🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing a consumer heard a supermarket was selling a recent beauty line that looked akin to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

Rachael rushed to her nearest store to buy the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 price tag of the high-end 50ml product.

Its streamlined blue packaging and gold cap of each creams look strikingly similar. And though Rachael has not used the high-end cream, she states she's impressed by the dupe so far.

She has been buying beauty alternatives from popular shops and supermarkets for a long time, and she's part of a trend.

More than a quarter of UK buyers say they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This jumps to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, as per a February study.

Lookalikes are skincare products that imitate bigger name companies and present cost-effective options to luxury products. They often have comparable labels and design, but occasionally the components can change considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Always Better'

Skincare specialists argue certain substitutes to luxury brands are decent quality and help make beauty routines more affordable.

"I don't think higher-priced is always more effective," states consultant dermatologist one expert. "Not all affordable product line is bad - and not all premium skincare product is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are truly impressive," says a podcast host, who hosts a show featuring public figures.

Numerous of the items modeled on high-end brands "disappear so rapidly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist Ross Perry argues alternatives are fine to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Dupes will do the job," he explains. "These items will handle the essentials to a acceptable standard."

Another skin doctor, advises you can cut costs when searching for simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're purchasing a simple product then you're likely going to be okay in opting for a dupe or something which is quite low cost because there's not much that can be problematic," she adds.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Container'

However the professionals also recommend consumers check details and note that costlier products are occasionally worth the premium price.

With high-end beauty products, you're not only paying for the name and advertising - sometimes the increased price also is due to the components and their grade, the concentration of the effective element, the science used to develop the item, and tests into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo says.

Skin therapist another professional argues it's worth questioning how certain dupes can be sold so inexpensively.

Occasionally, she believes they may include bulking agents that do not provide as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as carefully selected.

"The big uncertainty is 'How is it so cheap?'" she says.

Podcast host McGlynn says on occasion he's purchased skincare items that appear comparable to a big-name label but the item has "no connection to the premium version".

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

SimpleImages/Getty Images

Regarding potent products or those with ingredients that can irritate the skin if they're not created properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she advises selecting more specialised companies.

She explains these will likely have been through expensive studies to determine how effective they are.

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

When the label advertises about the performance of the item, it requires evidence to verify it, "but the manufacturer does not necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead reference evidence completed by other companies, she clarifies.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Container

Is there any components that could indicate a item is poor?

Ingredients on the list of the container are listed by concentration. "Potential irritants that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up