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Rachael Parnell

After discovering one shopper found out a supermarket was selling a recent beauty line that appeared comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael rushed to her local shop to pick up the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml cream.

Its smooth blue packaging and gold top of the two items look noticeably comparable. While Rachael has never tried the luxury cream, she claims she's pleased by the dupe so far.

She has been using beauty alternatives from high street stores and grocery stores for some time, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK consumers report they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This increases to 44 percent among younger adults, based on a recently published poll.

Dupes are beauty items that imitate established companies and present affordable substitutes to high-end items. These products frequently have comparable names and packaging, but occasionally the components can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Isn't Always Superior'

Beauty experts contend certain alternatives to premium brands are good standard and aid make skincare more affordable.

"I don't think costlier is invariably better," says skin specialist Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable product line is inferior - and not all premium skincare product is the best."

"Some [dupes] are really impressive," notes Scott McGlynn, who presents a program featuring celebrities.

A lot of of the items inspired by luxury labels "sell out so quickly, it's just unbelievable," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

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

"Dupes will be effective," he says. "They will perform the essentials to a acceptable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, thinks you can save money when seeking simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a simple item then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a lookalike or a product which is very affordable because there's minimal that can go wrong," she says.

'Do Not Be Swayed by the Packaging'

But the professionals also recommend consumers investigate and note that more expensive items are occasionally worth the premium price.

Regarding luxury skincare, you're not only covering the label and promotion - often the elevated price also comes from the ingredients and their quality, the concentration of the key component, the technology utilized to develop the item, and studies into the item's effectiveness, she notes.

Facialist she says it's worth considering how some dupes can be offered so cheaply.

Occasionally, she says they may include less effective components that lack as many benefits for the complexion, or the components might not be as high-quality.

"The key uncertainty is 'How is it so cheap?'" she remarks.

Commentator Scott says on occasion he's purchased skincare items that appear similar to a big-name label but the actual formula has "little similarity to the luxury product".

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

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For more complicated products or ones with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not created correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, the specialist suggests selecting medical-grade brands.

She explains these probably have been subjected to comprehensive trials to evaluate how efficacious they are.

Skincare items must be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, explains skin doctor another professional.

If the brand advertises about the effectiveness of the item, it must have evidence to back it up, "however the seller does not always have to do the testing" and can alternatively reference testing done by different brands, she says.

Check the Back of the Container

Are there any ingredients that could suggest a product is low-quality?

Components on the list of the bottle are listed by quantity. "Potential irritants that you want to look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up