Building a strong, recognizable brand is important. Shakespeare said that a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, and it seems many companies agree. Wondering why your off-brand product delivers the same level of effectiveness that your Holy Grail product does? Don’t chalk it up to pure chance.
Big beauty brands know that the more areas they can have influence on in the market, the better. While the $60 foundation and its $10 drugstore equivalent may seem worlds apart, they may actually be a bit more related than you thought…
L’Oreal + NYX Cosmetics + Urban Decay
As of June 2014, L’Oreal is now the owner of the fan-favourite, budget-friendly makeup brand. NYX always seemed like the “little brand that could,” only now with the backing of a multinational organization like L’Oreal. Spend time watching beauty tutorials and blogs, and you’ll quickly discover the cult of Urban Decay. Makeup artists and amateurs alike swear by its products – many of which cost a pretty penny. This MUA fave brand shares a spot on the brand roster with NYX at L’Oreal.
La Mer + Clinique
These skincare brands share the same parent company, Estee Lauder. While Clinique is widely available at most drugstores and department store makeup counters, La Mer is a popular high-brand favoured by celebrities.
Rimmel London + NYC
Both of these drug store brands are owned by celebrity fragrance purveyor, Coty. Rimmel is a market mainstay, recently collaborating with fashion icon Kate Moss to release a collection. NYC has undergone a recent rebranding while managing to retain its extremely low price point.
Chanel + Bourjois
If you’ve ever decried the lack of Chanel available at the mainstream level is cause for sadness, then look no further than Bourjois. Vicki’s journey to Shopper’s Drug Mart revealed the French brand is related to the same company as Chanel. A little birdy also told us that a few beauty products from Chanel and Bourjois share the same ingredients and formula… so there’s that!
If we missed your favourite beauty brand sisters, let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.