Supermarket Skincare Lookalikes Can Save Consumers a Bundle. Yet, Do Affordable Skincare Items Perform?

Rachael Parnell

When a consumer learned a supermarket was selling a new skincare range that looked similar to items from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

Rachael dashed to her local outlet to purchase the store-brand face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 cost of the high-end 50ml cream.

Its streamlined blue container and gold cap of both items look noticeably alike. While she has not tested the luxury cream, she claims she's impressed by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been buying skincare dupes from popular shops and supermarkets for years, and she's not alone.

Over a fourth of UK shoppers state they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic lookalike. This increases to 44 percent among millennials and Gen Z, based on a February study.

Alternatives are beauty items that imitate well-known companies and offer affordable alternatives to premium products. They typically have comparable names and packaging, but in some cases the ingredients can change substantially.

Victoria Woollaston

'Costly Is Not Always Superior'

Beauty professionals say some alternatives to luxury brands are good standard and help make skincare cheaper.

"In my opinion more expensive is always superior," comments skin specialist one expert. "Not all low-budget skincare brand is bad - and not every high-end beauty item is the finest."

"Some [dupes] are really excellent," says a skincare commentator, who runs a program about celebrities.

A lot of of the products modeled on high-end brands "run out so rapidly, it's just unbelievable," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert another professional argues dupes are fine to use for "simple routines" like moisturisers and cleansers.

"Dupes will serve a purpose," he comments. "These items will handle the essentials to a reasonable standard."

Another skin doctor, suggests you can spend less when seeking single-ingredient products like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and a moisturizing ingredient.

"When you're purchasing a single-ingredient item then you're likely going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or something which is quite affordable because there's not much that can be problematic," she explains.

'Don't Be Swayed by the Box'

But the experts also advise consumers do their research and say that costlier products are occasionally worth the premium price.

Regarding luxury skincare, you're not just paying for the name and marketing - sometimes the higher price also stems from the components and their quality, the strength of the key component, the research employed to produce the item, and trials into the products' performance, she explains.

Skin therapist she suggests it's worth questioning how some alternatives can be sold so cheaply.

Sometimes, she believes they could include bulking agents that don't have as many positive effects for the skin, or the materials might not be as high-quality.

"The big question mark is 'Why is it so cheap?'" she remarks.

Commentator Scott admits in some cases he's purchased beauty products that appear similar to a big-name label but the item has "no resemblance to the original".

"Don't be fooled by the packaging," he added.

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Regarding advanced items or those with components that can inflame the skin if they're not made accurately, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate suggests using research-backed labels.

She explains these typically have been subjected to costly tests to determine how successful they are.

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

When the company advertises about the effectiveness of the product, it must have data to verify it, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to do the testing" and can alternatively cite testing completed by other brands, she clarifies.

Check the Ingredients List of the Container

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

Components on the list of the bottle are arranged by amount. "Potential irritants that you should look out for… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up