🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned a supermarket was launching a recent skincare range that looked comparable to offerings from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

The shopper dashed to her nearest outlet to pick up the store-brand face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 cost of the high-end 50ml product.

Its streamlined blue container and gold top of both creams look remarkably alike. And though she has not used the high-end cream, she says she's impressed by the dupe so far.

She has been using skincare dupes from popular shops and supermarkets for some time, and she's part of a trend.

More than a fourth of UK buyers say they've tried a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This jumps to 44 percent among 18-34 year olds, based on a recent survey.

Alternatives are skincare products that mimic well-known companies and present budget-friendly substitutes to luxury items. They often have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the formulas can vary significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Always Superior'

Skincare professionals argue some substitutes to high-end labels are reasonable standard and aid make skincare cheaper.

"I don't think costlier is invariably more effective," comments dermatology expert one expert. "Not all budget product line is bad - and not all luxury beauty item is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are really excellent," adds a podcast host, who presents a program about public figures.

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

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor argues dupes are fine to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Dupes will do the job," he comments. "These items will handle the basics to a reasonable standard."

Another skin doctor, suggests you can spend less when you're looking for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're purchasing a simple product then you're likely going to be okay in using a budget alternative or a product which is quite inexpensive because there's not much that can cause issues," she adds.

'Do Not Be Swayed by the Container'

Yet the professionals also suggest buyers investigate and note that higher-priced items are occasionally worthy of the extra money.

With premium beauty products, you're not just covering the label and promotion - sometimes the higher price also is due to the ingredients and their grade, the strength of the active ingredient, the research utilized to produce the product, and trials into the item's performance, Dr Belmo notes.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's important thinking about how certain dupes can be sold so inexpensively.

Sometimes, she states they could have less effective components that lack as significant benefits for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected.

"The key doubt is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she asks.

Commentator McGlynn admits sometimes he's bought beauty products that look comparable to a well-known label but the item has "no connection to the premium version".

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

SimpleImages/Getty Images

For potent products or those with components that can irritate the skin if they're not created correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, she suggests selecting more specialised companies.

The expert explains these will likely have been through costly trials to evaluate how successful they are.

Beauty products need to be tested before they can be marketed in the UK, explains skin doctor Emma Wedgeworth.

If the label states about the performance of the item, it needs evidence to verify it, "however the seller does not necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can alternatively cite studies done by other companies, she adds.

Read the Label of the Pack

Is there any ingredients that could indicate a product is poor?

Components on the back of the tube are ordered by concentration. "Potential irritants that you should look out for… is your mineral oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up