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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer heard a discounter was selling a recent skincare range that appeared comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She dashed to her local store to buy the store-brand face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

Its smooth blue tube and gold cap of both items look remarkably similar. Although Rachael has not used the premium cream, she says she's impressed by the alternative so far.

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

More than a 25% of UK shoppers report they've bought a skincare or makeup dupe. This rises to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, according to a February poll.

Dupes are skincare products that mimic established companies and offer affordable alternatives to premium items. These products typically have comparable names and packaging, but in some cases the formulas can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Always Superior'

Beauty professionals contend some dupes to luxury brands are decent quality and assist make skincare more affordable.

"In my opinion more expensive is necessarily superior," comments skin specialist a doctor. "Not all budget beauty label is inferior - and not every luxury beauty item is the top."

"A number of [dupes] are truly impressive," says a skincare commentator, who presents a show featuring celebrities.

A lot of of the items inspired by high-end labels "run out so fast, it's just unbelievable," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor argues dupes are suitable to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and face washes.

"Dupes will do the job," he explains. "These items will handle the basics to a acceptable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can cut costs when searching for single-ingredient items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be okay in using a lookalike or a product which is very inexpensive because there's very little that can cause issues," she explains.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Container'

However the professionals also recommend shoppers do their research and say that higher-priced products are at times worthy of the additional cost.

Regarding high-end beauty products, you're not just paying for the name and advertising - at times the increased price also comes from the components and their quality, the strength of the active ingredient, the technology employed to create the item, and trials into the item's effectiveness, Dr Belmo says.

Skin therapist another professional says it's valuable questioning how certain dupes can be sold so cheaply.

Sometimes, she states they may have bulking agents that do not provide as many advantages for the complexion, or the components might not be as high-quality.

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

Podcast host Scott admits on occasion he's bought skincare items that look comparable to a well-known label but the product itself has "no resemblance to the premium version".

"Do not be convinced by the container," he cautioned.

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Regarding advanced products or those with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, she suggests using more specialised companies.

She says these will likely have been through expensive tests to determine how successful they are.

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

If the label states about the efficacy of the item, it needs research to verify it, "but the brand does not always have to perform the trials" and can instead use studies conducted by different firms, she says.

Check the Ingredients List of the Pack

Is there any ingredients that could indicate a product is low-quality?

Components on the list of the container are arranged by quantity. "Ingredients to avoid that you should be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up