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Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell heard a discounter was selling a recent skincare range that seemed similar to offerings from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".

She rushed to her nearest shop to pick up the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml product.

Its sleek blue tube and gold top of the two products look remarkably similar. Although Rachael has not used the luxury cream, she states she's impressed by the alternative so far.

Rachael has been purchasing beauty alternatives from high street stores and grocery stores for years, and she's not alone.

More than a fourth of UK shoppers report they've purchased a skincare or makeup alternative. This jumps to 44% among younger adults, based on a recently published poll.

Alternatives are skincare products that imitate well-known companies and offer cost-effective alternatives to luxury items. They typically have similar labels and design, but sometimes the components can vary substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Better'

Skincare experts argue certain substitutes to high-end brands are good standard and help make skincare less expensive.

"In my opinion more expensive is always more effective," comments dermatology expert a doctor. "Not every low-budget product line is bad - and not every luxury beauty item is the finest."

"Certain [dupes] are really excellent," adds a podcast host, who presents a program about public figures.

Many of the products inspired by high-end brands "disappear so rapidly, it's just insane," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert Ross Perry argues alternatives are fine to use for "simple routines" like hydrators and face washes.

"Alternatives will serve a purpose," he explains. "These items will do the basics to a reasonable standard."

A consultant dermatologist, thinks you can spend less when you're looking for simple-formula products like HA, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a simple item then you're likely going to be alright in using a lookalike or a product which is fairly affordable because there's minimal that can be problematic," she adds.

'Do Not Be Sold by the Box'

Yet the professionals also recommend shoppers investigate and say that costlier items are occasionally worth the additional cost.

Regarding high-end beauty products, you're not only paying for the brand and advertising - at times the higher cost also comes from the components and their standard, the concentration of the key component, the research employed to develop the product, and tests into the item's efficacy, she notes.

Skin therapist she says it's worth thinking about how certain alternatives can be priced so cheaply.

In some cases, she believes they may include less effective components that lack as numerous advantages for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as well sourced.

"One key doubt is 'How is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Commentator McGlynn admits on occasion he's bought beauty products that appear similar to a established brand but the product itself has "no connection to the luxury product".

"Don't be sold by the container," he added.

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Regarding advanced products or those with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not created properly, such as retinols or vitamin C, Dr Bhate advises sticking to medical-grade companies.

The expert explains these typically have been through expensive tests to determine how effective they are.

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

When the brand states about the efficacy of the item, it needs data to verify it, "but the seller doesn't always have to do the trials" and can instead reference testing done by other firms, she adds.

Examine the Ingredients List of the Container

Is there any ingredients that could indicate a product is poor?

Ingredients on the label of the container are ordered by amount. "Ingredients to avoid that you want to avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up