In an oversaturated industry, where the word dupe has shifted from verboten to oft-celebrated, similarities are inevitable. Just like there are only 12 notes in an octave, there are only so many words, concepts, and tolerable puns that beauty brands can come up with to identify and market their products. That being said, while we’ve come to shrug off and even embrace lower-priced facsimiles for higher-end formulas, there’s still supposed to be some semblance of decorum when it comes to intellectual property.
The belief that this fuzzy line was crossed prompted Molly Sims, model and founder of YISE beauty, to post an emotional video this weekend in which she bemoans an unnamed brand’s launch of a product with the same name as and similar purpose to one of her own: Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream, which comes in four color-correcting tints to help conceal under-eye darkness.
Though Sims did not name names, it became abundantly clear to viewers that she was referring to Jones Road’s Wide Awake Brightening Neutralizer and Concealer, which launched last Thursday. And what has unfolded since has included a public apology, an impending name change, and quite a bit of finger-pointing and side-taking.
What did Molly Sims say?
On Saturday, Sims shared an Instagram Reel and TikTok to vent about what she was clearly feeling as a personal affront.
“I don’t normally post stuff like this, but over the last few days, I’ve had friends, customers, brand partners, retail partners DM, text, and email me that a brand that I love, use, and support not only used the exact name of a product I launched two years ago, but also their marketing copy, and campaign feels a little too close to home,” she says into her front-facing camera. “You can delete the comments, but my YISE loyalists run deep and can tell when something is off.”
She explains that she launched Wide Awake over two years ago, and it has since become one of her brand’s best-sellers. “I can’t explain how disappointed, honestly sad, and hurt I am to see this from another female founder who I’ve known for years and have looked up to in this industry,” she continues. “I have the privilege of working with a primarily female team who busts their freaking asses every day to make this dream happen. My marketing team of five—we are small, but we are mighty. We have tiny budgets; we are incredibly scrappy. I mean, you wouldn’t believe the places we go.”
Sims, visibly tearing up, goes on to say, “There is room for all of us, all of us. There is room for more women to build great brands, create great products, and have great ideas of their own. We should be inspiring each other, not taking from each other. As a mom of three, like, I tell my kids all the time, I’m not mad at you, but, gosh, I’m incredibly disappointed.” Allure reached out to YISE for additional comment but has not yet received a response.
