Grocery Store Skincare Dupes Could Save Shoppers a Bundle. Yet, Do Affordable Beauty Products Really Work?

Rachael Parnell

Upon hearing Rachael Parnell learned a supermarket was offering a fresh beauty line that looked akin to offerings from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".

The shopper hurried to her local store to pick up the supermarket face cream for under £9 for 50ml - a tiny percentage of the £240 of the luxury brand 50ml cream.

The sleek blue tube and gold cap of the two products look strikingly comparable. Although she has not tested the luxury cream, she states she's pleased by the dupe so far.

Rachael has been using beauty alternatives from mainstream retailers and supermarkets for years, and she's in good company.

Over a quarter of UK buyers state they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This rises to nearly half among millennials and Gen Z, according to a recently published poll.

Lookalikes are skincare products that mimic bigger name labels and provide affordable substitutes to high-end items. They typically have similar names and packaging, but in some cases the components can change considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'High-Priced Isn't Necessarily Better'

Beauty experts contend some substitutes to high-end labels are reasonable quality and aid make beauty routines less expensive.

"In my opinion more expensive is necessarily more effective," states consultant dermatologist Sharon Belmo. "Not all budget product line is inferior - and not every high-end beauty item is the best."

"Certain [dupes] are absolutely excellent," adds a skincare commentator, who presents a program featuring celebrities.

Numerous of the products based on high-end brands "run out so fast, it's just crazy," he remarks.

Scott McGlynn

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

"These products will do the job," he explains. "They will perform the basics to a reasonable level."

A consultant dermatologist, suggests you can spend less when you're looking for simple-formula items like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3 and squalane.

"If you're purchasing a single-ingredient item then you're likely going to be okay in opting for a dupe or a product which is fairly inexpensive because there's minimal that can be problematic," she adds.

'Do Not Be Influenced by the Box'

But the experts also advise buyers check details and note that more expensive products are at times worthy of the premium price.

With premium beauty products, you're not just covering the brand and marketing - at times the elevated price tag also stems from the formula and their standard, the concentration of the key component, the technology employed to create the product, and tests into the products' performance, Dr Belmo says.

Beauty expert she suggests it's important considering how certain dupes can be priced so cheaply.

Sometimes, she states they might contain less effective components that lack as many positive effects for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as well sourced.

"One big uncertainty is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she says.

Expert McGlynn notes sometimes he's purchased beauty products that appear comparable to a big-name label but the item has "no resemblance to the original".

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

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Regarding more complicated products or those with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not made correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, she suggests selecting research-backed companies.

The expert says these will likely have been through expensive tests to assess how successful they are.

Skincare products need to be evaluated before they can be available in the UK, notes skin doctor another professional.

If the company advertises about the effectiveness of the item, it requires research to back it up, "however the seller does not always have to conduct the trials" and can instead reference evidence conducted by different firms, she adds.

Read the Label of the Pack

Is there any components that could indicate a item is poor?

Components on the back of the container are ordered by quantity. "Potential irritants that you should be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, fragrance, benzoyl peroxide" being {high up