Glow Recipe Sues MCoBeauty in $100 Million Trade Dress Dispute

The dupe wars just escalated with a juicy new lawsuit. The beauty industry is witnessing another high-profile legal battle as Glow Recipe has filed a comprehensive lawsuit against Australian beauty brand MCoBeauty, accusing the company of trade dress infringement, false advertising, and unfair competition.

The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 6, centers around MCoBeauty's "Hydrate & Glow Ultra-Dew Serum," which Glow Recipe claims is a deliberate copy of its bestselling Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops in a new lawsuit.

The Heart of the Legal Dispute

Glow Recipe's flagship product, under attack, has been a cornerstone of the brand's success since its launch in December 2020. The company describes its Dew Drops as featuring trade dress that is distinctive, non-functional, and recognizable as coming from Glow Recipe. The packaging includes a pink-hued spherical bottle with a narrow neck, an oversized cap, and a white rectangular label, elements that have contributed to the product's commercial success and critical acclaim, including Allure's 2024 Readers' Choice Award.

Glow Recipe claims that MCoBeauty's conduct goes beyond simple product imitation and suggests it involves deliberate deception.

The company alleges that MCoBeauty has created a product that is confusingly similar to its Dew Drops, copying not just the pink color scheme and spherical bottle shape, but also the rectangular labeling and overall visual presentation. The lawsuit argues that MCoBeauty's actions extend beyond packaging similarities to include marketing tactics and language that could mislead consumers.

MCoBeauty's Provocative Marketing Strategy

What makes this case particularly compelling is MCoBeauty's bold marketing approach. The Australian brand, known for offering "affordable alternatives" to luxury cosmetics, has been remarkably open about its strategy. On the company's Instagram account, MCoBeauty said: "It's not a dupe. It's a dupé!", a statement that Glow Recipe views as particularly damaging to its case.

Glow Recipe said this language represents a tacit admission by MCoBeauty that the product is intended to mimic and profit from its Dew Drops. The complaint describes dupes as products that trick consumers into thinking they are getting the authentic item, creating what Glow Recipe calls a classic example of post-sale confusion.

Social Media and Direct Comparisons

The legal dispute between Glow Recipe and MCoBeauty has expanded into the social media landscape. MCoBeauty has actively used platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to compare its Hue Drops to Glow Recipe's Dew Drops, often featuring direct side-by-side comparisons and using phrases like "Dew Drops vs. Hue Drops" in their content strategy. This approach is seen as a deliberate effort to position Hue Drops as a direct alternative to the original product.

Glow Recipe contends that these social media tactics are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern intended to mislead consumers and capitalize on Glow Recipe's established reputation in the skincare market. By drawing explicit comparisons and leveraging the popularity of Dew Drops, MCoBeauty's content is alleged to contribute to consumer confusion and further the narrative of imitation that underpins the ongoing legal action.

Comprehensive Legal Remedy Sought

Glow Recipe is seeking substantial relief from the court, including injunctive relief and monetary damages. The company wants the court to prohibit MCoBeauty from continuing to sell or market the allegedly infringing products and to order the destruction of all infringing goods. Glow Recipe also requests an accounting of MCoBeauty's profits for what it alleges is willful and deliberate infringement.

The company has also reserved the right to expand its complaint, stating that MCoBeauty may have copied additional Glow Recipe products, with more information expected to emerge through the discovery process.

Industry-Wide Implications

This lawsuit represents more than a simple business dispute. It reflects broader tensions in the beauty industry. The case serves as the latest reminder of the legal risks dupe-driven brands face as they scale in markets dominated by social media, influencer recommendations, and rapid trend cycles. While affordable alternatives have long existed in beauty, Glow Recipe's case signals that established brands are increasingly prepared to litigate when they believe the boundary between inspiration and infringement has been crossed.

The outcome of Aramara Beauty v. MCO Beauty PTY Limited (1:25-cv-04808) could set important precedents for how courts handle trade dress infringement in the age of social media marketing and dupe culture.