High-Street Skincare Lookalikes Could Save Consumers a Bundle. However, Do Affordable Skincare Products Really Work?
Rachael Parnell
After discovering Rachael Parnell heard a discounter was selling a fresh product collection that appeared comparable to items from luxury brand Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".
The shopper rushed to her nearest shop to purchase the supermarket face cream for a low price for 50ml - a small portion of the ÂŁ240 of the high-end 50ml item.
Its streamlined blue tube and gold cap of each items look remarkably alike. And though Rachael has not tested the luxury cream, she claims she's satisfied by the dupe so far.
Rachael has been purchasing skincare dupes from mainstream retailers and grocery stores for a long time, and she's not alone.
Over a quarter of UK consumers say they've bought a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This jumps to nearly half among 18-34 year olds, as per a February poll.
Dupes are skincare products that mimic well-known labels and provide cost-effective substitutes to premium products. These products frequently have alike branding and containers, but in some cases the formulas can vary significantly.
Victoria Woollaston
'High-Priced Is Not Necessarily Better'
Skincare professionals argue certain dupes to luxury labels are good quality and help make beauty routines less expensive.
"In my opinion costlier is always superior," comments dermatology expert a doctor. "Not every budget product line is poor - and not all high-end skincare product is the finest."
"A number of [dupes] are truly impressive," notes a podcast host, who hosts a program with public figures.
A lot of of the items inspired by high-end brands "run out so fast, it's just insane," he remarks.
Scott McGlynn
Skin specialist Ross Perry believes dupes are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like moisturisers and face washes.
"These products will serve a purpose," he explains. "These items will handle the basics to a reasonable degree."
Another skin doctor, advises you can spend less when you're looking for simple-formula 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 a product which is fairly affordable because there's minimal that can go wrong," she explains.
'Don't Be Sold by the Container'
However the specialists also advise shoppers check details and say that more expensive items are occasionally worthy of the additional cost.
With premium beauty products, you're not just paying for the label and marketing - at times the higher price tag also stems from the components and their quality, the concentration of the effective element, the research employed to produce the product, and trials into the products' effectiveness, Dr Belmo notes.
Beauty expert she suggests it's worth questioning how certain dupes can be sold so cheaply.
Occasionally, she says they may include bulking agents that do not provide as many advantages for the skin, or the components might not be as carefully selected.
"The big uncertainty is 'How is it so inexpensive?'" she remarks.
Expert Scott admits sometimes he's purchased skincare items that look similar to a established label but the item has "no resemblance to the luxury product".
"Don't be fooled by the container," he added.
SimpleImages/Getty Images
Regarding more complicated items or those with ingredients that can inflame the complexion if they're not formulated properly, such as retinoids or vitamin C serums, Dr Bhate suggests selecting research-backed companies.
The expert explains these will likely have been through expensive trials to determine how effective they are.
Beauty items must be assessed before they can be marketed in the UK, notes consultant dermatologist Emma Wedgeworth.
When the label makes claims about the performance of the item, it needs evidence to back it up, "however the brand doesn't always have to perform the testing" and can instead cite testing completed by other companies, she says.
Read the Label of the Bottle
Are there any ingredients that could signal a product is poor?
Ingredients on the back of the bottle are listed by amount. "Ingredients to avoid that you should look out for… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up
