🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned a supermarket was selling a fresh beauty line that appeared comparable to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She rushed to her local outlet to pick up the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml product.

The smooth blue container and gold cap of each products look noticeably comparable. And though she has not tested the high-end cream, she says she's pleased by the product so far.

She has been purchasing beauty alternatives from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for some time, and she's not alone.

More than a 25% of UK shoppers state they've bought a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This increases to 44 percent among 18-34 year olds, according to a recently published survey.

Lookalikes are beauty items that imitate well-known labels and present affordable substitutes to luxury items. These products frequently have alike labels and design, but sometimes the components can vary considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Isn't Always Superior'

Beauty specialists say certain substitutes to high-end brands are good standard and aid make skincare less expensive.

"I don't think higher-priced is invariably better," states skin specialist Sharon Belmo. "Not all affordable skincare brand is bad - and not all premium beauty item is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are truly impressive," adds a podcast host, who presents a podcast featuring public figures.

Many of the products modeled on luxury labels "sell out so rapidly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist Ross Perry believes dupes are acceptable to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and cleansers.

"These products will do the job," he comments. "They will handle the basics to a satisfactory level."

Another skin doctor, suggests you can save money when searching for simple-formula items like HA, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a simple item then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or something which is fairly affordable because there's minimal that can be problematic," she says.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Box'

But the professionals also suggest consumers check details and say that costlier products are occasionally worthy of the premium price.

With high-end skincare, you're not just paying for the name and advertising - often the higher price tag also is due to the ingredients and their quality, the concentration of the key component, the technology used to develop the item, and tests into the item's performance, Dr Belmo says.

Beauty expert Rhian Truman says it's valuable thinking about how some dupes can be priced so inexpensively.

Occasionally, she states they may have filler ingredients that do not provide as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"One major doubt is 'How is it so low-priced?'" she asks.

Podcast host McGlynn admits sometimes he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a well-known brand but the item has "no resemblance to the premium version".

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

SimpleImages/Getty Images

Regarding potent products or ones with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not made accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she recommends sticking to medical-grade brands.

The expert explains these typically have been subjected to expensive studies to assess how efficacious they are.

Beauty products need to be evaluated before they can be marketed in the UK, notes expert another professional.

If the company states about the effectiveness of the item, it requires research to verify it, "but the brand does not necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead cite evidence done by different brands, she adds.

Read the Label of the Bottle

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

Components on the list of the tube are ordered by concentration. "The baddies that you need to be wary of… is your mineral oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up