MCoBeauty CMO Meridith Rojas: 'Dupes democratize beauty'

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Feb 20, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Meridith Rojas, CMO of MCoBeauty, shares her insights on how dupes are revolutionizing the beauty industry by making luxury accessible to all. With products like the Flawless Glow Foundation priced at just $14.99, she emphasizes the appeal of high-quality, budget-friendly alternatives. Rojas also highlights the importance of building community connections and adapting to cultural trends, showcasing how brands can thrive by engaging authentically with consumers in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

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INSIGHT

Democratizing Beauty

Consumers want affordable luxury beauty products.
They don't want to overspend or be excluded from trends.

ANECDOTE

MCoBeauty's Offering

MCoBeauty offers dupes and homegrown innovation.
Their products provide a luxurious experience at an affordable price.

INSIGHT

MCoBeauty Customer

The MCoBeauty customer is interested in beauty, is online, and follows trends.
They are budget-conscious and want to experiment with products.

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For MCoBeauty CMO Meridith Rojas, the ability to democratize the beauty industry lies in the power of dupes.

“We're in this moment, in this cultural zeitgeist, where people don't want to have to spend $1,000 on a face of beauty and don't want to be left out of the trends,” said Rojas. “We really want to create luxury for everyone. And of course, we have amazing dupes, but we also have some homegrown innovation. The combination has been really magnetic, and our community is growing in the U.S. so fast. We have a very exciting year ahead of us.”

Dupes, the colloquial term for a lower-priced product inspired by a luxury category leader, makes up about half of MCo’s offering. Unlike counterfeits or copies, which are often associated with unsafe formulas and flagrant IP violations, dupes are in their own category and are incredibly popular globally.

MCoBeauty sells recognizable dupes for popular products from brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Drunk Elephant, Sol de Janeiro and Laneige for around a third of the price. For example, MCo Beauty’s best-selling Flawless Glow Foundation retails for $14.99, and its Miracle Flawless Pressed Powder goes for $9.99. Similar products from Charlotte Tilbury retail for $49 and $28, respectively.

It also offers non-dupes, like its best-selling XtendLash tubing mascara, which sells for $13.99.

MCoBeauty was launched in Australia in 2016 by founder Shelley Sullivan, a former modeling agency owner. It is currently the top-selling color cosmetics brand in Australia and New Zealand, according to Greg Barker, MCoBeauty’s evp of North America.

As previously reported by Glossy in December, MCoBeauty launched its U.S. expansion at the end of 2024 with entry into 1,700 Kroger stores, which include regional grocery stores like Smiths, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Frys, Ralphs and more. The expansion also includes DTC sales via MCoBeauty’s site and Amazon. This week, MCo Beauty also launched into 1,300 Target doors and on Target.com.

Rojas joined The Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss MCoBeauty’s U.S. expansion and the marketing strategy supporting it. She shared anecdotes about the company's OOH and digital marketing successes, including advice on building a digital community, connecting with influencers early in their careers, getting the best community UGC and hiring digitally-minded celebrities to lead social-first campaigns.