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Rachael Parnell

When a consumer learned a supermarket was selling a new skincare range that seemed similar to products from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

Rachael dashed to her closest shop to pick up the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 price tag of the high-end 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue packaging and gold cap of the two items look strikingly similar. And though Rachael has not used the luxury cream, she claims she's impressed by the product so far.

Rachael has been buying lookalike products from high street stores and supermarkets for some time, and she's in good company.

Over a quarter of UK buyers state they've purchased a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to 44% among 18-34 year olds, according to a recent study.

Lookalikes are beauty items that copy established brands and present affordable options to luxury products. These products typically have comparable branding and containers, but in some cases the components can change significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Necessarily Better'

Skincare specialists argue many substitutes to high-end brands are reasonable quality and assist make skincare cheaper.

"I don't think more expensive is necessarily superior," states skin specialist one expert. "Not all budget product line is poor - and not every high-end skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are absolutely excellent," says Scott McGlynn, who runs a program about celebrities.

A lot of of the products inspired by high-end labels "disappear so rapidly, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor Ross Perry argues dupes are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Dupes will serve a purpose," he says. "They will do the essentials to a reasonable level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can save money when searching for single-ingredient items like HA, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a single-ingredient item then you're probably going to be alright in using a budget alternative or a product which is quite inexpensive because there's minimal that can cause issues," she adds.

'Do Not Be Swayed by the Packaging'

However the specialists also advise buyers investigate and note that costlier items are at times worth the premium price.

Regarding premium beauty products, you're not only paying for the name and promotion - sometimes the increased price also comes from the formula and their grade, the concentration of the key component, the technology utilized to create the item, and studies into the item's efficacy, she explains.

Skin therapist another professional says it's valuable questioning how certain alternatives can be sold so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she believes they might contain filler ingredients that don't have as many benefits for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected.

"The key uncertainty is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she asks.

Podcast host McGlynn admits on occasion he's bought skincare items that look 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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Regarding more complicated products or ones with components that can irritate the complexion if they're not formulated properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she advises using research-backed labels.

The expert states these typically have been subjected to expensive tests to determine how efficacious they are.

Skincare products are required to be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, explains expert Emma Wedgeworth.

If the brand makes claims about the performance of the product, it must have evidence to support it, "however the manufacturer does not always have to conduct the testing" and can alternatively reference testing done by other firms, she adds.

Read the Ingredients List of the Pack

Is there any ingredients that could suggest a item is low-quality?

Ingredients on the back of the container are listed by concentration. "The baddies that you want to be wary of… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up