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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer learned a discounter was selling a fresh product collection that looked akin to offerings from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

The shopper dashed to her local store to buy the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue container and gold lid of each items look strikingly similar. Although Rachael has not used the premium cream, she says she's satisfied by the dupe so far.

She has been buying skincare dupes from popular shops and grocery stores for a long time, and she's in good company.

Over a fourth of UK consumers report they've tried a skincare or makeup dupe. This increases to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, as per a recent survey.

Alternatives are skincare products that mimic established companies and offer cost-effective options to high-end items. They often have comparable branding and containers, but in some cases the formulas can change significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Always Superior'

Beauty experts argue certain dupes to luxury brands are good standard and help make skincare less expensive.

"I don't think costlier is always superior," says skin specialist a doctor. "Not all low-budget product line is bad - and not every high-end beauty item is the best."

"Some [dupes] are absolutely amazing," adds a podcast host, who hosts a program featuring public figures.

Many of the items inspired by luxury brands "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor believes alternatives are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes.

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

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can cut costs when seeking simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a lookalike or something which is fairly affordable because there's minimal that can be problematic," she says.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Packaging'

But the experts also advise shoppers investigate and say that higher-priced products are at times worth the additional cost.

Regarding high-end skincare, you're not just covering the label and marketing - sometimes the elevated cost also stems from the formula and their quality, the concentration of the key component, the research employed to create the item, and studies into the item's effectiveness, she notes.

Skin therapist Rhian Truman says it's important thinking about how some dupes can be offered so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she believes they might have bulking agents that lack as many benefits for the complexion, or the materials might not be as high-quality.

"The major doubt is 'Why is it so cheap?'" she says.

Expert Scott admits sometimes he's purchased skincare items that look similar to a established brand but the item has "no resemblance to the premium version".

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

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For more complicated items or those with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not created correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C, she recommends using more specialised labels.

She states these typically have been through costly studies to determine how successful they are.

Skincare items must be tested before they can be available in the UK, explains expert Emma Wedgeworth.

If the company advertises about the performance of the item, it requires research to support it, "however the brand does not necessarily have to do the testing" and can instead use evidence conducted by different firms, she adds.

Examine the Label of the Pack

Are there any components that could signal a item is inferior?

Components on the label of the bottle are arranged by amount. "Potential irritants that you need to be wary of… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up