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Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing one shopper learned a supermarket was launching a fresh skincare range that looked comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She hurried to her local shop to buy the Lacura face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml product.

Its sleek blue packaging and gold top of each creams look remarkably comparable. Although she has never tried the premium cream, she says she's impressed by the alternative so far.

She has been using skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for a long time, and she's part of a trend.

Over a fourth of UK shoppers report they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This jumps to nearly half among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recent study.

Lookalikes are skincare products that copy well-known labels and provide budget-friendly substitutes to high-end items. They typically have similar names and packaging, but occasionally the formulas can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Necessarily Better'

Skincare experts argue certain substitutes to high-end labels are reasonable quality and aid make skincare more affordable.

"In my opinion higher-priced is always superior," says dermatology expert one expert. "Not all budget skincare brand is poor - and not every premium skincare product is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are truly impressive," notes a podcast host, who hosts a program about public figures.

A lot of of the products inspired by luxury labels "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor believes alternatives are suitable to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Alternatives will do the job," he says. "These items will do the basics to a satisfactory level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can cut costs when searching for simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're purchasing a simple product then you're probably going to be fine in using a budget alternative or a product which is quite affordable because there's minimal that can cause issues," she says.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Box'

But the specialists also advise consumers do their research and note that more expensive items are sometimes worth the premium price.

With premium beauty products, you're not only covering the brand and promotion - often the elevated price also stems from the components and their standard, the concentration of the active ingredient, the science utilized to produce the item, and trials into the products' efficacy, she explains.

Skin therapist she suggests it's worth questioning how some alternatives can be sold so cheaply.

In some cases, she says they may have filler ingredients that lack as numerous advantages for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"The big uncertainty is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she asks.

Expert McGlynn says on occasion he's bought skincare items that look similar to a well-known brand but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the premium version".

"Do not be convinced by the container," he added.

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Regarding potent items or those with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not formulated accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C, the specialist suggests using research-backed labels.

The expert states these will likely have been through comprehensive trials to evaluate how effective they are.

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

When the company makes claims about the efficacy of the item, it needs evidence to verify it, "however the seller does not always have to do the trials" and can instead use studies completed by different brands, she adds.

Examine the Label of the Pack

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

Components on the back of the tube are listed by quantity. "The baddies that you need to avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up