🔗 Share this article High-Street Skincare Dupes Might Save Shoppers Hundreds. But Do Economical Skincare Items Perform? Rachael Parnell She comments with a few lookalikes she "fails to see the difference". After discovering a consumer found out Aldi was launching a fresh skincare range that looked comparable to items from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited". The shopper rushed to her closest outlet to pick up the store-brand face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 cost of the Augustinus Bader 50ml product. Its smooth blue container and gold cap of each creams look strikingly similar. Although Rachael has not tested the premium cream, she states she's satisfied by the dupe so far. She has been buying lookalike products from popular shops and supermarkets for years, and she's not alone. Over a 25% of UK consumers state they've bought a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This jumps to nearly half among millennials and Gen Z, according to a recent poll. Lookalikes are skincare products that mimic bigger name companies and offer cost-effective alternatives to high-end products. They frequently have similar labels and design, but sometimes the ingredients can change considerably. Victoria Woollaston High-end vs affordable: One brand's 50ml face cream costs £240, while Aldi's new Lacura face cream is £8.49. 'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Better' Beauty experts argue many substitutes to premium brands are decent standard and aid make skincare cheaper. "It is not true that more expensive is always better," says dermatology expert a doctor. "Not every low-budget skincare brand is bad - and not all luxury skincare product is the best." "Some [dupes] are absolutely excellent," says a skincare commentator, who presents a podcast with famous people. Numerous of the items based on high-end brands "run out so fast, it's just insane," he says. Scott McGlynn Skincare expert Scott McGlynn says some affordable items he has tested are "great". Skin specialist a doctor thinks dupes are suitable to use for "simple routines" like hydrators and face washes. "Alternatives will serve a purpose," he explains. "They will do the basics to a satisfactory degree." Ketaki Bhate, advises you can cut costs when you're looking for simple-formula items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient. "When you're purchasing a simple product then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a lookalike or something which is very affordable because there's very little that can be problematic," she adds. 'Don't Be Sold by the Box' Yet the experts also recommend shoppers do their research and say that more expensive items are occasionally worth the premium price. Regarding high-end beauty products, you're not only covering the brand and marketing - sometimes the elevated price tag also stems from the formula and their quality, the potency of the key component, the science utilized to create the product, and studies into the products' performance, she notes. Facialist another professional says it's valuable considering how some alternatives can be offered so inexpensively. Occasionally, she believes they might have bulking agents that lack as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as well sourced. "One big doubt is 'Why is it so cheap?'" she asks. Expert Scott admits on occasion he's purchased beauty products that look comparable to a well-known label but the actual formula has "little similarity to the original". "Do not be convinced by the outer appearance," he cautioned. SimpleImages/Getty Images An expert recommends sticking to more specialised labels for products with components like retinol or ascorbic acid. Regarding advanced items or ones with ingredients that can inflame the complexion if they're not created properly, such as retinols or vitamin C, Dr Bhate recommends sticking to more specialised labels. She explains these typically have been through expensive studies to determine how successful they are. Beauty items are required to be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, explains expert Emma Wedgeworth. If the brand states about the efficacy of the item, it needs data to support it, "however the seller doesn't necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead cite evidence completed by different brands, she clarifies. Check the Back of the Container Is there any components that could suggest a item is low-quality? Components on the list of the bottle are listed by concentration. "Potential irritants that you should be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up