Picture courtesy of the lovely Shannon over at www.raspberrykiss.co.uk


Living abroad at the moment, I obviously haven't had the chance to pick up any of Makeup Revolution's products for myself, but I feel like I can make a pretty fair judgement based on the monumental amount of posts I've seen online about the brand. I'm all for offering a more affordable version of a cult product for those who can't/won't splash out on the original, but I think that MR has taken it a bit too far for my liking. Sure, take inspiration, but don't straight up copy not only the colour range, but also the order of the colours in the palette! You might as well have put it through a photocopier and called it good. My problem with this is the lack originality, like I said, take inspiration all you want, but this to me is flat out plagiarism. If you google swatches online, you can see what I'm talking about. Not only have they produced copies of the UD Naked Palette (their version being called the Iconic 1 Palette), but also ones of the Naked 2 and 3 palettes (unsurprisingly named Iconic 1 and Iconic 2), and by the looks of it, the UD Electric palette as well. Don't get me wrong, I am fully aware that cheaper brands have done this kind of thing in the past (MUA, I'm looking at you...) but not quite to this level of accuracy. Maybe it's just me, perhaps I am overreacting, but if I was part of UD, I'd probably be pretty ticked off.  

What do you think of Makeup Revolution's copies of higher end brands?
I'd love to hear your opinions.

22 comments

  1. I really have no compassion for large companies. There are to much monopoly on the market (like three or four brands owns almost all other brands). I think it's healthy to break that kind of power over the market, and open it up.

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  2. Yeah cheaper brands should takes cues but not straight up copy.. you are right there! But then this does give a lot of people an option to have a similar thing with similar quality without paying extra for the hype, promotion and packaging.. non?

    TheConscienceFund

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  3. I agree - it really annoys me when brands straight up copy each other, eg MR palettes or the way the drugstore jumped on chubby sticks. But I totally understand why, it obviously works for them, and it satisfies people who want high end style but can't afford it. And it's better than fake makeup! Personally I wouldn't bother buying a drugstore 'dupe' as if I wanted to try a particular product, I'd just buy it, but I think it's inevitable that they keep churning them out. The only brand that seems to go its own way at the drugstore is seventeen in my opinion.

    Katydesu.blogspot.co.uk

    Katy xx

    (As a side note on originality, I just saw a blogpost thAt i think basically copied your 'originality' post. Oh the irony.)

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  4. I completely agree with you, sure, it's great that there's a more affordable one on the high street, but UD must have taken a lot of time and effort into the Naked 3, and they straight up copy it x

    A Little Treat | Beauty & Lifestyle Blog

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  5. Ugh, I agree. And so many people rave about them because they are PR samples but will probably never feature those products again because, if they're anything like MUA products (and it seems that exactly what they're like), the eyeshadows are ultra powdery and not long wearing. So even if it's cheap, you'll be reaching for better quality stuff in the long run. They also ripped off Benefit's Fake Up Concealer and Stila's Magnificent Metals. Offering affordable options is great, but stealing a concept completely is so uninspired and lazy.

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  6. I think I feel the same way about this as I do fashion knock offs. I know that's an awful practice - by putting out knock offs you undermine the whole process of designing & creating and what not. But at the same time sometimes these higher end brands seem kind of inaccessible to the lay consumer. I mean, I'm not sure most people are that willing to shell out however much the UD Naked palette is. People will still buy the UD palettes if not for the prestige of it so I doubt it's really a loss for them.
    Copying is everywhere in the beauty industry - it's hard to come up with a truly unique product without there being comparisons made. But outright copying though is pretty tacky.

    x
    bespectacled

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  7. I agree - it's just so tasteless. It makes me not want to buy anything else from the brand either. It's one thing put out a rose-hued palette because it's a trend; it's entirely another to duplicate the shades exactly. Heck, if they had come out with a smaller 5-shade rosy palette that encompassed some shades that UD didn't include, I may have bought it in addition to the Naked 3!


    I doubt UD loses any sleep or money over it though - from what I hear, the quality isn't even remotely comparable. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?


    Melissa | M is for Melissa

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  8. I must admit this is copying, but it's great for those who can't afford the Naked 3 palette. I have the Iconic 3 palette and it really is amazing for the price, especially with how close the shades are. However, I do feel that they could have added some originality into the palette as even MUA add different shades to make theirs different from the Naked palettes. I completely agree with the point about Urban Decay being ticked off as so much time and effort would have gone into creating the palette for it then to be copied by somebody else. I don't know if it's just me but almost all the Makeup Revolution products are copies from another brand, especially the baked blushers as they're so similar to the Milani versions x

    daisy-drops

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  9. I completely get your point. I too am supportive of those not being able to afford the original to buy these super cheap knock offs but then again it's a real insult to UD that another company is copying them and doing it with such accuracy for the sake of getting some of the profit from a product that they started.

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  10. I completely agree with you. I'm all for affordable makeup, but when you start jeopardising your originality and the integrity of another brands product, I think it goes a little too far.


    XO, G from grace'd

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  11. I think it doesn't really matters if they're just similar, like an inspiration, but theres a point when is just too much... Concept's ok straight up copy is lame.

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  12. I think Urban Decay & Makeup Revolution are very different companies, Urban Decay wants to be innovative & original, whereas MR just want to produce inexpensive products. Urban Decay will still get business because their products are so high quality. I think MR's products will allow people with less money to participate more in beauty communities & follow Naked palette tutorials etc, without the £37 payout. I see why having a lower quality version of a company's product on the market would be frustrating to them, but I think the benefits outweigh the risks!

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  13. You're right, but for me this is just too far. If they had even shuffled the shade order in the palette it wouldn't be as bad, but they were too lazy to even do that! x

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  14. I agree with you about the big brands monopolising the market, but that does not give Makeup Revolution the right to plagiarise.

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  15. I know! Take inspiration but don't copy and paste! You're right about seventeen, they really seem to be coming up with some great products since their rebranding. Haha really? You don't still remember where you saw the post do you? I'd love to check it out for myself ;) x

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  16. Yeah, I think my main problem is the total lack of creativity - MR were just plain lazy IMO, and that rubs me the wrong way. I have absolutely no problem offering cheaper alternatives to those who don't want to/can't buy the original, but put your own spin on it, or at least shuffle the shades in the palette! Copy and pasting doesn't sit well with me. x

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  17. Exactly! I couldn't agree more about releasing a similar product, as long as it's not identical! x

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  18. I know! I've seen those, and I also believe their concealers are copies of Benefits. Like Melissa said below, even if they had come out with a smaller palette with similar rosy-hues, I would have no problem with it - it's just the fact that they straight up copied the entire concept x

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  19. I'm sure they've put a lot of people off of buying their products too due to their pure laziness. x

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