SKINCARE DUPES UK: THE BEST CHEAP SKINCARE ALTERNATIVES TO LA MER, ESTÉE LAUDER AND MORE
The skincare industry is worth roughly £2.6 billion. TWO POINT SIX BILLION. That’s an almost incomprehensible amount of money and it goes some way towards explaining why there are so many skincare brands, products, and ingredients. It’s overwhelming. Whereas makeup typically (but not always) comes in a little cheaper than skincare and is based more on colour theory, which makes it easier to mix and match palettes, foundations, and concealers, skincare is a more precise beast. You can’t just swap moisturisers in and out in the same way as makeup because you need to give them time to settle into your skin. Mixing up your skincare routine too frequently can cause flare-ups, skin purging, and more, not to mention the fact you could be throwing money down the drain.
The positive thing, though, is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the best results. In many cases, you can find a cheap skincare product that contains very similar ingredients to more expensive, luxury items. These are known as skincare dupes and we’re going to be listing the best cheap alternatives to luxury skincare on this page over the coming weeks and months.
We’ve previously done the same for the best makeup dupes in the UK – at the time of writing, you could save yourself more than £320 by swapping premium makeup for our as-good, cheaper versions.
mamabella tip: When comparing like-for-like with skincare dupes, take a look at the price per 100ml. Sometimes, premium brands sell skincare in bigger pots which makes it seem a lot more expensive, yet the price per 100ml may not be all that different.
Also bear in mind that sometimes cheaper skincare contains lower concentrations of ingredients, and can be thinner in consistency. This means that you may use more over a shorter period of time to get the same effect. If you’re having to buy two pots of the cheaper cream instead of one more expensive pot that lasts longer, it can be a false economy.
THE ICON: Possibly the most famous face moisturiser on Earth – and one that costs a pretty penny – is the La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturising Cream (from £230). The smallest pot (THE SMALLEST) costs £230 but if you buy the 500ml version, it will set you back £1,550. Nope, that’s not a typo. The reason it costs so much is that it uses the highest quality raw materials that give real results. The all-day moisturiser helps give your skin natural radiance, while the texture of the cream is lightweight while rich, making it perfect for all skin ages. Helping your skin feel hydrated, plump and not to mention it blurs fine lines. It’s like a little pot of magic.
THE DUPE: This was a tricky skincare dupe to find and while we haven’t found an exact like-for-like La Mer dupe, we’ve found an incredibly close second. The Liz Earle Skin Repair Rich Cream Jar (£23) offers remarkably similar quality raw materials, like Borage, Shea Butter, and Avocado Oil. The texture is a cooling gel that glides beautifully on the skin. It gives up to 72 hours of hydration, helps balance shine and oil on the skin too. This cream leaves a dewy look and a lovely natural glow to the skin.
THE ICON: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum (£140) is widely regarded as the best anti-ageing serum on the market. It shields the skin from ozone pollution, protects it from free radicals, and radiation. It gets its name from the fact it contains 15% of pure Vitamin C, 1% Vitamin E and 0.5% Ferulic Acid. Vitamin C is an absolute must-have when it comes to protecting your skin from the signs of ageing, and damage from the sun. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, while Ferulic acid helps nourish your skin. As you probably would have guessed, given the huge price tag, this serum takes itself very seriously but is effective from the first use.
THE DUPE: If you’re after an affordable (in fact, we’d go as far as to say cheap) skincare dupe for SkinCeuticals £140 serum, we highly recommend the Super C15 Serum (£7.49) from SkinPep. It contains the same concentration of key ingredients – 15% Vitamin C, 1% Vitamin E and 0.5% of Ferulic acid. It’s also alcohol-free, perfume-free and hypo-allergenic. It does come in small bottles (7ml) and each one costs £7.49. However, you can buy a bundle of four for the reduced price of £18.99, giving you only 2ml less than what’s in the SkinCeuticals version. You will have to pay tax (£1.50 per bottle), but shipping is free unless you want it delivered the next day. SkinPep’s C15 Serum has countless reviews from loyal fans across the web and we’re similarly hooked!
THE ICON: When Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay (£22.75) hit the skincare market, it sold out almost overnight, everywhere. It was near-on impossible to get hold of. This 4-in-1 face mask refines pores, clears skin, brightens the complexion, and draws out impurities and pollutants. Australian Pink Clay is a magnet for toxins and helps deeply cleanse the skin, using witch hazel to refine pores and soothe irritation. It is loved by oily, congested and pigmented skin types everywhere. Including us!
THE DUPE: We love that Revolution, one of the best cheap makeup brands around, has created a fantastic mask to match Sand & Sky’s pricey version. Just like the icon it’s replicating, the Revolution Skincare Pink Clay Detoxifying Face Mask (£7.95) draws out impurities from congested pores and absorbs oil on the skin to give a healthier-looking complexion. Revolution’s Pink Clay Mask also contains witch hazel to help moisturise and soothe problematic areas.
THE ICON: One of the most-loved and bestselling serums, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (£82) helps supercharge your skin at night while you sleep. This serum uses ingredients that combat signs of ageing. It has a rich consistency but absorbs quickly and if you’ve lost firmness to the skin, the formula will help lift sagging skin and reveal a healthier looking appearance. This serum helps blur fine lines and wrinkles, giving the skin a radiant complexion while leaving an even tone and texture to the skin. The price shown is for the 50ml version because that’s like-for-like on Missha’s serum, however, you can get a 30ml bottle for £60.
THE DUPE: Our Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair dupe is the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair (£28.90) Not heard of Missha before? It’s a Korean beauty brand that wants to help you discover healthy, flawless skin. This serum’s texture is just like the Advanced Night Repair and is packed with 10 probiotics of different functions that work together to improve the natural strength of your skin. It moisturises, improves wrinkles, and boosts elasticity. Korean skincare believes nature produces the best ingredients and each bottle of Time Revolution Night Repair are five energy components – purple carrots, plum cabbage, eggplant, beetroot, and blueberry. Purple rooted and leaf fruits are said to give the skin energy which will keep it healthy and smooth. Granted, this isn’t a super cheap dupe but you’ll be saving a significant amount versus buying the Estée Lauder version.
THE ICON: If you’re not familiar with Drunk Elephant, the skincare brand has made waves recently for fantastic formulas that do as they promise. One of its bestselling products is the B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (£40). Containing Vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid, this serum holds water to hydrate the skin, while also containing watermelon, lentil and apple extracts to reduce the appearance of fine lines. We love how this serum improves skin’s natural barrier to keep our skin looking healthy.
THE DUPE: Did you really think we’d have a whole skincare dupes article without mention of the absolute affordable OG, The Ordinary? The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (£5.90) is an oil-free formula that contains very similar baseline ingredients as Drunk Elephant’s serum, without the heft price tag. Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B5 boost moisture and keep the skin plump. Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra serum has been known to be slightly sticky but The Ordinary glides on with ease.
THE ICON: Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water (£15.80) was one of the first dermatological micellar water solutions that suited every skin type, even sensitive ones. This micellar water can be used on eyes, lips and to remove makeup, including waterproof mascara. It lifts impurities and dirt to leave skin feeling smooth and clean, and what love we love the most is that it keeps our skin’s natural balance.
THE DUPE: A great high-street brand – Garnier has multiple micellar water solutions but the one that most closely resembles the Bioderma version is the Micellar Water Facial Cleanser Sensitive Skin (£5.99). It removes makeup with ease, is gentle on the skin and leaves our face feeling fresh and free from impurities with a natural glow. Just like Bioderma Sensibio, Garnier’s micellar water is fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin.
