Rewrite
When Nina Pool walks into Walgreens, it’s her Sephora. The affordable beauty influencer has built a reputation (and 3.6 million following) on TikTok for being the official beauty dupe-finder. She’ll spend hours combing through the ingredient lists of expensive products, comparing them to drugstore favourites, and then report back with realistic recommendations. She’ll call them “super duperoonies” and tries everything from DIY perfume oil to at-home eyebrow extensions – or will bring in the help of her husband when she wants to showcase how witch hazel can be used as dry shampoo. In an algorithm filled with sponsored beauty recommendations, Pool has become the no-bullshit and highly-researched voice of reason.
In recent years, everything online has a “dupe” or has become a “dupe”, whether it’s a Clinique’s Black Honey almost lipstick or actual people (Amelia Grey’s posts are flooded with comments calling her Gabriette’s dupe). Some of these ‘recommendations’ are not real dupes – not every simple lipliner is a “dupe” for Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk lipliner. But, while in the past, having a “knock-off” of the real thing would have been considered bad taste, now dupes have bizarrely become a selling point for creating buzz around products.
Pool’s vision for the future of dupes looks slightly different: she’s not just trying to sell you something new; she’s tired of old formulations being simply repackaged and remarketed. “Dupes provide accessible options for consumers who may feel pressured by social media marketing,” she says. “Many classic products have stood the test of time and offer effective results without the hefty price tag associated with newer products.” She also finds dupes that are not just similar but better than the originals.
Below, we asked Pool why she searches for dupes, what products would be included in her ultimate list, and how dupe culture is changing the beauty industry (for good).
What was your relationship with beauty growing up?
Nina Pool: I grew up poor with a hardworking single mom. She always looked her best despite the balance of her bank account. I was raised to be a free thinker, crafty, and thrifty. I was always the friend girls would run to if they needed an eyeliner suggestion.
You comb through the ingredient lists of expensive beauty products (and affordable ones, too). When did you start doing that, and why?
Nina Pool: I have high-functioning autism, so I tend to have special interests. I became so irritated with beauty influencers constantly shoving new products in my face. When I started to read the ingredients, I realised it was all just marketing. That really frustrated me.
Now you’re being hailed as an “official dupe-finder” on TikTok. How do you feel about that title?
Nina Pool: Once I started putting that information on TikTok, it just blew up! My husband enlisted in the army, and I found myself with a lot of extra time on my hands. I’m so glad I’m not known for promoting expensive products and that I am trusted by my followers to always have a great dupe.
In your opinion, what makes a good dupe? Do you take into account the quality of the ingredients?
Nina Pool: What does the product claim to do? The dupe needs to be better. Similar ingredients, but leave out all the junk. For instance, Clarin’s Double Serum lists fragrance as its eighth ingredient. My current philosophy is: if it goes on my face, fragrance has no place.
What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned about what’s in our beauty products through reading ingredient lists?
Nina Pool: I’ve learned to love brands like Byoma and Good Molecules for my skincare. They list the ingredients in their products using the INCI decoder. This helps us understand what is actually in the products we’re purchasing. Good Molecules takes it one step further by listing the amount of each ingredient. I feel like that should be a law in the United States.
What are your most requested dupes?
Nina Pool: Honestly, Peter Thomas Roth under eye tightening cream. But I won’t dupe it just due to the fact that the cream made my mum’s face blow up like a balloon. Maybe one day I’ll find a safe alternative, but that honestly scared me so much.
Do you have an ultimate list of affordable dupes?
Nina Pool: I don’t think we have time for the ‘ultimate’ list, but I’ll list a few of my favourites: aloe vera gel for the viral Milk grippy primer, witch hazel and glycerin for Mac fix plus, calamine lotion and witch hazel for Mario Badescu drying lotion, Revolution IRL filter by Makeup Revolution for Estée Lauder double wear foundation, hydrating recovery oil by Byoma for Clarins double serum.
How do you think dupe culture is changing the beauty industry?
