability. It's making the nail polish industry more competitive. Who can make the most trendy polishes with the best wear and formula for the right price? Although we may feel nonplussed when we see the same color cropping up in every line, the reality is that nail polishes are going to new extremes.

It's not just about sparkle anymore. It's about hexagonal, holographic glitter in every color in the rainbow. We don't just have a glossy finish. We have matte, satin and suede, too. We can stamp our nails with pretty designs or cover them with crackle polish. We can buy polishes that react to magnets and take our manicures to whole new levels.

The companies want to out do each other. In the end, it works for us!

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Mona · 750 weeks ago

Hm, now I'm worried. What is mica and how is it harmful?

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bratankowa · 738 weeks ago

thank God for dupes, because there are many brands not available in my country :)
and about how these things happen: it is not a coincidence of course, just take a look at any other industries, it is the same with fashion houses, but even with airplanes as well!

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