By now you should be well aware of the amazing fakes that Aldi, the supermarket giant, produce. From Jo Malone-esque Eau de Toilette for £5.99 to shampoo looking suspiciously like Aussie for £1.99, the low-price supermarket is often producing new, cheap variations on well-known luxury brands. As a fan of Aldi since the start of my undergraduate degree (those crippling student loans demand budget food), I’ve often explored the specialbuy and beauty sections to find an affordable alternative to many of the home and skin brands I love. My recent hunt around the store landed me some very exciting new products that I thought I’d share with you.
Lacura Miracle Cream 50ml
This faux Elizabeth Arden Miracle Cream really is just that – miracle cream. I sometimes suffer from dry skin on my face and around my eyes and my boyfriend spotted this cream and suggested trying it. At £3.99, we figured it was worth a shot. It has quite a thick, vaseline-esque consistency thanks to its primary ingredient: petroleum jelly. It is definitely a moisture-intensive cream and I’ve seen suggestions online to not use it daily and instead alternate between this cream and a normal moisturiser.
It definitely helped with my dry skin and its slightly greasy texture ensures that skin remains hydrated. I did notice that excessive use resulted in drying out skin so, as aforementioned, be sure to add your regular moisturiser to keep your skin healthy and happy. With the original Elizabeth Arden version priced at £28, this Aldi edition is a steal.
Lacura Glow Exfoliating Tonic
If you’re a fan of the lovely skincare brand Pixi then you’ll love this fake Aldi version of their Glow Tonic! The packaging is instantly recognisable and the tonic itself is great for £3.99 and much more affordable than the Pixi equivalent (£18). Simply add the tonic onto a cotton pad and wipe face after cleansing. The directions suggest to only use it once a day so I would recommend adding it into your evening skincare routine to ensure soft, supple skin.
I’ve only used it a couple of times so far but it is great for adding some hydration to your skin. With aloe vera soothing, ginseng revitalising and energising and the glycolic acid exfoliating, your skin is well and truly balanced and cared for using this tonic.
Lacura Hot Cloth Cleanser
I passed this hot cloth cleanser and couldn’t resist giving it a go. The generous cleanser comes paired with a muslin cloth to help open your pores and soothe your skin. Massage a small amount of the product onto your face and lay the muslin cloth on top, soaked in warm water and wrung out. This opens your pores and lets the cleanser sink deep into your skin, with the eucalyptus oil, rosemary and chamomile exfoliating and calming you skin.
Again, at £3.99 the value of this product is amazing! It’s a nice way to relax and cleanse your face before your facemask or serum.
Lime, Basil & Mandarin Candle
This is a recurring favourite of mine and many other Aldi-lovers. Modelled on the insanely expensive Jo Malone candles (£47 for a small), these £3.99 copies are incredible and smell exactly like the real thing. They come in a small (£3.99) or large sizes (£9.99) and burn well and let off a delicate, lovely fragrance.
They make great gifts and look the part with the cream-coloured labels and elegant writing, but for less than £5 I can’t fault them at all. My sister and mum always ask for a candle whenever they know I’m heading to an Aldi store! Other options available are pomegranate, blackberry bay and peony blush.
Lime, Basil & Mandarin Reed Diffuser
Mirroring the Jo Malone fragrance of the candles, this reed diffuser has a slow-releasing smell and is great to place in your bathroom to infuse the air. At the recurringly magical price of £3.99 as opposed to the Jo Malone whopping £62, it is crazily cheap and comes with spare reeds so you can easily replace them and ensure the fragrance continuously slowly wafts throughout your home.
The diffusers, like the candles, also come in other fragrances: pomegranate, blackberry bay and peony blush.
I’ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled on the latest Aldi specialbuys and ‘fakes’ so keep an eye out.
The Girl In The Window 