Mistakes to avoid when shopping for a product dupe

The University of Cincinnati’s Kelly Dobos was featured in an AARP article discussing ways to determine if “dupe” cosmetic products really are comparable to the more expensive name brand.

One of the easiest ways to determine the quality of a cosmetics dupe is to look at the label for the legally required information about the company and its manufacturing, packaging and/or distribution facilities.

"If not, that’s a sign the product isn’t manufactured by a legitimate, responsible brand that is following the regulations," Dobos, a cosmetic chemist and adjunct instructor in UC's Cosmetic Science Program in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, told AARP.

Additionally, ingredients lists can help you compare if the active ingredients are similar or the same to those found in the brand name product. However, just because an ingredient is present does not mean it is in the same formulation or concentration, so efficacy may vary.

Read the AARP article.

Featured photo at top of a woman washing her face. Photo/Extreme Photographer/iStock.