🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

After discovering one shopper learned a discounter was offering a fresh product collection that seemed similar to offerings from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael hurried to her closest store to buy the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml item.

The smooth blue container and gold lid of both items look noticeably alike. While she has not tested the premium cream, she says she's pleased by the alternative so far.

She has been purchasing skincare dupes from high street stores and grocery stores for years, and she's part of a trend.

More than a quarter of UK shoppers say they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This rises to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recent study.

Dupes are beauty items that mimic established labels and offer affordable alternatives to high-end products. They often have similar branding and containers, but occasionally the components can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Always Superior'

Skincare professionals contend certain dupes to high-end labels are decent standard and aid make skincare more affordable.

"In my opinion more expensive is invariably better," comments consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable skincare brand is bad - and not every luxury beauty item is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are truly amazing," notes Scott McGlynn, who runs a show featuring celebrities.

Many of the products inspired by luxury labels "run out so fast, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor another professional thinks dupes are fine to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Dupes will do the job," he explains. "These items will do the fundamentals to a acceptable degree."

Ketaki Bhate, thinks you can save money when seeking single-ingredient products like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're purchasing a simple product then you're probably going to be okay in opting for a dupe or something which is fairly low cost because there's minimal that can go wrong," she adds.

'Don't Be Sold by the Box'

But the specialists also suggest buyers check details and state that costlier products are occasionally worth the premium price.

Regarding premium skincare, you're not only paying for the label and marketing - sometimes the higher price also comes from the components and their grade, the strength of the key component, the research employed to develop the product, and trials into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo explains.

Facialist she argues it's important considering how certain alternatives can be sold so cheaply.

In some cases, she says they could include less effective components that don't have as many advantages for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"One key doubt is 'How is it so low-priced?'" she remarks.

Commentator Scott admits sometimes he's bought skincare items that look comparable to a big-name brand but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

"Don't be convinced by the outer appearance," he cautioned.

SimpleImages/Getty Images

For potent items or ones with ingredients that can aggravate the complexion if they're not made properly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate advises selecting research-backed labels.

The expert says these typically have been through comprehensive studies to assess how efficacious they are.

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

If the brand makes claims about the performance of the product, it must have evidence to back it up, "however the manufacturer doesn't necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can alternatively reference testing completed by other brands, she adds.

Read the Ingredients List of the Bottle

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

Ingredients on the label of the tube are listed by quantity. "Potential irritants that you should avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up