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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer heard a discounter was launching a fresh product collection that appeared comparable to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

She rushed to her nearest shop to buy the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml item.

The streamlined blue packaging and gold lid of each creams look strikingly comparable. And though she has never tried the premium cream, she states she's pleased by the product so far.

She has been using beauty alternatives from high street stores and supermarkets for a long time, and she's part of a trend.

Over a 25% of UK buyers state they've bought a beauty or cosmetic lookalike. This jumps to nearly half among 18-34 year olds, based on a recent study.

Alternatives are skincare products that copy well-known companies and offer affordable options to premium products. They often have comparable names and packaging, but occasionally the components can differ significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty specialists argue many substitutes to luxury brands are decent quality and aid make skincare cheaper.

"In my opinion costlier is always more effective," states skin specialist one expert. "Not every affordable skincare brand is poor - and not all premium beauty item is the top."

"A number of [dupes] are really impressive," notes a podcast host, who hosts a program about celebrities.

Many of the products based on high-end brands "run out so rapidly, it's just unbelievable," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor argues dupes are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Dupes will be effective," he comments. "These items will do the basics to a reasonable level."

Ketaki Bhate, thinks you can cut costs when you're looking for single-ingredient items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a single-ingredient product then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is very inexpensive because there's very little that can cause issues," she says.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Box'

Yet the specialists also recommend consumers check details and state that more expensive items are at times worthy of the extra money.

Regarding high-end skincare, you're not just covering the brand and advertising - often the higher price tag also comes from the ingredients and their grade, the concentration of the key component, the technology utilized to produce the item, and studies into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo explains.

Facialist Rhian Truman says it's worth questioning how certain dupes can be priced so cheaply.

Sometimes, she states they might contain bulking agents that lack as significant benefits for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"One major question mark is 'Why is it so inexpensive?'" she says.

Commentator McGlynn says in some cases he's bought skincare items that look similar to a well-known brand but the product itself has "no resemblance to the premium version".

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

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Regarding potent items or those with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not created accurately, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she advises using research-backed companies.

She says these will likely have been subjected to costly trials to determine how successful they are.

Beauty products are required to be tested before they can be marketed in the UK, says expert Emma Wedgeworth.

If the brand makes claims about the efficacy of the item, it needs evidence to verify it, "however the manufacturer does not necessarily have to do the trials" and can alternatively use testing completed by different brands, she clarifies.

Check the Back of the Bottle

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

Ingredients on the label of the tube are listed by concentration. "The baddies that you want to be wary of… is your mineral oil, your SLS, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up