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Rachael Parnell

When one shopper found out a supermarket was launching a recent product collection that appeared akin to items from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She hurried to her closest outlet to buy the store-brand face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 of the high-end 50ml cream.

The streamlined blue tube and gold top of both products look remarkably comparable. And though she has not tested the high-end cream, she states she's pleased by the alternative so far.

Rachael has been buying skincare dupes from popular shops and grocery stores for years, and she's in good company.

Over a quarter of UK shoppers state they've purchased a skincare or makeup lookalike. This increases to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recently published survey.

Alternatives are skincare products that mimic bigger name labels and offer budget-friendly options to high-end products. They typically have comparable branding and containers, but in some cases the ingredients can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty experts argue many dupes to high-end labels are decent standard and assist make beauty routines cheaper.

"I don't think costlier is always more effective," states skin specialist one expert. "Not every budget product line is inferior - and not all high-end skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are really excellent," notes a skincare commentator, who hosts a program featuring famous people.

Numerous of the products based on high-end labels "run out so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor argues alternatives are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Alternatives will be effective," he explains. "They will do the essentials to a acceptable standard."

Ketaki Bhate, suggests you can spend less when seeking simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a simple product then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is quite inexpensive because there's minimal that can cause issues," she says.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Container'

However the specialists also advise buyers investigate and state that higher-priced items are sometimes worth the premium price.

With premium beauty products, you're not just funding the label and advertising - at times the higher price tag also stems from the ingredients and their grade, the potency of the effective element, the technology utilized to produce the item, and tests into the item's efficacy, Dr Belmo says.

Beauty expert another professional says it's important questioning how some alternatives can be priced so at a low cost.

In some cases, she says they could include less effective components that do not provide as significant positive effects for the complexion, or the materials might not be as carefully selected.

"The big doubt is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she remarks.

Podcast host McGlynn admits sometimes he's bought beauty products that appear similar to a well-known brand but the actual formula has "no connection to the luxury product".

"Do not be fooled by the container," he warned.

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For advanced products or those with ingredients that can inflame the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she advises using research-backed labels.

She states these typically have been through costly studies to evaluate how efficacious they are.

Beauty items are required to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, explains consultant dermatologist another professional.

If the label makes claims about the effectiveness of the item, it needs data to back it up, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to do the testing" and can instead use evidence done by other firms, she clarifies.

Check the Ingredients List of the Pack

Is there any components that could signal a product is poor?

Ingredients on the back of the bottle are listed by quantity. "The baddies that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your SLS, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up