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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell heard a supermarket was launching a fresh skincare range that looked comparable to offerings from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She hurried to her nearest shop to buy the store-brand face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the high-end 50ml product.

Its smooth blue tube and gold top of each creams look strikingly comparable. And though she has not tested the premium cream, she says she's pleased by the product so far.

She has been buying lookalike products from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for years, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK buyers say they've bought a skincare or makeup lookalike. This jumps to 44% among younger adults, as per a recent study.

Dupes are beauty items that mimic bigger name labels and provide budget-friendly substitutes to luxury items. They typically have comparable names and packaging, but in some cases the ingredients can change significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Is Not Always Superior'

Beauty professionals say many dupes to high-end brands are good quality and aid make skincare less expensive.

"I don't think costlier is invariably better," states consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not every budget product line is inferior - and not every luxury skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are truly impressive," adds a podcast host, who presents a show about public figures.

Many of the products modeled on luxury labels "run out so quickly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist Ross Perry thinks dupes are suitable to use for "fundamental products" like moisturisers and face washes.

"These products will be effective," he explains. "These items will handle the basics to a acceptable level."

Another skin doctor, advises you can spend less when searching for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a single-ingredient product then you're likely going to be okay in using a budget alternative or something which is fairly affordable because there's not much that can cause issues," she explains.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Container'

But the specialists also suggest shoppers investigate and state that more expensive products are sometimes worth the additional cost.

With high-end skincare, you're not only covering the brand and promotion - sometimes the elevated price tag also stems from the ingredients and their standard, the potency of the active ingredient, the science utilized to produce the product, and tests into the item's effectiveness, the expert says.

Facialist she says it's important questioning how some alternatives can be sold so cheaply.

In some cases, she believes they might include filler ingredients that lack as significant benefits for the skin, or the components might not be as carefully selected.

"The major question mark is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she says.

Podcast host McGlynn admits in some cases he's bought beauty products that look comparable to a established label but the actual formula has "no connection to the luxury product".

"Don't be sold by the packaging," he warned.

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Regarding more complicated products or those with ingredients that can aggravate the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, the specialist suggests sticking to more specialised brands.

The expert states these will likely have been subjected to expensive trials to evaluate how efficacious they are.

Beauty products must be tested before they can be marketed in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

If the label states about the efficacy of the item, it needs research to support it, "however the seller doesn't always have to conduct the testing" and can alternatively reference evidence done by other companies, she says.

Check the Label of the Pack

Is there any ingredients that could signal a product is low-quality?

Components on the back of the tube are arranged by concentration. "Ingredients to avoid that you should be wary of… is your mineral oil, your SLS, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up