Driven by influencer-trusted recommendations and countless Reddit threads, as well as budget-savvy and quality-discerning consumers, dupes are a standout development of recent years. Some are seeking cruelty-free alternatives, the instant gratification of a similar product to bridge the restock wait for a sold-out item, or simply a replacement for a discontinued product. Tech-savvy Gen Zers and consumers dealing with the financial aftermath of the pandemic will only strengthen the trend. What began with the countless swatches of reviewers like Temptalia and Dupethat is now being assisted by technology to become a more effortless and sophisticated process.With large manufacturers producing a plethora of brands, similar formulations are inevitable, but exploring the vast product landscape can be overwhelming from a consumer perspective. Enter SKINSKOOL, founded by Monieka Bos and Terry Chan, which describes itself as “the ultimate dupe finder for skincare.” The search engine offer comparable alternatives for 90% of available products, and is currently comprised of a 28,000+ item-strong database. At its heart lies an algorithm two years in the making. Ingredients are standardized, uniting the green tea and camellia sinensis so to speak, and products are compared on a match score percentage of overall comparability. 300,000 dupe searches were completed on the site in January of this year alone. The tool is free, with the company earning small affiliate commissions through purchases made through the site.