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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned a discounter was launching a recent product collection that looked akin to products from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael hurried to her local store to buy the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the high-end 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue packaging and gold lid of each creams look strikingly alike. Although Rachael has not tested the premium cream, she says she's pleased by the product so far.

Rachael has been purchasing skincare dupes from popular shops and grocery stores for a long time, and she's part of a trend.

More than a 25% of UK shoppers state they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This rises to 44 percent among younger adults, as per a recently published poll.

Lookalikes are skincare products that mimic well-known labels and offer affordable substitutes to high-end items. They often have similar names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can change significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Necessarily Superior'

Skincare experts say certain substitutes to high-end brands are good standard and help make beauty routines cheaper.

"In my opinion more expensive is invariably better," states dermatology expert Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable product line is poor - and not all luxury skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are absolutely amazing," notes a podcast host, who presents a podcast with public figures.

Numerous of the items based on high-end brands "run out so quickly, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist another professional believes alternatives are fine to use for "simple routines" like hydrators and cleansers.

"Alternatives will serve a purpose," he explains. "These items will do the essentials to a acceptable degree."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can spend less when you're looking for single-ingredient items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're likely going to be fine in opting for a lookalike or a product which is very inexpensive because there's minimal that can be problematic," she explains.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Container'

However the specialists also advise shoppers check details and state that higher-priced products are at times worthy of the extra money.

With premium skincare, you're not only paying for the label and advertising - often the higher cost also stems from the ingredients and their standard, the potency of the active ingredient, the science used to produce the product, and trials into the item's efficacy, the expert notes.

Beauty expert another professional says it's worth considering how certain alternatives can be offered so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she believes they might contain filler ingredients that do not provide as numerous advantages for the complexion, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"The key doubt is 'How is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Commentator Scott says in some cases he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a established brand but the item has "no connection to the premium version".

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

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For potent items or those with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not created correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, she recommends using medical-grade labels.

She says these probably have been subjected to expensive tests to assess how effective they are.

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

When the brand advertises about the efficacy of the product, it must have research to support it, "but the manufacturer doesn't always have to do the testing" and can alternatively use evidence completed by different brands, she clarifies.

Read the Back of the Pack

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

Ingredients on the label of the tube are arranged by concentration. "Ingredients to avoid that you want to look out for… is your mineral oil, your SLS, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up