High-Street Beauty Dupes Could Save You Hundreds. However, Do Affordable Beauty Products Actually Work?
Rachael Parnell
After discovering Rachael Parnell heard a discounter was launching a fresh beauty line that appeared akin to items from premium company Augustinus Bader, she was "incredibly excited".
The shopper dashed to her nearest outlet to pick up the Lacura face cream for £8.49 for 50ml - a fraction of the £240 cost of the luxury brand 50ml product.
The sleek blue container and gold lid of the two products look remarkably comparable. While she has not tested the luxury cream, she claims she's satisfied by the dupe so far.
She has been buying lookalike products from high street stores and supermarkets for some time, and she's not alone.
Over a quarter of UK shoppers state they've purchased a skincare or makeup dupe. This rises to 44% among younger adults, based on a February poll.
Lookalikes are skincare products that mimic well-known companies and offer affordable options to premium products. They often have similar branding and containers, but occasionally the formulas can differ significantly.
Victoria Woollaston
'High-Priced Isn't Necessarily Better'
Skincare experts argue many alternatives to luxury labels are good quality and aid make beauty routines less expensive.
"I don't think more expensive is necessarily better," comments consultant dermatologist one expert. "Not all low-budget product line is inferior - and not all luxury beauty item is the best."
"Certain [dupes] are truly amazing," adds Scott McGlynn, who hosts a show about famous people.
A lot of of the products inspired by luxury brands "disappear so quickly, it's just unbelievable," he observes.
Scott McGlynn
Skin specialist another professional believes alternatives are fine to use for "fundamental products" like hydrators and cleansers.
"Alternatives will be effective," he comments. "These items will do the basics to a reasonable degree."
A consultant dermatologist, advises you can spend less when seeking single-ingredient products like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane.
"If you're buying a single-ingredient item then you're probably going to be alright in opting for a budget alternative or a product which is fairly inexpensive because there's not much that can be problematic," she says.
'Don't Be Swayed by the Packaging'
However the professionals also suggest shoppers do their research and note that costlier products are at times worth the additional cost.
Regarding high-end skincare, you're not just covering the name and promotion - often the elevated cost also is due to the ingredients and their grade, the concentration of the effective element, the research utilized to create the item, and trials into the item's effectiveness, the expert explains.
Skin therapist she suggests it's worth considering how some alternatives can be priced so at a low cost.
Sometimes, she believes they could contain bulking agents that lack as numerous benefits for the skin, or the ingredients might not be as well sourced.
"The big doubt is 'Why is it so inexpensive?'" she remarks.
Expert McGlynn says on occasion he's bought skincare items that look comparable to a big-name brand but the item has "no resemblance to the original".
"Do not be fooled by the container," he warned.
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For potent products or ones with ingredients that can irritate the complexion if they're not made correctly, such as retinols or vitamin C serums, she recommends using medical-grade labels.
She explains these typically have been through comprehensive studies to assess how successful they are.
Beauty products are required to be tested before they can be sold in the UK, says consultant dermatologist another professional.
When the label makes claims about the efficacy of the item, it must have data to support it, "however the brand does not necessarily have to conduct the trials" and can instead reference evidence conducted by other firms, she adds.
Examine the Ingredients List of the Bottle
Are there any components that could signal a product is poor?
Ingredients on the back of the tube are arranged by amount. "The baddies that you should be wary of… is your petroleum-derived oil, your SLS, parfum, benzel peroxide" being {high up
