Same Manufacturer, Different Brands: Seen anything? NYX, Milani, Anastasia, and plenty more.

MissPrisssy

Well-known member
Occ and Jcats might have the same packaging, but I really doubt they're the same formula. The Jcats formula is horrible and bleeds like crazy. The pigmentation isn't the same as occ either.
 

Goat Goat Etc.

Well-known member
Occ and Jcats might have the same packaging, but I really doubt they're the same formula. The Jcats formula is horrible and bleeds like crazy. The pigmentation isn't the same as occ either.
The problem with comparing the two is that they have different colors. Yes, they have the same packaging and I imagine they have different formulations. The quality grade of the formula may be less but I don't doubt they came from the same manufacturer though.
 

beauteblogueur

Well-known member
OCC, The Balm and a ton of other indie/small brands all use plastic/glass packaging primarily made by one major packaging supplier. I'm completely blanking on that company's name but anyone with a business can order their containers. The lip tar tubes, the small concealer/cream pigment pots, the square nail polish bottles...all it means is they buy their containers from the same company. Then they send those containers to their cosmetic manufacturer to be filled. With the smaller brands same packaging doesn't mean the actual product inside is made by the same manufacturer, just that the brand is using generic, bulk buy empty containers.
 

Goat Goat Etc.

Well-known member
With the smaller brands same packaging doesn't mean the actual product inside is made by the same manufacturer, just that the brand is using generic, bulk buy empty containers.
Oh I know. I think people are aware that containers can be bought in bulk and aren't necessarily indicators that the product is the same.
 

starletta8

Well-known member
Here's one that hadn't been mentioned: Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Precision Eyeliner and Burberry's liquid eyeliner.

Same packaging, both made in Germany (likely same lab); $14 difference IIRC. I discovered that because I was so excited to try Burberry's liquid liner.
 

NYDoll88

Well-known member
I have quite a bit of knowledge on this as I've worked in beauty for 5+ years and started my career on the Ops/Purchasing side. There are only so many labs and manufacturers for cosmetics. Some of the big big big brands (L'Oreal, Lauder, etc) have their own, but most of the smaller and indie brands must fend for themselves.

A lot of the times you'll see super similar products within each company "family". Like L'Oreal will launch a new mascara, and then a couple of months later the almost exact mascara is launched by Maybelline but it has a different name and POD (point of difference). It's all about marketing; L'Oreal has a more luxurious brand image, and Maybelline is more funky and young. It happens with Lancome and L'Oreal too; like a trickle from Prestige to Mass. It's all made in the same exact place; the formula might differ VERY slightly but it's essentially the same.

So what many people don't know is that there are two different types of manufacturing with cosmetics. Consignment, which means that part of the product is produced in one place and then sent to another place to be filled. For instance: one manufacturer makes the mascara tube, brush, wiper, cap, and bottom label and then sends it to another manufacturer to be filled with the actual mascara formula. Then that is shipped to the brand's distribution center. The other type is Turnkey, which means one manufacturer produces all the components to the product.

Another common practice is for a brand to copy the other lol. I saw someone post a picture of the OCC Lip Tar with the J.Cat. This is a perfect case of that. It's a knockoff - it might be a great/cheaper alternative, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the same exact formula.

So if you do see very similar packaging on products, it could just mean they're using the same component manufacturers.

At the brand I work for, we make a very unique and distinctive mascara. We found out that a much, much lower-end brand was launching a copycat product. It looked the same. However, this brand definitely didn't use the same manufacturer because our actual component and formula cost more than what the brand was retailing the product for.

Just keep an open mind and read the labels!
 

Goat Goat Etc.

Well-known member
I have quite a bit of knowledge on this as I've worked in beauty for 5+ years and started my career on the Ops/Purchasing side. There are only so many labs and manufacturers for cosmetics. Some of the big big big brands (L'Oreal, Lauder, etc) have their own, but most of the smaller and indie brands must fend for themselves.

A lot of the times you'll see super similar products within each company "family". Like L'Oreal will launch a new mascara, and then a couple of months later the almost exact mascara is launched by Maybelline but it has a different name and POD (point of difference). It's all about marketing; L'Oreal has a more luxurious brand image, and Maybelline is more funky and young. It happens with Lancome and L'Oreal too; like a trickle from Prestige to Mass. It's all made in the same exact place; the formula might differ VERY slightly but it's essentially the same.

So what many people don't know is that there are two different types of manufacturing with cosmetics. Consignment, which means that part of the product is produced in one place and then sent to another place to be filled. For instance: one manufacturer makes the mascara tube, brush, wiper, cap, and bottom label and then sends it to another manufacturer to be filled with the actual mascara formula. Then that is shipped to the brand's distribution center. The other type is Turnkey, which means one manufacturer produces all the components to the product.

Another common practice is for a brand to copy the other lol. I saw someone post a picture of the OCC Lip Tar with the J.Cat. This is a perfect case of that. It's a knockoff - it might be a great/cheaper alternative, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the same exact formula.

So if you do see very similar packaging on products, it could just mean they're using the same component manufacturers.

At the brand I work for, we make a very unique and distinctive mascara. We found out that a much, much lower-end brand was launching a copycat product. It looked the same. However, this brand definitely didn't use the same manufacturer because our actual component and formula cost more than what the brand was retailing the product for.

Just keep an open mind and read the labels!
Thanks for your input. Nice to know.

I'm the one that posted the J Cat liptars. I do understand packaging does not indicate a dead ringer. It's just fun to point products out that may be a cheaper alternative with similar qualities. Because some of the things here do have the same feel and wear but they're just in different packaging. And the labels are a hoot because they can list the same ingredients verbatim.
 
I think they only use the same packaging manufacturer. The product that is inside is not always the same

ETA: Whoops. Looks like someone already explained all the details!
 

VAL4M

Well-known member
Love that conversation!
if you want to read more on that subject you can go read the blog below. She is no longer active but it is really interesting. So yah at one point she explain that let say Avon and Chanel lipsticks are made in the same factory the ingredient in the lipstick might be similar but not the same because it is still costing more to make a Chanel lipstick then an Avon one. (maybe a couple a scent more who knows LOL). I personally think that Lancome is over rated and over priced if you looked at all their ingredients in their skincare stuff the active ingredients are almost always lower than 1%, they have more perfume than active ingredients sometimes (please read Caroline Hirons posts on that subject again really interesting). And yes once Lancome launch something Loreal have the ''same'' product 6 months after and i'm not speaking of makeup only, skincare too.
http://beautyandthebullshit.blogspot.ca

I still think that some company will make an effort to keep a distinction between their different lines, not only in their packaging but the product itself. the company that come to mind is Ester Lauder who have MAC, TOM FORD Beauty, Ester Lauder, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, etc. Smashbox eyeshadows are very different from MAC, and Tom Ford and so on, lipsticks too, Only MAC and Ester Lauder makeup have some similar stuff (like the eyeshadows and Highlighter gelee and the gradient blushes)
 

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