Nina Pool: The trend of constantly needing new releases can contribute to waste and overspending. Advocating for tried-and-true solutions not only supports sustainable beauty practices but also encourages consumers to make informed choices based on effectiveness rather than marketing hype.
in HTML format, including tags, to make it appealing and easy to read for Japanese-speaking readers aged 20 to 40 interested in fashion. Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), translating all text, including headings, into Japanese. Retain any existing
tags from
When Nina Pool walks into Walgreens, it’s her Sephora. The affordable beauty influencer has built a reputation (and 3.6 million following) on TikTok for being the official beauty dupe-finder. She’ll spend hours combing through the ingredient lists of expensive products, comparing them to drugstore favourites, and then report back with realistic recommendations. She’ll call them “super duperoonies” and tries everything from DIY perfume oil to at-home eyebrow extensions – or will bring in the help of her husband when she wants to showcase how witch hazel can be used as dry shampoo. In an algorithm filled with sponsored beauty recommendations, Pool has become the no-bullshit and highly-researched voice of reason.
In recent years, everything online has a “dupe” or has become a “dupe”, whether it’s a Clinique’s Black Honey almost lipstick or actual people (Amelia Grey’s posts are flooded with comments calling her Gabriette’s dupe). Some of these ‘recommendations’ are not real dupes – not every simple lipliner is a “dupe” for Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk lipliner. But, while in the past, having a “knock-off” of the real thing would have been considered bad taste, now dupes have bizarrely become a selling point for creating buzz around products.
Pool’s vision for the future of dupes looks slightly different: she’s not just trying to sell you something new; she’s tired of old formulations being simply repackaged and remarketed. “Dupes provide accessible options for consumers who may feel pressured by social media marketing,” she says. “Many classic products have stood the test of time and offer effective results without the hefty price tag associated with newer products.” She also finds dupes that are not just similar but better than the originals.
Below, we asked Pool why she searches for dupes, what products would be included in her ultimate list, and how dupe culture is changing the beauty industry (for good).
What was your relationship with beauty growing up?
Nina Pool: I grew up poor with a hardworking single mom. She always looked her best despite the balance of her bank account. I was raised to be a free thinker, crafty, and thrifty. I was always the friend girls would run to if they needed an eyeliner suggestion.
You comb through the ingredient lists of expensive beauty products (and affordable ones, too). When did you start doing that, and why?
Nina Pool: I have high-functioning autism, so I tend to have special interests. I became so irritated with beauty influencers constantly shoving new products in my face. When I started to read the ingredients, I realised it was all just marketing. That really frustrated me.
Now you’re being hailed as an “official dupe-finder” on TikTok. How do you feel about that title?
Nina Pool: Once I started putting that information on TikTok, it just blew up! My husband enlisted in the army, and I found myself with a lot of extra time on my hands. I’m so glad I’m not known for promoting expensive products and that I am trusted by my followers to always have a great dupe.
In your opinion, what makes a good dupe? Do you take into account the quality of the ingredients?
Nina Pool: What does the product claim to do? The dupe needs to be better. Similar ingredients, but leave out all the junk. For instance, Clarin’s Double Serum lists fragrance as its eighth ingredient. My current philosophy is: if it goes on my face, fragrance has no place.
What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned about what’s in our beauty products through reading ingredient lists?
Nina Pool: I’ve learned to love brands like Byoma and Good Molecules for my skincare. They list the ingredients in their products using the INCI decoder. This helps us understand what is actually in the products we’re purchasing. Good Molecules takes it one step further by listing the amount of each ingredient. I feel like that should be a law in the United States.
What are your most requested dupes?
Nina Pool: Honestly, Peter Thomas Roth under eye tightening cream. But I won’t dupe it just due to the fact that the cream made my mum’s face blow up like a balloon. Maybe one day I’ll find a safe alternative, but that honestly scared me so much.
Do you have an ultimate list of affordable dupes?
Nina Pool: I don’t think we have time for the ‘ultimate’ list, but I’ll list a few of my favourites: aloe vera gel for the viral Milk grippy primer, witch hazel and glycerin for Mac fix plus, calamine lotion and witch hazel for Mario Badescu drying lotion, Revolution IRL filter by Makeup Revolution for Estée Lauder double wear foundation, hydrating recovery oil by Byoma for Clarins double serum.
How do you think dupe culture is changing the beauty industry?
Nina Pool: The trend of constantly needing new releases can contribute to waste and overspending. Advocating for tried-and-true solutions not only supports sustainable beauty practices but also encourages consumers to make informed choices based on effectiveness rather than marketing hype.
and integrate them seamlessly into the new content without adding new tags. Ensure the new content is fashion-related, written entirely in Japanese, and approximately 1500 words. Conclude with a “結論” section and a well-formatted “よくある質問” section. Avoid including an introduction or a note explaining the process.
