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Rachael Parnell

After discovering one shopper learned Aldi was selling a fresh skincare range that appeared comparable to offerings from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael hurried to her closest store to buy the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 price tag of the luxury brand 50ml cream.

The streamlined blue container and gold lid of both creams look noticeably comparable. And though Rachael has not used the premium cream, she says she's impressed by the product so far.

Rachael has been purchasing skincare dupes from popular shops and supermarkets for years, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK shoppers report they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to nearly half among younger adults, based on a February study.

Lookalikes are skincare products that copy well-known brands and provide budget-friendly alternatives to premium items. These products frequently have comparable labels and design, but sometimes the ingredients can change substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Always Better'

Skincare professionals say certain substitutes to high-end labels are decent quality and assist make skincare more affordable.

"In my opinion costlier is invariably superior," comments consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not every affordable beauty label is inferior - and not every premium beauty item is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are really impressive," notes a podcast host, who runs a program featuring famous people.

Numerous of the items based on luxury brands "run out so rapidly, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor another professional believes dupes are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and cleansers.

"Dupes will be effective," he comments. "These items will perform the basics to a reasonable level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can spend less when seeking simple-formula products like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a simple item then you're likely going to be fine in using a budget alternative or a product which is very low cost because there's very little that can cause issues," she adds.

'Don't Be Influenced by the Packaging'

Yet the specialists also suggest shoppers check details and say that costlier products are at times worth the extra money.

With luxury beauty products, you're not just funding the brand and advertising - at times the increased price tag also stems from the components and their grade, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research used to produce the product, and trials into the item's efficacy, Dr Belmo says.

Beauty expert Rhian Truman suggests it's worth thinking about how certain alternatives can be priced so cheaply.

In some cases, she states they might include less effective components that do not provide as significant positive effects for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as high-quality.

"One major question mark is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she says.

Expert Scott says in some cases he's bought skincare items that look similar to a well-known label but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

"Do not be sold by the outer appearance," he warned.

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Regarding more complicated products or ones with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not made properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, the specialist advises selecting research-backed brands.

She states these probably have been subjected to expensive trials to determine how efficacious they are.

Beauty items are required to be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, says consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

If the company makes claims about the performance of the item, it requires research to verify it, "but the seller doesn't always have to do the testing" and can instead reference evidence completed by different firms, she adds.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Container

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

Components on the back of the container are ordered by concentration. "The baddies that you should avoid… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up