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Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell heard a supermarket was selling a fresh product collection that seemed similar to items from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

She rushed to her nearest shop to buy the Lacura face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 of the high-end 50ml item.

The smooth blue packaging and gold lid of each items look remarkably similar. Although she has never tried the luxury cream, she says she's satisfied by the product so far.

She has been buying skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for years, and she's part of a trend.

Over a quarter of UK consumers say they've purchased a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to nearly half among millennials and Gen Z, according to a recent study.

Dupes are beauty items that imitate bigger name companies and provide budget-friendly options to high-end products. They often have similar branding and containers, but in some cases the ingredients can change substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Always Superior'

Beauty professionals contend some substitutes to high-end labels are decent standard and aid make beauty routines more affordable.

"I don't think more expensive is invariably better," states dermatology expert a doctor. "Not all affordable beauty label is poor - and not all premium skincare product is the best."

"Some [dupes] are absolutely amazing," notes Scott McGlynn, who hosts a podcast with famous people.

A lot of of the items inspired by luxury brands "run out so rapidly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor argues alternatives are suitable to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Alternatives will do the job," he says. "They will handle the essentials to a satisfactory standard."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can cut costs when you're looking for single-ingredient products like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're purchasing a simple item then you're likely going to be okay in opting for a budget alternative or something which is fairly inexpensive because there's minimal that can go wrong," she adds.

'Don't Be Influenced by the Container'

However the specialists also advise buyers investigate and say that more expensive products are at times worth the additional cost.

With high-end skincare, you're not just covering the label and advertising - at times the increased price also comes from the components and their quality, the potency of the key component, the technology employed to produce the item, and trials into the products' effectiveness, she explains.

Beauty expert another professional suggests it's worth questioning how some dupes can be sold so inexpensively.

Sometimes, she states they may include less effective components that don't have as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as high-quality.

"The key question mark is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she asks.

Expert Scott says on occasion he's bought beauty products that look comparable to a big-name label but the product itself has "little similarity to the premium version".

"Don't be fooled by the packaging," he cautioned.

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Regarding potent products or those with components that can aggravate the complexion if they're not created properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, Dr Bhate advises using more specialised companies.

She says these will likely have been subjected to expensive trials to evaluate how successful they are.

Beauty products need to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, says skin doctor Emma Wedgeworth.

When the company makes claims about the efficacy of the item, it needs research to verify it, "but the seller doesn't necessarily have to perform the trials" and can alternatively use studies completed by different brands, she clarifies.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Bottle

Is there any components that could signal a item is low-quality?

Components on the list of the tube are listed by amount. "Potential irritants that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up