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Rachael Parnell

After discovering a consumer heard Aldi was offering a recent beauty line that seemed similar to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

She dashed to her closest shop to buy the Lacura face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 price tag of the high-end 50ml item.

Its streamlined blue packaging and gold top of the two products look strikingly alike. Although she has never tried the luxury cream, she states she's satisfied by the alternative so far.

She has been buying beauty alternatives from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for some time, and she's in good company.

More than a fourth of UK shoppers say they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This increases to nearly half among millennials and Gen Z, based on a recent poll.

Lookalikes are beauty items that imitate well-known companies and provide cost-effective options to premium items. They typically have comparable names and packaging, but occasionally the formulas can differ substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Isn't Always Better'

Beauty experts argue many alternatives to high-end labels are good quality and assist make beauty routines less expensive.

"In my opinion higher-priced is always more effective," states skin specialist Sharon Belmo. "Not all low-budget beauty label is inferior - and not every high-end skincare product is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are truly amazing," adds a skincare commentator, who presents a show featuring public figures.

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

Scott McGlynn

Aesthetic and dermatology doctor a doctor believes dupes are suitable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and cleansers.

"These products will serve a purpose," he comments. "These items will perform the essentials to a reasonable degree."

Another skin doctor, advises you can cut costs when seeking single-ingredient items like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.

"When you're buying a simple item then you're likely going to be alright in using a budget alternative or a product which is very affordable because there's not much that can cause issues," she says.

'Don't Be Sold by the Box'

However the specialists also suggest consumers do their research and say that costlier items are at times worth the extra money.

With luxury skincare, you're not just funding the name and advertising - often the increased price tag also stems from the components and their standard, the strength of the effective element, the science used to develop the product, and tests into the products' efficacy, Dr Belmo notes.

Beauty expert another professional argues it's worth questioning how some dupes can be sold so cheaply.

Occasionally, she believes they may include filler ingredients that don't have as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as high-quality.

"The big question mark is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she says.

Expert Scott admits in some cases he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a established label but the product itself has "little similarity to the original".

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

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Regarding potent items or ones with ingredients that can inflame the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she suggests sticking to research-backed labels.

The expert states these probably have been subjected to costly tests to assess how successful they are.

Skincare products are required to be evaluated before they can be sold in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.

If the label states about the efficacy of the product, it requires evidence to back it up, "but the seller doesn't necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead cite evidence done by different companies, she clarifies.

Read the Label of the Bottle

Is there any components that could signal a product is poor?

Ingredients on the back of the container are listed by amount. "Ingredients to avoid that you should look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up