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Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing a consumer learned Aldi was selling a new product collection that looked comparable to products from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She dashed to her closest shop to pick up the Lacura face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 price tag of the Augustinus Bader 50ml item.

The smooth blue tube and gold cap of both items look remarkably comparable. Although Rachael has not tested the premium cream, she claims she's pleased by the alternative so far.

Rachael has been using skincare dupes from popular shops and supermarkets for a long time, and she's in good company.

More than a quarter of UK buyers state they've bought a skincare or makeup dupe. This increases to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, based on a recently published poll.

Dupes are skincare products that mimic bigger name companies and present cost-effective alternatives to luxury products. They frequently have alike names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can vary substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Always Better'

Skincare experts argue many substitutes to luxury brands are good quality and aid make beauty routines cheaper.

"It is not true that costlier is always better," says consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not all budget product line is bad - and not every luxury beauty item is the best."

"Some [dupes] are truly amazing," notes a podcast host, who hosts a show featuring famous people.

A lot of of the products based on high-end labels "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor thinks dupes are fine to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and cleansers.

"Dupes will be effective," he comments. "They will do the basics to a satisfactory level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can save money when searching for simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a single-ingredient item then you're probably going to be okay in opting for a lookalike or a product which is quite inexpensive because there's minimal that can go wrong," she explains.

'Don't Be Sold by the Packaging'

But the experts also advise shoppers check details and state that costlier items are occasionally worth the additional cost.

Regarding luxury skincare, you're not just funding the name and advertising - at times the higher cost also stems from the components and their grade, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research used to develop the product, and tests into the products' effectiveness, she notes.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's important considering how some dupes can be sold so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she states they may contain bulking agents that don't have as many benefits for the complexion, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"One big question mark is 'Why is it so inexpensive?'" she asks.

Expert Scott admits in some cases he's purchased skincare items that appear similar to a big-name brand but the product itself has "no resemblance to the luxury product".

"Don't be convinced by the container," he warned.

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Regarding more complicated products or those with components that can aggravate the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C, the specialist recommends sticking to research-backed brands.

She says these will likely have been subjected to costly trials to assess how successful they are.

Beauty items need to be tested before they can be available in the UK, says consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

When the label makes claims about the performance of the product, it requires data to back it up, "however the brand doesn't always have to do the testing" and can alternatively cite testing completed by other firms, she adds.

Check the Label of the Bottle

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

Ingredients on the list of the container are arranged by concentration. "Potential irritants that you should be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up