High-Street Skincare Dupes Could Save You Hundreds. However, Do Affordable Skincare Products Perform?
Rachael Parnell
When a consumer heard a discounter was launching a recent beauty line that appeared similar to offerings from high-end label Augustinus Bader, she was "extremely excited".
She dashed to her local store to purchase the Lacura face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a small portion of the £240 of the Augustinus Bader 50ml cream.
The smooth blue tube and gold lid of both items look strikingly alike. Although Rachael has not used the premium cream, she says she's satisfied by the product so far.
Rachael has been purchasing lookalike products from popular shops and supermarkets for a long time, and she's not alone.
More than a quarter of UK buyers say they've bought a beauty or cosmetic dupe. This rises to 44 percent among younger adults, according to a recent survey.
Dupes are skincare products that imitate well-known brands and present budget-friendly alternatives to luxury items. These products frequently have similar labels and design, but in some cases the ingredients can change substantially.
Victoria Woollaston
'High-Priced Isn't Always Superior'
Skincare specialists contend certain alternatives to high-end labels are decent quality and help make beauty routines cheaper.
"In my opinion higher-priced is always better," comments dermatology expert a doctor. "Not every budget beauty label is inferior - and not every high-end skincare product is the finest."
"Some [dupes] are really impressive," notes Scott McGlynn, who hosts a show about famous people.
Many of the products modeled on high-end labels "disappear so rapidly, it's just crazy," he remarks.
Scott McGlynn
Skin specialist a doctor believes alternatives are acceptable to use for "basic skincare" like hydrators and face washes.
"Alternatives will be effective," he comments. "These items will handle the basics to a reasonable level."
A consultant dermatologist, advises you can cut costs when seeking single-ingredient products like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a moisturizing ingredient.
"If you're purchasing a simple item then you're likely going to be alright in using a budget alternative or something which is fairly low cost because there's minimal that can cause issues," she says.
'Don't Be Swayed by the Container'
But the experts also advise shoppers investigate and note that costlier items are sometimes worth the premium price.
With premium beauty products, you're not just paying for the label and marketing - sometimes the higher price also stems from the ingredients and their quality, the concentration of the active ingredient, the research used to develop the product, and studies into the item's performance, Dr Belmo notes.
Skin therapist Rhian Truman suggests it's important considering how certain alternatives can be offered so inexpensively.
Sometimes, she states they may include less effective components that lack as many advantages for the complexion, or the components might not be as carefully selected.
"The major doubt is 'Why is it so low-priced?'" she says.
Podcast host Scott says sometimes he's purchased beauty products that look similar to a big-name label but the item has "little similarity to the premium version".
"Do not be convinced by the container," he added.
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Regarding advanced items or those with ingredients that can inflame the skin if they're not made correctly, such as retinoids or vitamin C, she suggests using more specialised companies.
She states these probably have been through costly trials to evaluate how successful they are.
Skincare products are required to be assessed before they can be sold in the UK, says expert another professional.
When the brand states about the effectiveness of the item, it requires research to verify it, "but the brand doesn't necessarily have to do the trials" and can alternatively use testing done by different companies, she adds.
Examine the Label of the Pack
Are there any ingredients that could indicate a item is low-quality?
Ingredients on the list of the container are ordered by quantity. "Ingredients to avoid that you want to avoid… is your petroleum-derived oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up
