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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer learned a supermarket was offering a new product collection that appeared similar to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

Rachael dashed to her closest outlet to purchase the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml cream.

The smooth blue tube and gold cap of both creams look remarkably alike. Although she has never tried the luxury cream, she claims she's impressed by the alternative so far.

She has been buying beauty alternatives from high street stores and grocery stores for a long time, and she's in good company.

More than a quarter of UK buyers state they've tried a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This jumps to 44% among 18-34 year olds, according to a recent study.

Dupes are beauty items that copy established brands and provide affordable options to luxury products. They often have alike labels and design, but occasionally the formulas can vary considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Better'

Beauty professionals say some substitutes to luxury brands are reasonable quality and assist make beauty routines cheaper.

"It is not true that higher-priced is always superior," comments skin specialist Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable skincare brand is inferior - and not all luxury beauty item is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are truly excellent," notes a podcast host, who hosts a program featuring public figures.

A lot of of the items based on high-end brands "disappear so rapidly, it's just crazy," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Skin specialist Ross Perry argues alternatives are suitable to use for "fundamental products" like moisturisers and face washes.

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

Another skin doctor, advises you can spend less when you're looking for simple-formula items like HA, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

"If you're buying a simple product then you're likely going to be fine in using a dupe or something which is very inexpensive because there's very little that can go wrong," she adds.

'Don't Be Sold by the Container'

However the experts also advise consumers do their research and say that costlier items are at times worth the premium price.

Regarding high-end skincare, you're not just covering the brand and marketing - at times the increased price tag also stems from the ingredients and their standard, the potency of the effective element, the research used to produce the item, and trials into the item's effectiveness, she says.

Skin therapist she argues it's worth questioning how some alternatives can be priced so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she says they could contain filler ingredients that do not provide as numerous advantages for the complexion, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"One big doubt is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she remarks.

Commentator McGlynn notes in some cases he's bought beauty products that appear comparable to a established label but the actual formula has "little similarity to the luxury product".

"Don't be convinced by the container," he warned.

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For advanced items or ones with components that can irritate the complexion if they're not made accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C, she advises selecting more specialised labels.

The expert states these typically have been through costly studies to assess how effective they are.

Beauty items must be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, explains expert Emma Wedgeworth.

When the company makes claims about the efficacy of the product, it needs evidence to support it, "but the brand does not necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead cite evidence conducted by different brands, she adds.

Read the Back of the Container

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

Components on the list of the tube are listed by concentration. "The baddies that you want to avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up