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Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell heard a discounter was offering a new product collection that looked comparable to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

She rushed to her closest shop to purchase the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 of the high-end 50ml item.

Its smooth blue container and gold lid of both items look remarkably comparable. While Rachael has never tried the luxury cream, she states she's satisfied by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been buying beauty alternatives from high street stores and supermarkets for a long time, and she's in good company.

More than a 25% of UK shoppers state they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic lookalike. This increases to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recently published poll.

Lookalikes are skincare products that imitate bigger name brands and offer affordable options to luxury products. These products typically have comparable branding and containers, but in some cases the formulas can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Necessarily Better'

Skincare experts contend certain dupes to high-end labels are good standard and assist make skincare more affordable.

"It is not true that higher-priced is necessarily superior," comments consultant dermatologist a doctor. "Not every affordable product line is bad - and not all high-end skincare product is the top."

"Certain [dupes] are absolutely amazing," adds a skincare commentator, who hosts a podcast with public figures.

Many of the products inspired by high-end labels "disappear so rapidly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor Ross Perry argues dupes are fine to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and cleansers.

"These products will do the job," he comments. "They will perform the basics to a reasonable standard."

Ketaki Bhate, advises you can cut costs when searching for single-ingredient products like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a single-ingredient product then you're probably going to be fine in opting for a lookalike or a product which is quite affordable because there's very little that can be problematic," she adds.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Box'

But the professionals also advise shoppers check details and note that higher-priced products are occasionally worthy of the premium price.

With luxury skincare, you're not only covering the name and advertising - at times the higher price also stems from the formula and their quality, the strength of the effective element, the technology utilized to develop the item, and trials into the item's effectiveness, the expert explains.

Facialist she suggests it's important considering how some dupes can be offered so cheaply.

Occasionally, she believes they might include bulking agents that don't have as numerous positive effects for the complexion, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"The big question mark is 'How is it so low-priced?'" she asks.

Expert Scott notes on occasion he's purchased beauty products that look similar to a big-name label but the product itself has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

"Do not be fooled by the outer appearance," he added.

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Regarding more complicated items or ones with components that can irritate the skin if they're not formulated accurately, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she advises using research-backed brands.

The expert states these probably have been subjected to comprehensive trials to assess how efficacious they are.

Beauty items are required to be evaluated before they can be marketed in the UK, notes expert Emma Wedgeworth.

When the brand advertises about the effectiveness of the product, it requires evidence to support it, "but the brand does not always have to perform the testing" and can alternatively use testing completed by other brands, she says.

Check the Ingredients List of the Container

Are there any ingredients that could indicate a item is inferior?

Components on the label of the tube are listed by amount. "Potential irritants that you need to be wary of… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up