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Rachael Parnell

When Rachael Parnell learned Aldi was offering a new beauty line that looked akin to items from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael rushed to her closest shop to purchase the Lacura face cream for a low price for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the high-end 50ml product.

Its smooth blue tube and gold lid of both items look remarkably similar. Although she has not tested the luxury cream, she states she's satisfied by the dupe so far.

She has been purchasing skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for some time, and she's not alone.

Over a quarter of UK buyers say they've tried a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This jumps to 44 percent among younger adults, according to a recent survey.

Dupes are beauty items that imitate well-known labels and offer budget-friendly substitutes to premium items. They frequently have alike labels and design, but sometimes the formulas can vary considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Always Better'

Skincare experts contend certain substitutes to high-end brands are decent quality and help make skincare more affordable.

"I don't think higher-priced is invariably more effective," comments consultant dermatologist a doctor. "Not all budget beauty label is poor - and not every high-end beauty item is the top."

"Some [dupes] are really impressive," adds Scott McGlynn, who hosts a podcast featuring famous people.

Many of the products inspired by luxury labels "run out so rapidly, it's just crazy," he observes.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor thinks alternatives are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.

"Dupes will be effective," he says. "These items will do the fundamentals to a reasonable degree."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can spend less when seeking single-ingredient items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

"When you're purchasing a single-ingredient product then you're likely going to be fine in opting for a budget alternative or something which is fairly inexpensive because there's minimal that can cause issues," she adds.

'Don't Be Sold by the Container'

However the professionals also suggest consumers check details and note that more expensive products are occasionally worth the premium price.

Regarding high-end beauty products, you're not only covering the name and promotion - at times the elevated price tag also stems from the components and their grade, the concentration of the key component, the science used to produce the product, and studies into the products' efficacy, she notes.

Facialist another professional suggests it's important questioning how certain alternatives can be priced so at a low cost.

Sometimes, she states they might include bulking agents that lack as numerous benefits for the skin, or the components might not be as high-quality.

"One major uncertainty is 'Why is it so cheap?'" she asks.

Commentator Scott says on occasion he's bought beauty products that look similar to a big-name brand but the item has "no resemblance to the premium version".

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

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For advanced items or those with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not created properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she suggests using research-backed brands.

She says these typically have been through costly trials to evaluate how effective they are.

Beauty products must be tested before they can be marketed in the UK, says consultant dermatologist another professional.

If the company makes claims about the efficacy of the product, it needs research to verify it, "however the manufacturer does not necessarily have to perform the trials" and can instead use testing completed by other companies, she clarifies.

Read the Ingredients List of the Pack

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

Ingredients on the label of the container are listed by quantity. "Potential irritants that you want to look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzel peroxide" being {high up