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Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing one shopper learned a supermarket was launching a fresh skincare range that appeared akin to products from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael dashed to her closest shop to purchase the Lacura face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 cost of the luxury brand 50ml item.

The sleek blue packaging and gold top of each items look strikingly alike. And though Rachael has never tried the high-end cream, she claims she's satisfied by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been buying skincare dupes from high street stores and supermarkets for a long time, and she's in good company.

More than a fourth of UK buyers report they've tried a skincare or makeup dupe. This rises to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, based on a recently published survey.

Lookalikes are skincare products that imitate well-known companies and offer affordable alternatives to premium items. They frequently have similar names and packaging, but in some cases the formulas can change substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Is Not Necessarily Better'

Beauty experts contend some substitutes to luxury labels are decent standard and assist make beauty routines cheaper.

"I don't think costlier is always better," comments skin specialist a doctor. "Not every low-budget skincare brand is bad - and not every high-end beauty item is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are really impressive," notes a podcast host, who presents a program with celebrities.

Many of the products modeled on high-end brands "disappear so fast, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert Ross Perry thinks alternatives are suitable to use for "fundamental products" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Alternatives will do the job," he says. "These items will perform the fundamentals to a acceptable level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can save money when searching for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a single-ingredient item then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is very affordable because there's very little that can be problematic," she adds.

'Don't Be Sold by the Container'

However the professionals also recommend consumers check details and note that higher-priced products are at times worthy of the extra money.

Regarding luxury beauty products, you're not just covering the brand and promotion - sometimes the higher cost also stems from the ingredients and their grade, the potency of the active ingredient, the research utilized to create the product, and studies into the item's efficacy, Dr Belmo explains.

Facialist Rhian Truman argues it's worth questioning how some dupes can be offered so cheaply.

Occasionally, she believes they might contain filler ingredients that don't have as numerous advantages for the skin, or the components might not be as carefully selected.

"The big question mark is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she remarks.

Expert Scott says on occasion he's bought beauty products that appear similar to a well-known brand but the product itself has "no connection to the original".

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

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Regarding potent products or those with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not made properly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, the specialist advises sticking to medical-grade brands.

The expert states these typically have been subjected to costly tests to assess how successful they are.

Skincare products need to be tested before they can be sold in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

When the brand makes claims about the efficacy of the item, it must have evidence to back it up, "but the seller doesn't necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead use studies conducted by different brands, she clarifies.

Check the Label of the Pack

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

Ingredients on the back of the bottle are ordered by amount. "Ingredients to avoid that you should be wary of… is your mineral oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up