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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell found out a supermarket was launching a new skincare range that seemed comparable to items from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She rushed to her nearest outlet to pick up the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

The sleek blue packaging and gold cap of each products look noticeably comparable. And though she has not used the luxury cream, she claims she's pleased by the alternative so far.

She has been using skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for some time, and she's part of a trend.

Over a 25% of UK shoppers state they've bought a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This rises to nearly half among younger adults, according to a February survey.

Dupes are skincare products that copy well-known companies and present affordable options to high-end products. They often have alike labels and design, but sometimes the components can vary substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Necessarily Superior'

Beauty professionals argue certain substitutes to premium brands are reasonable quality and aid make skincare cheaper.

"In my opinion more expensive is invariably better," states consultant dermatologist a doctor. "Not every affordable product line is poor - and not all high-end skincare product is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are absolutely impressive," says a podcast host, who runs a program featuring celebrities.

A lot of of the products based on luxury brands "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist Ross Perry argues alternatives are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Alternatives will serve a purpose," he says. "They will handle the fundamentals to a acceptable degree."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can save money when seeking simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're purchasing a simple item then you're probably going to be alright in using a lookalike or a product which is fairly affordable because there's minimal that can be problematic," she says.

'Don't Be Sold by the Container'

However the specialists also advise buyers investigate and note that higher-priced items are occasionally worth the additional cost.

Regarding luxury skincare, you're not only covering the label and marketing - sometimes the higher cost also stems from the formula and their grade, the concentration of the key component, the science utilized to create the item, and tests into the products' efficacy, the expert explains.

Facialist Rhian Truman says it's valuable considering how certain dupes can be sold so cheaply.

Sometimes, she says they might have less effective components that don't have as significant benefits for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as high-quality.

"One big doubt is 'How is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Commentator Scott admits in some cases he's purchased beauty products that look similar to a well-known brand but the item has "no connection to the premium version".

"Do not be fooled by the container," he warned.

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Regarding more complicated items or those with components that can aggravate the skin if they're not formulated correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, the specialist suggests using research-backed brands.

The expert says these probably have been subjected to comprehensive tests to determine how efficacious they are.

Skincare products must be evaluated before they can be sold in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist another professional.

When the company advertises about the performance of the item, it requires evidence to back it up, "however the brand does not necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead cite testing conducted by different brands, she says.

Read the Back of the Container

Is there any components that could indicate a product is inferior?

Ingredients on the back of the bottle are arranged by quantity. "Potential irritants that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up