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Rachael Parnell

When a consumer found out a supermarket was selling a fresh skincare range that seemed comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She dashed to her local outlet to purchase the Lacura face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml item.

The smooth blue container and gold top of each creams look strikingly alike. While Rachael has not tested the luxury cream, she states she's pleased by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been purchasing skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for a long time, and she's part of a trend.

Over a 25% of UK shoppers state they've purchased a skincare or makeup lookalike. This rises to 44 percent among 18-34 year olds, as per a February poll.

Dupes are beauty items that imitate well-known labels and offer budget-friendly options to luxury items. They typically have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can differ substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Always Better'

Skincare professionals argue many substitutes to luxury labels are good standard and assist make beauty routines cheaper.

"In my opinion more expensive is always better," says dermatology expert a doctor. "Not every low-budget skincare brand is bad - and not all luxury skincare product is the best."

"Certain [dupes] are truly excellent," says a skincare commentator, who hosts a podcast featuring public figures.

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

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor argues alternatives are fine to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"These products will do the job," he comments. "These items will perform the fundamentals to a reasonable standard."

Another skin doctor, advises you can cut costs when searching for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

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

'Don't Be Influenced by the Box'

But the specialists also advise shoppers do their research and state that more expensive products are at times worth the extra money.

With high-end skincare, you're not only funding the name and promotion - at times the elevated cost also stems from the formula and their standard, the concentration of the key component, the science employed to create the product, and trials into the item's performance, the expert explains.

Facialist she suggests it's important questioning how certain dupes can be offered so cheaply.

Sometimes, she states they may include filler ingredients that do not provide as numerous positive effects for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected.

"The big question mark is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she says.

Podcast host McGlynn admits on occasion he's purchased beauty products that appear similar to a established brand but the product itself has "little similarity to the premium version".

"Do not be fooled by the outer appearance," he cautioned.

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Regarding advanced products or those with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not made properly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate recommends selecting more specialised companies.

The expert states these typically have been subjected to comprehensive studies to determine how efficacious they are.

Skincare products must be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, says consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

If the company makes claims about the efficacy of the product, it requires research to verify it, "however the manufacturer does not necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead use evidence done by different brands, she adds.

Read the Back of the Container

Are there any ingredients that could indicate a product is poor?

Components on the list of the tube are ordered by concentration. "Ingredients to avoid that you should look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up