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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned Aldi was offering a fresh skincare range that appeared akin to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

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

The smooth blue tube and gold cap of the two items look remarkably alike. Although she has not tested the luxury cream, she says she's pleased by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been buying lookalike products from high street stores and supermarkets for years, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK consumers report they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This jumps to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, based on a February survey.

Alternatives are skincare products that copy established brands and present affordable options to premium items. These products typically have comparable names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can vary significantly.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Is Not Always Better'

Skincare experts argue some alternatives to luxury labels are reasonable standard and aid make beauty routines cheaper.

"In my opinion more expensive is always superior," says skin specialist a doctor. "Not all low-budget skincare brand is poor - and not every premium beauty item is the top."

"A number of [dupes] are really excellent," notes a skincare commentator, who runs a program with celebrities.

Numerous of the items based on high-end brands "run out so fast, it's just unbelievable," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor thinks dupes are fine to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Alternatives will be effective," he comments. "They will do the essentials to a satisfactory standard."

Another skin doctor, suggests you can save money when searching for single-ingredient items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're likely going to be okay in using a dupe or a product which is quite inexpensive because there's very little that can cause issues," she says.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Packaging'

But the experts also advise buyers investigate and say that more expensive items are sometimes worth the additional cost.

Regarding luxury beauty products, you're not only funding the label and marketing - often the elevated price also is due to the formula and their standard, the potency of the key component, the research employed to develop the item, and studies into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo explains.

Skin therapist she suggests it's valuable thinking about how some dupes can be offered so cheaply.

Occasionally, she states they might contain filler ingredients that lack as many positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as high-quality.

"The key question mark is 'Why is it so inexpensive?'" she says.

Commentator McGlynn notes sometimes he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a big-name brand but the item has "no resemblance to the premium version".

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

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Regarding more complicated products or those with components that can aggravate the skin if they're not created accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate advises sticking to research-backed brands.

She states these typically have been through expensive tests to evaluate how effective they are.

Skincare items are required to be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, notes skin doctor Emma Wedgeworth.

When the company states about the effectiveness of the item, it needs evidence to back it up, "but the brand does not necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead use studies done by different firms, she clarifies.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Container

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

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