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Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing one shopper heard a supermarket was selling a new skincare range that seemed similar to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

The shopper hurried to her closest outlet to purchase the store-brand face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

The smooth blue tube and gold lid of both products look remarkably comparable. And though she has never tried the premium cream, she states she's satisfied by the alternative so far.

She has been buying skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for years, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK shoppers state they've purchased a skincare or makeup alternative. This increases to 44 percent among younger adults, according to a recent poll.

Lookalikes are beauty items that mimic well-known labels and provide cost-effective substitutes to high-end items. They often have similar names and packaging, but occasionally the ingredients can change substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty experts contend certain substitutes to high-end brands are reasonable standard and aid make skincare more affordable.

"It is not true that costlier is invariably superior," states dermatology expert one expert. "Not all budget skincare brand is poor - and not every luxury beauty item is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are absolutely impressive," adds Scott McGlynn, who runs a podcast featuring public figures.

Many of the products inspired by high-end labels "run out so fast, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor Ross Perry argues dupes are fine to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Dupes will do the job," he says. "These items will do the fundamentals to a acceptable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, thinks you can save money when you're looking for simple-formula items like HA, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be fine in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is fairly low cost because there's not much that can be problematic," she adds.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Container'

However the specialists also suggest consumers investigate and say that more expensive products are occasionally worthy of the extra money.

With luxury skincare, you're not just paying for the brand and marketing - sometimes the increased price also comes from the components and their grade, the strength of the active ingredient, the science used to develop the item, and trials into the item's effectiveness, the expert notes.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's important questioning how certain alternatives can be priced so inexpensively.

In some cases, she says they might include less effective components that lack as many positive effects for the complexion, or the components might not be as carefully selected.

"The major question mark is 'How is it so cheap?'" she remarks.

Expert McGlynn admits sometimes he's purchased skincare items that appear comparable to a big-name brand but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the original".

"Don't be convinced by the outer appearance," he added.

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Regarding advanced items or ones with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C, she suggests sticking to research-backed companies.

She explains these typically have been subjected to expensive studies to assess how successful they are.

Beauty products must be evaluated before they can be sold in the UK, notes skin doctor Emma Wedgeworth.

If the company states about the performance of the item, it needs data to verify it, "but the brand does not always have to perform the testing" and can alternatively cite studies completed by different brands, she clarifies.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Bottle

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

Ingredients on the back of the tube are arranged by concentration. "Ingredients to avoid that you need to look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up