Supermarket Skincare Lookalikes Can Save Shoppers a Fortune. Yet, Do Budget Skincare Items Really Work?

Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing Rachael Parnell found out a discounter was selling a recent product collection that appeared comparable to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She dashed to her closest store to purchase the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 price tag of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.

The smooth blue packaging and gold top of the two items look noticeably similar. While she has never tried the luxury cream, she says she's impressed by the alternative so far.

She has been buying lookalike products from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for some time, and she's in good company.

Over a quarter of UK shoppers say they've purchased a skincare or makeup lookalike. This rises to 44 percent among 18-34 year olds, based on a recently published poll.

Dupes are skincare products that mimic bigger name companies and provide budget-friendly alternatives to luxury items. These products often have comparable names and packaging, but sometimes the ingredients can change considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty professionals say many substitutes to premium brands are decent quality and aid make beauty routines more affordable.

"In my opinion costlier is invariably better," says consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not all low-budget skincare brand is poor - and not every high-end beauty item is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are truly amazing," says a skincare commentator, who presents a show with celebrities.

Numerous of the products modeled on high-end brands "disappear so quickly, it's just insane," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

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

"Alternatives will be effective," he explains. "These items will perform the fundamentals to a acceptable standard."

Ketaki Bhate, thinks you can save money when seeking simple-formula products like HA, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're buying a simple product then you're likely going to be okay in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is fairly affordable because there's not much that can cause issues," she adds.

'Don't Be Sold by the Packaging'

But the specialists also recommend buyers check details and note that more expensive items are sometimes worth the premium price.

With luxury skincare, you're not just paying for the brand and promotion - often the elevated cost also stems from the components and their grade, the strength of the effective element, the science employed to produce the item, and tests into the products' performance, she explains.

Facialist another professional says it's worth questioning how some alternatives can be sold so at a low cost.

Occasionally, she states they may contain less effective components that don't have as many advantages for the skin, or the materials might not be as well sourced.

"The big doubt is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she remarks.

Commentator McGlynn admits sometimes he's bought beauty products that appear similar to a well-known label but the actual formula has "no resemblance to the original".

"Don't be sold by the outer appearance," he warned.

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For advanced products or those with components that can aggravate the skin if they're not formulated correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she suggests sticking to medical-grade brands.

The expert states these will likely have been through comprehensive trials to evaluate how successful they are.

Skincare items need to be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, says expert Emma Wedgeworth.

When the brand states about the performance of the product, it must have evidence to support it, "but the seller doesn't necessarily have to perform the testing" and can instead reference evidence completed by other companies, she says.

Read the Back of the Bottle

Are there any components that could indicate a item is inferior?

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