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Rachael Parnell

When a consumer learned a supermarket was offering a new beauty line that seemed comparable to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

She rushed to her closest shop to buy the Lacura face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 cost of the high-end 50ml cream.

The streamlined blue packaging and gold cap of the two products look remarkably comparable. While she has not tested the luxury cream, she states she's satisfied by the alternative so far.

She has been buying skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for some time, and she's part of a trend.

More than a quarter of UK shoppers report they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to nearly half among 18-34 year olds, according to a February study.

Alternatives are skincare products that imitate established companies and provide cost-effective alternatives to high-end products. They frequently have alike names and packaging, but occasionally the formulas can differ substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Always Better'

Skincare experts contend some dupes to high-end labels are reasonable quality and help make beauty routines less expensive.

"I don't think costlier is necessarily better," says dermatology expert Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable product line is poor - and not all luxury skincare product is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are really impressive," notes Scott McGlynn, who hosts a show with public figures.

Many of the items based on luxury brands "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor believes dupes are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes.

"Alternatives will serve a purpose," he comments. "These items will do the basics to a reasonable level."

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

"If you're buying a simple item then you're probably going to be okay in opting for a dupe or something which is very inexpensive because there's very little that can cause issues," she adds.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Packaging'

However the specialists also advise shoppers check details and state that more expensive items are at times worthy of the additional cost.

With luxury beauty products, you're not only funding the brand and promotion - at times the elevated price tag also stems from the formula and their quality, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research utilized to develop the item, and trials into the item's efficacy, the expert notes.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's important thinking about how some dupes can be priced so cheaply.

Occasionally, she states they may have bulking agents that lack as significant benefits for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"One major uncertainty is 'How is it so cheap?'" she says.

Expert Scott admits sometimes he's bought skincare items that look comparable to a big-name brand but the product itself has "no resemblance to the original".

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

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For more complicated items or those with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not created correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, she recommends using research-backed labels.

She explains these typically have been subjected to expensive tests to evaluate how effective they are.

Beauty products must be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, says expert another professional.

If the company states about the efficacy of the item, it needs evidence to back it up, "but the seller does not necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead reference studies completed by other companies, she adds.

Examine the Label of the Bottle

Are there any components that could suggest a item is poor?

Ingredients on the label of the container are ordered by concentration. "Potential irritants that you need to avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up