Grocery Store Skincare Dupes Can Save Shoppers Hundreds. But Do Budget Beauty Products Actually Work?

Rachael Parnell

After discovering Rachael Parnell found out a discounter was offering a recent skincare range that seemed similar to products from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "super excited".

She dashed to her closest store to buy the supermarket face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 of the luxury brand 50ml item.

The sleek blue packaging and gold cap of the two products look remarkably alike. And though Rachael has not used the high-end cream, she says she's pleased by the alternative so far.

Rachael has been purchasing lookalike products from popular shops and grocery stores for a long time, and she's not alone.

Over a quarter of UK shoppers say they've purchased a beauty or cosmetic alternative. This jumps to 44% among millennials and Gen Z, based on a recent poll.

Lookalikes are skincare products that imitate established labels and offer budget-friendly substitutes to luxury items. They frequently have alike names and packaging, but occasionally the formulas can differ considerably.

Victoria Woollaston

'Expensive Is Not Necessarily Better'

Beauty specialists say some dupes to luxury labels are good quality and aid make skincare more affordable.

"I don't think more expensive is necessarily more effective," states dermatology expert a doctor. "Not all low-budget beauty label is inferior - and not all high-end beauty item is the best."

"A number of [dupes] are really excellent," says a podcast host, who hosts a program featuring public figures.

A lot of of the products based on high-end labels "run out so quickly, it's just insane," he says.

Scott McGlynn

Medical expert a doctor argues dupes are fine to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and face washes.

"These products will do the job," he comments. "They will handle the essentials to a satisfactory degree."

A consultant dermatologist, advises you can save money when searching for simple-formula products like HA, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.

"If you're buying a simple product then you're probably going to be fine in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is fairly low cost because there's very little that can go wrong," she explains.

'Don't Be Sold by the Packaging'

However the experts also advise buyers do their research and note that more expensive products are sometimes worth the extra money.

Regarding luxury skincare, you're not only covering the name and advertising - sometimes the higher price tag also stems from the components and their quality, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research employed to develop the item, and trials into the item's efficacy, she notes.

Facialist Rhian Truman suggests it's valuable thinking about how some dupes can be sold so at a low cost.

Occasionally, she states they may include bulking agents that lack as numerous benefits for the complexion, or the components might not be as well sourced.

"One key uncertainty is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she asks.

Commentator Scott notes on occasion he's bought beauty products that look comparable to a big-name label but the product itself has "no resemblance to the premium version".

"Do not be fooled by the container," he cautioned.

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Regarding advanced items or those with components that can inflame the complexion if they're not created accurately, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she advises selecting medical-grade labels.

She explains these will likely have been through costly trials to assess how efficacious they are.

Beauty products are required to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, explains skin doctor another professional.

If the brand states about the efficacy of the item, it requires data to verify it, "however the manufacturer does not always have to perform the testing" and can instead use studies done by different firms, she clarifies.

Check the Back of the Container

Are there any components that could signal a product is poor?

Components on the back of the bottle are arranged by amount. "The baddies that you should look out for… is your mineral oil, your SLS, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up