Summary
-
Dupes have never been more popular, but we believe you get what you pay for. They can be wonderful for some types of products, but with a lack of clinical testing, proven ingredients, and proprietary formulas, we worry skincare dupes aren’t worth the lesser price tag.
-
Many have tried to dupe Tatcha’s beloved Dewy Skin Cream, but there’s a reason they can never compete with the original: Hadasei-3.
-
This proprietary formula is the secret to why the moisturizer (and all other Tatcha moisturizers) feel so decadent and hydrating, and why it’s undupable.
- If price is the barrier, you have better options than a dupe: Start with the mini, refill instead of repurchasing, and use Subscribe and Save once it earns a permanent place in your routine.
Who doesn’t love a dupe? A dupe (short for duplicate) is an affordable alternative that mimics a high-end skincare product. They can have intentionally similar textures or ingredients as a popular product, but are sold at a fraction of the price. We live in a dupe-friendly world now, where these cheaper alternatives are viewed as a savvy way to try a product without paying full price. However, not all products are dupable. Products that appear similar may still differ in their ingredients, formulation methods, testing, texture, and performance. There is no exact substitute for The Dewy Skin Cream’s proprietary formula, but there are alternatives depending on what you want to change, including the texture, richness, or fit for your skin type.
The Real Cost of Dupes
Dupes often claim their products are similar in quality, if not identical, but that couldn't be further from the truth in skincare. Skincare dupes often lack the strict testing, careful ingredient sourcing, and rigorous quality control of the original. A skincare alternative may recreate part of the experience, such as the texture or finish, without reproducing the full formula or delivering the same experience on the skin. Product dupes sacrifice both the sensorial experience and results: Customers may notice a stickiness to the texture, a less pleasant odor, or even feel residue or pilling after application. Without the same careful formulation, dupes can produce less dramatic results and even severe adverse reactions for some users.
Investing in Tatcha’s Formulation and Philosophy
At Tatcha, we are honored to have beloved products, especially our award-winning moisturizers. They’re often imitated, but never duplicated, meaning dupes can try to knock off our formulas, but they can never hold a candle to the value of the original. Our formulas are rooted in classical Japanese skincare, melding time-honored beliefs and processes with modern ingredients and breakthroughs. You’re also ensuring the safety of your skin. The Tatcha Institute in Tokyo, our in-house research and development team that crafts every product from scratch, tirelessly tests every single ingredient and formula, then takes those perfected products through multiple rounds of clinical testing to ensure they are third-party tested. When you use a Tatcha product, you can know they are rooted in safety and efficacy first and foremost.
What Makes The Dewy Skin Cream Difficult to Replicate
While we may be a tad biased, we believe Tatcha products are undupable. This is due to many aspects, but mostly because our formulas have something no other dupe can claim: our proprietary Hadasei-3 complex. The name ‘Hadasei-3’ might seem unique at first glance, but it carries deep purpose and intention. In Japanese, “hada” means skin, and “sei” means “life.” As for the number “3”, it refers to the foundational ingredients that power the complex: Akita rice, Uji green tea, and Okinawa algae.
Inspired by the nutrient-rich Japanese diet, the Tatcha Institute took a page from a practice used for centuries in Japanese food and wellness: hakkō or fermentation. The Tatcha Institute discovered the benefits and the long tradition between fermented nutrition and skin in Japan. Crafted with a proprietary yeast and double-fermented rice, along with algae and green tea, Hadasei-3 is a complex rich in lactic acid, amino acids, antioxidants, and nutrients that support healthy-looking skin.
Hadasei-3 is present in almost all of Tatcha’s formulas. Why? The Tatcha Institute discovered that Hadasei-3 could function as a nutrient-rich base rather than just an added ingredient. By supplementing a portion of the water phase in the formula with Hadasei-3, Tatcha’s formulas deliver lactic acid, amino acids, antioxidants, and nutrients, supporting hydration while nourishing the skin. Hadasei-3 doesn’t just sit on the skin’s surface; it actively drives moisture deeper for visibly transformative hydration. It’s also the definitive reason why Tatcha products cannot be duped.
Is There a Dupe for The Dewy Skin Cream?
One of Tatcha’s bestselling moisturizers, The Dewy Skin Cream, is a viral sensation. Other products may aim to recreate The Dewy Skin Cream’s rich texture or luminous finish, but they do not reproduce Tatcha’s proprietary formula. This rich moisturizer is packed with a symphony of ingredients, including antioxidants (Japanese purple rice), hydrators (Okinawa algae and hyaluronic acid), and botanical extracts (ginseng, wild thyme, and sweet marjoram), leaving skin dewy (as the name suggests), hydrated, and glowing. It also has Tatcha’s secret ingredient: Hadasei-3, of course. This decadent cream might be too hydrating for some skin types or during certain times of the year, which is why we created another undupable formula: The Dewy Milk Moisturizer.
The Dewy Milk Moisturizer still delivers that trademark dewy glow, but has a lightweight, creamy texture designed for combination to oily skin. It dances perfectly between providing hydration while also balancing the skin. The formula is also packed with dew-enhancing ingredients that support skin health, including prebiotic green tea extract for a healthy microbiome, zinc hyaluronate to balance oil production, and Japanese purple rice (just like The Dewy Skin Cream) for antioxidant protection.
One understandable reason for looking for a dupe is seeking out budget-friendly options. Consider trying the mini size to first test out the product and ensure it’s a good fit for your skin. If you love the moisturizer, consider purchasing the refill pod, which is not only a lower price, but also more eco-friendly. Additionally, if it’s a formula you’ll see yourself applying year-round, try the Subscribe & Save Program, which gives you a percentage off on repeat purchases. We believe there are things worth duping, but your skincare is not one of them. Treat yourself, and your skin, to the best, you deserve it.
