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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell found out a discounter was launching a new skincare range that appeared akin to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael hurried to her closest store to buy the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 price tag of the high-end 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue tube and gold cap of each items look noticeably comparable. Although Rachael has never tried the premium cream, she states she's impressed by the product so far.

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

More than a fourth of UK buyers say they've tried a skincare or makeup dupe. This jumps to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, according to a February poll.

Lookalikes are beauty items that copy bigger name brands and present affordable substitutes to high-end products. These products frequently have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can change significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Superior'

Skincare experts say many dupes to high-end brands are good quality and assist make skincare cheaper.

"In my opinion costlier is always more effective," states consultant dermatologist a doctor. "Not every low-budget product line is bad - and not all luxury beauty item is the best."

"Certain [dupes] are truly excellent," adds a podcast host, who hosts a podcast featuring famous people.

A lot of of the items based on high-end brands "run out so fast, it's just unbelievable," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor another professional thinks dupes are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"These products will do the job," he comments. "They will handle the essentials to a acceptable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, thinks you can spend less when seeking single-ingredient items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're purchasing a single-ingredient product then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a lookalike or something which is quite low cost because there's minimal that can go wrong," she adds.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Container'

However the professionals also suggest buyers investigate and say that costlier items are occasionally worth the additional cost.

Regarding high-end beauty products, you're not just covering the label and advertising - sometimes the elevated cost also is due to the formula and their standard, the strength of the effective element, the science used to produce the product, and trials into the products' effectiveness, the expert notes.

Facialist Rhian Truman says it's important thinking about how certain alternatives can be sold so inexpensively.

In some cases, she states they may contain bulking agents that lack as many benefits for the complexion, or the components might not be as carefully selected.

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

Commentator McGlynn admits sometimes he's bought skincare items that look comparable to a big-name brand but the product itself has "no connection to the original".

"Don't be fooled by the container," he cautioned.

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Regarding advanced products or those with components that can aggravate the complexion if they're not made properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate suggests sticking to medical-grade companies.

The expert says these probably have been through comprehensive tests to evaluate how effective they are.

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

If the label states about the efficacy of the item, it must have research to verify it, "but the brand does not necessarily have to do the testing" and can instead use studies done by other brands, she adds.

Read the Ingredients List of the Container

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

Components on the label of the container are listed by amount. "Potential irritants that you should avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up