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Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing Rachael Parnell found out a discounter was offering a fresh beauty line that seemed akin to products from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She dashed to her closest store to buy the Lacura face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml item.

The smooth blue tube and gold lid of both products look remarkably comparable. And though she has not used the high-end cream, she states she's satisfied by the dupe so far.

She has been buying lookalike products from popular shops and supermarkets for a long time, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK buyers report they've bought a skincare or makeup alternative. This rises to nearly half among younger adults, according to a recently published study.

Lookalikes are beauty items that mimic bigger name brands and offer budget-friendly options to high-end products. These products frequently have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the formulas can vary substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Isn't Always Better'

Skincare experts say certain alternatives to high-end labels are good standard and assist make beauty routines more affordable.

"It is not true that higher-priced is always better," comments skin specialist a doctor. "Not all affordable skincare brand is poor - and not every high-end beauty item is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are really excellent," adds a podcast host, who hosts a show about famous people.

Numerous of the items modeled on high-end brands "disappear so fast, it's just insane," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor another professional argues alternatives are suitable to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Alternatives will be effective," he says. "They will handle the essentials to a acceptable standard."

Another skin doctor, advises you can cut costs when you're looking for simple-formula products like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a simple item then you're likely going to be fine in opting for a budget alternative or something which is very low cost because there's not much that can be problematic," she explains.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Packaging'

Yet the experts also advise shoppers check details and say that higher-priced items are sometimes worthy of the additional cost.

With high-end beauty products, you're not just paying for the name and advertising - often the increased price also stems from the components and their grade, the potency of the key component, the research used to produce the item, and studies into the products' performance, she says.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's worth thinking about how certain alternatives can be sold so at a low cost.

In some cases, she states they could contain bulking agents that don't have as many positive effects for the complexion, or the ingredients might not be as well sourced.

"One major uncertainty is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she asks.

Commentator McGlynn notes on occasion he's bought skincare items that appear comparable to a big-name label but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

"Do not be fooled by the packaging," he warned.

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Regarding advanced items or those with ingredients that can irritate the skin if they're not made properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she recommends using more specialised brands.

She says these typically have been subjected to costly trials to assess how efficacious they are.

Beauty products are required to be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, explains expert another professional.

When the brand states about the performance of the item, it needs research to verify it, "however the manufacturer does not necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead cite evidence completed by different companies, she adds.

Read the Ingredients List of the Pack

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

Ingredients on the label of the container are arranged by quantity. "Potential irritants that you need to look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up