🔗 Share this article Supermarket Skincare Dupes Can Save Shoppers a Bundle. Yet, Do Affordable Skincare Products Perform? Rachael Parnell Rachael says with some lookalikes she "can't tell the distinction". Upon hearing one shopper learned Aldi was selling a fresh beauty line that looked similar to products from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited". The shopper rushed to her local outlet to purchase the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 cost of the luxury brand 50ml product. Its streamlined blue container and gold lid of both items look strikingly alike. While Rachael has not tested the high-end cream, she says she's pleased by the product so far. She has been purchasing lookalike products from high street stores and supermarkets for years, and she's part of a trend. Over a fourth of UK shoppers state they've tried a skincare or makeup alternative. This increases to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, based on a February poll. Dupes are skincare products that mimic established labels and present budget-friendly alternatives to premium items. They often have alike branding and containers, but sometimes the components can differ significantly. Victoria Woollaston High-end vs affordable: One brand's 50ml face cream costs £240, while Aldi's recent Lacura face cream is £8.49. 'Costly Isn't Necessarily Better' Skincare specialists say some substitutes to high-end labels are decent quality and aid make beauty routines less expensive. "In my opinion more expensive is necessarily superior," comments skin specialist a doctor. "Not every low-budget product line is inferior - and not all luxury beauty item is the top." "Certain [dupes] are truly excellent," says Scott McGlynn, who hosts a podcast featuring celebrities. A lot of of the products modeled on luxury labels "disappear so fast, it's just crazy," he observes. Scott McGlynn Skincare expert Scott McGlynn says certain affordable products he has tried are "fantastic". Medical expert Ross Perry argues dupes are acceptable to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and face washes. "Alternatives will serve a purpose," he comments. "They will handle the basics to a reasonable standard." A consultant dermatologist, thinks you can save money when seeking single-ingredient items like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient. "If you're buying a simple item then you're probably going to be okay in using a budget alternative or something which is fairly inexpensive because there's minimal that can be problematic," she says. 'Do Not Be Swayed by the Packaging' But the experts also advise buyers check details and note that higher-priced items are sometimes worthy of the premium price. With luxury beauty products, you're not only funding the label and promotion - at times the higher price tag also is due to the components and their quality, the potency of the key component, the science used to develop the product, and tests into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo says. Skin therapist she says it's worth considering how certain alternatives can be priced so cheaply. Sometimes, she says they may contain less effective components that lack as numerous positive effects for the skin, or the components might not be as carefully selected. "One key uncertainty is 'How is it so low-priced?'" she remarks. Expert Scott notes in some cases he's bought beauty products that appear similar to a big-name brand but the item has "no connection to the premium version". "Do not be sold by the container," he added. SimpleImages/Getty Images The dermatologist recommends sticking to established labels for products with components like vitamin A or vitamin C. Regarding potent items or ones with ingredients that can aggravate the skin if they're not created correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, the specialist recommends selecting medical-grade labels. The expert explains these probably have been through comprehensive trials to determine how efficacious they are. Beauty products need to be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, explains expert Emma Wedgeworth. If the company makes claims about the efficacy of the product, it needs research to support it, "but the manufacturer does not necessarily have to do the trials" and can alternatively reference testing conducted by different companies, she says. Read the Label of the Pack Is there any components that could indicate a item is poor? Ingredients on the back of the bottle are arranged by quantity. "Ingredients to avoid that you should be wary of… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up