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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer heard a discounter was selling a new product collection that seemed akin to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

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

The streamlined blue packaging and gold cap of both products look strikingly alike. While she has not used the luxury cream, she says she's satisfied by the alternative so far.

Rachael has been buying skincare dupes from popular shops and grocery stores for years, and she's not alone.

Over a fourth of UK buyers report they've purchased a skincare or makeup lookalike. This jumps to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, according to a February survey.

Alternatives are skincare products that mimic established labels and provide cost-effective substitutes to high-end items. These products frequently have similar labels and design, but occasionally the ingredients can change considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Isn't Necessarily Superior'

Beauty professionals contend some dupes to luxury brands are good standard and assist make skincare less expensive.

"In my opinion more expensive is invariably more effective," comments consultant dermatologist a doctor. "Not every budget skincare brand is inferior - and not all premium skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are really amazing," adds a skincare commentator, who presents a show with celebrities.

Many of the items based on luxury brands "disappear so fast, it's just crazy," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor another professional thinks alternatives are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes.

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

Ketaki Bhate, thinks you can spend less when searching for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a dupe or a product which is very inexpensive because there's minimal that can cause issues," she adds.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Box'

However the professionals also advise consumers investigate and note that more expensive products are occasionally worth the extra money.

With high-end beauty products, you're not only funding the label and promotion - at times the elevated price also stems from the formula and their grade, the potency of the key component, the research used to create the product, and tests into the item's effectiveness, the expert notes.

Skin therapist Rhian Truman says it's important considering how certain alternatives can be sold so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she believes they might include filler ingredients that don't have as significant benefits for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected.

"One big uncertainty is 'How is it so low-priced?'" she remarks.

Podcast host McGlynn notes in some cases he's purchased skincare items that appear similar to a established brand but the actual formula has "little similarity to the original".

"Don't be sold by the container," he added.

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For advanced products or those with components that can aggravate the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, the specialist recommends selecting medical-grade labels.

She states these will likely have been subjected to comprehensive studies to assess how effective they are.

Beauty products must be evaluated before they can be marketed in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist another professional.

When the label states about the effectiveness of the product, it needs data to support it, "however the seller does not necessarily have to conduct the testing" and can instead cite testing done by other brands, she clarifies.

Examine the Back of the Bottle

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

Ingredients on the list of the container are ordered by quantity. "Ingredients to avoid that you should avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up