But why are some products so much cheaper than others? Product prices are dictated by things like quality of ingredients, packaging supply chains, research and development, and marketing costs. But by reducing marketing budgets, keeping packaging minimal, and utilising ingredients that are already tried, tested, and proven to work, brands can keep costs low and pass on the savings to you. “Some brands can also afford to sell their products at lower prices simply because they can afford to produce a large amount of stock,” says esthetician and skin expert Katie Onyejekwe. “It’s always worth remembering that brands can position themselves as luxury and charge a fortune for what is a basic formula housed in fancy packaging with a large marketing budget, but it all comes down to formula at the end of the day.”
With a little research, you’ll find that there are plenty of affordable options out there, many of which have similar textures, functions, or formulas which make them affordable alternatives to more expensive serums. Scroll down to discover 15 budget serum dupes that are seriously on par with their more expensive counterparts.