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Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell learned a discounter was offering a new product collection that looked akin to products from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She dashed to her closest store to buy the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml product.

Its sleek blue container and gold lid of both creams look noticeably comparable. And though she has never tried the luxury cream, she claims she's impressed by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been using beauty alternatives from high street stores and supermarkets for years, and she's in good company.

Over a 25% of UK consumers report they've tried a skincare or makeup lookalike. This jumps to 44 percent among 18-34 year olds, based on a recent study.

Dupes are beauty items that copy established brands and provide budget-friendly substitutes to luxury products. They frequently have similar labels and design, but occasionally the ingredients can vary considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Better'

Skincare experts contend certain dupes to premium brands are decent standard and help make beauty routines cheaper.

"I don't think more expensive is always superior," says consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not every low-budget skincare brand is bad - and not every premium beauty item is the best."

"Some [dupes] are absolutely excellent," adds a skincare commentator, who hosts a program about public figures.

Numerous of the products inspired by high-end labels "run out so rapidly, it's just insane," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert Ross Perry thinks alternatives are suitable to use for "simple routines" like hydrators and face washes.

"These products will serve a purpose," he explains. "They will handle the basics to a reasonable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can spend less when seeking single-ingredient products like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're buying a simple item then you're likely going to be okay in opting for a lookalike or something which is quite low cost because there's very little that can be problematic," she says.

'Don't Be Sold by the Container'

Yet the experts also suggest shoppers check details and note that costlier items are at times worthy of the premium price.

Regarding high-end skincare, you're not just paying for the label and advertising - at times the higher price also is due to the formula and their standard, the concentration of the active ingredient, the science employed to create the product, and tests into the products' performance, Dr Belmo says.

Beauty expert she says it's worth considering how certain alternatives can be offered so cheaply.

Occasionally, she states they might include filler ingredients that lack as many positive effects for the complexion, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"One key doubt is 'How is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Podcast host Scott notes sometimes he's purchased beauty products that look comparable to a well-known label but the item has "little similarity to the original".

"Do not be fooled by the packaging," he warned.

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For advanced products or those with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not formulated properly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate suggests using more specialised companies.

The expert explains these probably have been through comprehensive studies to determine how effective they are.

Beauty products are required to be tested before they can be available in the UK, says expert another professional.

When the label advertises about the efficacy of the item, it requires research to verify it, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to do the testing" and can instead use studies done by different brands, she clarifies.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Bottle

Is there any components that could signal a item is poor?

Ingredients on the list of the tube are ordered by concentration. "Potential irritants that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up