🔗 Share this article

Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned Aldi was offering a new skincare range that seemed akin to offerings from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She rushed to her closest shop to purchase the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

Its sleek blue tube and gold cap of each products look remarkably comparable. And though Rachael has not tested the premium cream, she says she's pleased by the dupe so far.

She has been buying beauty alternatives from high street stores and supermarkets for a long time, and she's in good company.

More than a 25% of UK shoppers say they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This jumps to nearly half among younger adults, based on a recently published poll.

Lookalikes are beauty items that mimic well-known companies and offer budget-friendly substitutes to luxury items. They typically have alike branding and containers, but in some cases the formulas can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Always Better'

Beauty specialists contend certain substitutes to high-end labels are decent quality and aid make skincare less expensive.

"It is not true that more expensive is always more effective," says skin specialist a doctor. "Not every low-budget beauty label is inferior - and not every high-end beauty item is the best."

"Some [dupes] are truly impressive," notes a podcast host, who presents a podcast about public figures.

Many of the items modeled on high-end brands "sell out so quickly, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor argues alternatives are suitable to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and face washes.

"These products will serve a purpose," he explains. "They will handle the essentials to a reasonable degree."

Ketaki Bhate, advises you can spend less when searching for single-ingredient products like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be alright in using a budget alternative or something which is quite low cost because there's not much that can be problematic," she explains.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Packaging'

Yet the professionals also advise shoppers check details and note that costlier products are occasionally worth the additional cost.

With high-end skincare, you're not just funding the brand and advertising - sometimes the increased price tag also stems from the formula and their quality, the concentration of the key component, the research utilized to create the product, and studies into the item's efficacy, she explains.

Beauty expert she suggests it's important considering how some dupes can be offered so at a low cost.

Occasionally, she says they could contain filler ingredients that lack as numerous advantages for the skin, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"The major question mark is 'Why is it so inexpensive?'" she asks.

Podcast host Scott notes sometimes he's purchased beauty products that look comparable to a well-known brand but the item has "little similarity to the original".

"Do not be convinced by the container," he cautioned.

SimpleImages/Getty Images

For advanced items or ones with components that can irritate the skin if they're not made accurately, such as retinols or vitamin C, the specialist advises sticking to medical-grade labels.

The expert says these will likely have been through costly trials to determine how effective they are.

Beauty items need to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, says skin doctor another professional.

When the label advertises about the effectiveness of the product, it requires research to support it, "but the manufacturer does not always have to perform the testing" and can instead reference studies conducted by other companies, she says.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Pack

Are there any components that could suggest a product is inferior?

Components on the back of the bottle are arranged by concentration. "Ingredients to avoid that you should look out for… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up