The Australian-based beauty brand has built its reputation on “dupes” - products designed to echo the look and feel of high-priced global hits while staying firmly in the affordable aisle. Over recent years, this approach has helped it ride waves of online hype and social media trends, positioning the company as the go-to option for shoppers who want premium-style packaging and results without the premium price tag.
That model is now under pressure, with two intellectual property cases filed against MCoBeauty in the US by well-known beauty organisations behind Sol de Janeiro and Glow Recipe. These companies allege that MCoBeauty’s products and branding are too close to their own, bringing questions about packaging, design and overall product similarity into a formal legal setting. While the details sit in court filings, the core issue centres on where inspiration ends and infringement begins.
The outcome of these cases looks set to influence more than just one brand’s strategy. It could send a signal to the wider “dupe” economy that has flourished on social media and in major retailers. If courts take a tougher line on lookalike products, brands that lean heavily on mimicking blockbuster hits may need to rethink how they design, market and differentiate their ranges, or risk swapping low prices for high legal bills.
