🔗 Share this article High-Street Skincare Lookalikes Could Save Consumers Hundreds. But Do Budget Skincare Items Really Work? Rachael Parnell Rachael states with certain lookalikes she "cannot distinguish the difference". When Rachael Parnell learned a discounter was selling a new product collection that appeared akin to offerings from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited". She dashed to her closest outlet to purchase the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 of the high-end 50ml item. Its sleek blue container and gold lid of both creams look strikingly similar. Although she has never tried the luxury cream, she claims she's satisfied by the alternative so far. Rachael has been using beauty alternatives from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for years, and she's part of a trend. Over a quarter of UK buyers report they've bought a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, according to a recently published study. Dupes are skincare products that mimic well-known brands and present cost-effective alternatives to premium products. These products often have similar names and packaging, but in some cases the components can change considerably. Victoria Woollaston High-end vs affordable: One brand's 50ml face cream costs £240, while the supermarket's new store-brand face cream is £8.49. 'Costly Is Not Necessarily Better' Beauty experts say some dupes to premium labels are good standard and assist make skincare cheaper. "I don't think higher-priced is necessarily superior," states dermatology expert Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable beauty label is bad - and not every premium skincare product is the best." "A number of [dupes] are absolutely excellent," adds a podcast host, who hosts a podcast featuring famous people. Many of the products based on luxury labels "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks. Scott McGlynn Podcast host Scott McGlynn says some budget items he has tested are "amazing". Medical expert Ross Perry argues alternatives are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes. "Dupes will serve a purpose," he comments. "These items will perform the basics to a reasonable degree." Another skin doctor, advises you can cut costs when searching for simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient. "If you're buying a simple item then you're likely going to be fine in opting for a dupe or a product which is quite low cost because there's not much that can cause issues," she says. 'Do Not Be Swayed by the Box' Yet the professionals also recommend consumers investigate and state that higher-priced products are occasionally worth the additional cost. With premium skincare, you're not just paying for the label and marketing - sometimes the higher price tag also is due to the formula and their grade, the potency of the key component, the science employed to produce the item, and trials into the item's efficacy, the expert notes. Facialist another professional argues it's worth considering how some alternatives can be priced so inexpensively. In some cases, she states they might include less effective components that lack as many advantages for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as carefully selected. "One major uncertainty is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she says. Commentator Scott notes on occasion he's purchased skincare items that appear similar to a established label but the product itself has "no resemblance to the luxury product". "Don't be convinced by the container," he cautioned. SimpleImages/Getty Images Dr Bhate suggests choosing established brands for products with ingredients like retinol or vitamin C. For advanced items or ones with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not made accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate recommends using medical-grade companies. She states these typically have been subjected to comprehensive studies to evaluate how efficacious they are. Skincare products need to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, notes skin doctor Emma Wedgeworth. If the label states about the effectiveness of the item, it needs data to support it, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to do the trials" and can alternatively use evidence conducted by different brands, she adds. Examine the Back of the Container Are there any components that could suggest a product is low-quality? Components on the label of the container are arranged by amount. "The baddies that you need to avoid… is your mineral oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up