🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing one shopper learned a discounter was selling a recent skincare range that looked akin to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She rushed to her local shop to purchase the Lacura face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue container and gold top of the two creams look remarkably similar. While she has never tried the high-end cream, she says she's pleased by the product so far.

She has been purchasing beauty alternatives from high street stores and supermarkets for a long time, and she's not alone.

More than a 25% of UK consumers state they've tried a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This increases to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, according to a recent survey.

Dupes are beauty items that imitate well-known companies and offer affordable substitutes to premium items. They frequently have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can differ significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Always Better'

Beauty professionals say certain alternatives to luxury brands are good quality and assist make beauty routines less expensive.

"It is not true that higher-priced is always better," states skin specialist Sharon Belmo. "Not all budget product line is bad - and not all premium beauty item is the top."

"Certain [dupes] are truly impressive," says Scott McGlynn, who hosts a show about celebrities.

Many of the items based on high-end labels "run out so fast, it's just crazy," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor Ross Perry argues alternatives are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes.

"Alternatives will be effective," he says. "They will perform the essentials to a satisfactory degree."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can save money when seeking simple-formula products like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're purchasing a single-ingredient item then you're likely going to be fine in using a budget alternative or a product which is very low cost because there's not much that can cause issues," she explains.

'Don't Be Sold by the Box'

But the specialists also suggest buyers do their research and say that costlier products are occasionally worthy of the extra money.

Regarding premium beauty products, you're not only paying for the label and promotion - sometimes the increased price also comes from the components and their grade, the potency of the active ingredient, the research used to produce the item, and studies into the item's efficacy, she explains.

Skin therapist she suggests it's worth thinking about how some dupes can be priced so cheaply.

Occasionally, she states they may contain less effective components that lack as significant advantages for the skin, or the materials might not be as carefully selected.

"The big doubt is 'Why is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Commentator Scott says on occasion he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a well-known label but the product itself has "little similarity to the original".

"Do not be sold by the container," he warned.

SimpleImages/Getty Images

Regarding advanced items or ones with ingredients that can aggravate the skin if they're not formulated correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C, she recommends selecting research-backed companies.

The expert states these probably have been through comprehensive tests to assess how effective they are.

Skincare items must be tested before they can be marketed in the UK, says consultant dermatologist another professional.

When the company states about the performance of the item, it requires evidence to verify it, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to perform the trials" and can alternatively reference testing completed by different companies, she says.

Check the Back of the Container

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

Ingredients on the back of the container are ordered by amount. "Potential irritants that you want to avoid… is your mineral oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up