@themarlenastell
TikTok · Yap
@themarlenastell After working in cosmetic product development for 13 years, these are the products you are paying for the name and not the quality. Save your money here and spend it in other areas
Trending short videosCosmetic developer explains where drugstore dupes beat high-end makeup
The edit1 shot · 0 text
Shots2:15
Performance
- Views
- 566.6K
- Likes
- 56.5K
- Comments
- 964
- Engagement
- 10.2%
- Outlier
- 15×
- Length · 7 Sept 2022
- 2:15
Video #1870 · Yap
Cosmetic developer explains where drugstore dupes beat high-end makeupfrom @themarlenastell
[01]
Overview
The creator, a cosmetic brand owner named Marlena, introduces herself and her industry expertise to establish credibility. She then explains that consumers often overpay for makeup due to brand name and packaging rather than product quality. She systematically breaks down three product categories where this is most common—mascara, eyeliner pencils, and lipsticks—explaining that high-end and drugstore versions are often made in the same factories. For each category, she uses physical product demonstrations, holding up both expensive and affordable options to visually contrast the elaborate packaging of high-end items with the simple packaging of drugstore dupes, reinforcing her argument that the core formula is often identical.
[02]
Simple outline
- 1Establish insider authority
- 2Reveal industry secret
- 3Expose overpriced categories
- 4Justify affordable alternative
[03]
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Classification
Format
Concepts
Elements
Account
[05]
Hook analysis
What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds
Verbal hook · 65%
So let's have a serious conversation today about the products that makeup brands are ripping you off on.
Visual hook · 35%
A medium close-up shot of the speaker looking directly into the camera, creating an immediate and personal connection. Her expressive delivery and professional appearance establish authority from the first second.
[06]
Hook template
Steal this for your own video
Let's have a serious conversation about the that is ripping you off on.
- — Let's have a serious conversation about the supplements that the wellness industry is ripping you off on.
- — Let's have a serious conversation about the features that car dealerships are ripping you off on.
- — Let's have a serious conversation about the ingredients that the skincare industry is ripping you off on.
[07]
Hook and payoff
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
A confrontational statement that promises to reveal how a popular industry is deceiving consumers, creating an immediate 'us vs. them' dynamic and a strong financial incentive to keep watching.
Payoff
The final item on the list is presented, often with a nuanced take or personal example that reinforces the creator's expertise and leaves the viewer with a clear, actionable set of money-saving rules.
[08]
Narrative framework
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Industry Insider Exposé
An expert with verifiable credentials reveals 'insider secrets' about a specific industry, exposing which high-priced items are not worth the cost and recommending affordable alternatives by deconstructing the value proposition (e.g., you're paying for brand/packaging, not quality).
- 1
The Authority Proof
The creator presents their specific credentials, work history, and experience to establish themselves as a trustworthy insider with privileged information.
- 2
The Grand Deception Thesis
The creator states the single, overarching principle or 'secret' that explains how the industry overcharges consumers, setting the framework for the entire list.
- 3
The Category Exposé Gauntlet
The creator begins a sequential list, applying the core thesis to specific, relatable product categories one by one using a repeating micro-pattern.
Themes
Techniques
Trends
Post caption
After working in cosmetic product development for 13 years, these are the products you are paying for the name and not the quality. Save your money here and spend it in other areas
Transcript
So let's have a serious conversation today about the products that makeup brands are ripping you off on. For anyone who may not know who I am, my name is Marlena. I've been a cosmetic brand owner for over thirteen years, and I've worked with product development for even longer than that. And I've worked with labs all over the world, Canada, China, US, Italy, France. I've worked with a lot of different manufacturers. And a lot of times, some of the products that you're paying for is the name and the packaging, but not necessarily the product yourself. So these are the three top categories that I feel like you're paying for the name, not necessarily the product. The first one I have is mascara. Mascaras, a lot of the time, whether it's high end or drugstore, are made at the same manufacturers. What you are actually paying for is the brand name. So save your money and get a drugstore version. I'm telling you, the formula is gonna be just as good as a high end one. What you're paying for better than the name is the packaging. Like, this Mac Mascara is freaking amazing. I really love with this one. Has really cool packaging, but this is what you're paying for is the packaging. But when you get ones like drugstore versions, they're gonna be more simple packaging. Like, you guys know I love this L'Oreal Ben Luminous one. The NYX one isn't bad either. The Makeup Geek one is inexpensive. We still do have some of these. It's an absolute amazing mascara, but the packaging is simple because what you're paying for in is inside and you don't wanna spend as much money necessarily on the packaging. The second one I have is eyeliner pencils. These are all made at the exact same factory. It's made in Germany. If you look on the back, it says made in Germany, same exact place. So don't spend $22 on a pencil when you good go to the drugstore, spend 8 or $9. It's the same exact thing. What you worse paying for is the name, so get the drugstore version. The next one I have is lipsticks. A lot of these are made at the same manufacturers. There's a bunch of manufacturers that make really good lipsticks, but honestly, what you're paying for is the packaging. Like, I have an example of this Dior one. Do you see how gorgeous it is? It has, like, the coolest packaging. It pops out. It's sleek. It's sexy. So if that matters to you and you really like great packaging and you wanna feel special having it, by all means, spend money on it. But if you want just a great lipstick that's gonna give you great color, you can get a drugstore one. I'm wearing one today. This is the Milani one. Milani, I think, is a great good drugstore brand that makes good lip products. So if you're okay with, you know, more simple packaging, save your money on the lipsticks.