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Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell found out a supermarket was selling a fresh product collection that seemed comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael hurried to her nearest outlet to buy the Lacura face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml cream.

The smooth blue tube and gold lid of the two creams look strikingly comparable. While she has not tested the luxury cream, she claims she's satisfied by the product so far.

Rachael has been buying beauty alternatives from high street stores and grocery stores for some time, and she's part of a trend.

Over a fourth of UK shoppers state they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This jumps to 44% among younger adults, based on a recent poll.

Alternatives are beauty items that copy well-known brands and present cost-effective substitutes to luxury items. These products frequently have comparable labels and design, but occasionally the formulas can differ substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty experts say many dupes to premium labels are decent quality and help make skincare less expensive.

"I don't think more expensive is invariably more effective," states consultant dermatologist one expert. "Not all low-budget skincare brand is poor - and not all luxury beauty item is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are truly excellent," says a podcast host, who presents a show featuring famous people.

A lot of of the items inspired by high-end labels "run out so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor thinks alternatives are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and cleansers.

"These products will be effective," he explains. "They will handle the fundamentals to a reasonable standard."

Another skin doctor, thinks you can cut costs when you're looking for single-ingredient products like HA, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a single-ingredient item then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is quite affordable because there's minimal that can go wrong," she explains.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Container'

But the experts also suggest buyers check details and note that costlier items are sometimes worthy of the premium price.

Regarding premium beauty products, you're not only covering the brand and promotion - at times the elevated cost also comes from the ingredients and their quality, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research employed to create the product, and studies into the item's effectiveness, Dr Belmo says.

Skin therapist Rhian Truman argues it's worth considering how some alternatives can be priced so at a low cost.

Occasionally, she states they might include filler ingredients that don't have as numerous advantages for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"One major uncertainty is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she remarks.

Commentator Scott notes in some cases he's purchased beauty products that appear similar to a established brand but the item has "no connection to the original".

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

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Regarding potent products or those with components that can aggravate the skin if they're not formulated accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she advises sticking to medical-grade labels.

The expert says these typically have been subjected to costly studies to assess how efficacious they are.

Beauty items need to be evaluated before they can be marketed in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

If the company states about the effectiveness of the product, it requires evidence to back it up, "however the brand does not always have to do the trials" and can alternatively use evidence completed by other brands, she says.

Examine the Label of the Container

Is there any ingredients that could signal a item is inferior?

Ingredients on the back of the bottle are ordered by amount. "The baddies that you should look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up