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Rachael Parnell

When a consumer heard a discounter was launching a new skincare range that appeared comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

The shopper dashed to her closest shop to pick up the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the luxury brand 50ml item.

Its smooth blue tube and gold lid of both products look remarkably alike. And though Rachael has not tested the luxury cream, she says she's impressed by the product so far.

She has been buying beauty alternatives from popular shops and grocery stores for years, and she's in good company.

Over a fourth of UK buyers state they've bought a skincare or makeup alternative. This increases to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recent study.

Lookalikes are skincare products that mimic established labels and offer affordable options to premium products. These products often have comparable branding and containers, but sometimes the formulas can differ substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Necessarily Better'

Beauty professionals argue some substitutes to premium labels are good quality and aid make skincare more affordable.

"I don't think more expensive is invariably better," says dermatology expert one expert. "Not all affordable beauty label is poor - and not all luxury beauty item is the finest."

"A number of [dupes] are really excellent," notes a skincare commentator, who hosts a program with famous people.

Many of the items modeled on luxury brands "run out so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor believes alternatives are suitable to use for "fundamental products" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Alternatives will serve a purpose," he comments. "They will perform the essentials to a satisfactory standard."

Ketaki Bhate, advises you can save money when seeking simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

"If you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be alright in using a dupe or something which is quite affordable because there's very little that can be problematic," she says.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Container'

But the specialists also advise shoppers investigate and say that more expensive items are at times worthy of the extra money.

Regarding luxury beauty products, you're not just covering the label and advertising - at times the higher price also stems from the formula and their standard, the potency of the active ingredient, the technology used to create the item, and studies into the item's efficacy, Dr Belmo explains.

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

In some cases, she says they might contain bulking agents that don't have as numerous advantages for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected.

"One major uncertainty is 'How is it so cheap?'" she says.

Commentator McGlynn says sometimes he's bought beauty products that appear comparable to a big-name label but the product itself has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

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

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Regarding advanced products or ones with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not made properly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she advises selecting medical-grade brands.

The expert explains these probably have been subjected to costly tests to determine how efficacious they are.

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

When the brand advertises about the efficacy of the item, it must have research to back it up, "however the brand doesn't always have to conduct the trials" and can alternatively reference testing completed by other brands, she says.

Read the Label of the Pack

Is there any ingredients that could suggest a item is low-quality?

Components on the list of the bottle are listed by concentration. "Potential irritants that you need to be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up