I tested Aldi's 7 new beauty buys all for under £5 – a cult Charlotte Tilbury dupe is back but the blusher was my fave
While I love testing luxury launches, there's nothing more satisfying than finding a gem for less than a tenner.
This year, more budget products than ever before have impressed me by far out-performing their price tags.
When Rimmel Thrill Seeker Lip Ink Pen, £9.99, landed on my desk in January, I put it to one side while I continued working.
But to my surprise, a few days later I realised I'd reached for it before every meeting that week to look more polished, and the colour had stayed put all day.
It's not patchy or sticky, and the slimline nib means I can trace my lip line, then tilt the pen on its side to fill in the bulk of my lips.
Similary, I bought Maybelline Instant Anti Age Eraser Eye Concealer Color Corrector Pink, £9.99, on a whim with low expectations after a passport photo left me looking like I had two black eyes.
The original version is my favourite budget concealer – even though I hate the sponge applicator, the formula and coverage is unrivalled.
The light-pink hue is perfect for my blue-toned shadows and it applies smoothly.
The sponge (for all its unhygienic flaws) helps control how much product is applied so you don't overload the delicate under-eye area.
Plus, it layers well with my concealer, and makes my under-eyes look far less tired.
They're just a couple of the affordable beauty products to have made it into my regular rotation over the last six months, and I'm always on the hunt for more.
So, when I heard Aldi were launching not one, but seven new beauty dupe products this week - all under £5 - I had to put them to the test.
Here's how I got on...
LACURA LIP BALMS, £3.49
It only takes one look at these new balms to guess who Aldi used as inspo.
Drum roll please... it has to be Summer Fridays.
The tasty flavours are right out of the viral brands playbook - although Aldi's are £19.50 cheaper - and sure to be a hit with those who love sweet treats.
Having tried all three, the 90s brown Dulce De Leche variety is my favourite, because of the pout perfecting sheer tint it delivers.
On application, all three of the shades melted across my lips quickly, so didn't take any blending out, and felt buttery soft, with a gloss that isn't sticky or greasy.
Aldi promise the formula is packed with Shea Butter and Murumuru Seed Butter to deeply hydrate and soothe lips - although I found they wore off quickly, and left my lips feeling tight and dry.
LACURA SCULPTING BRONZING STICK, £4.49
When I first opener the Sculpting Bronzing sticks, I was worried.
There's very little variation between the two shades, and they're both very warm hued - bordering on orange.
On skin, they're very pigmented, and you have to work quickly to avoid them going patchy.
After some trial and error, I found using my fingers - rather than a brush or sponge - worked best, as the warmth helped melt the product into my skin.
I'm extremely pale, so they're both too dark for me, but if you aren't paper-white, you'll have better luck.
The formula layers well over foundation, and once it's set, it doesn't budge, which will be great for hot summer weather.
I swatched both sticks on the back of my arm to work out which shade I should apply to my face, and despite removing both within a couple of minutes, they left a stain that withstood a bath and a shower!
LACURA WATERMELON BRIGHTENING AND BRONZING SERUMS, £4.99 EACH
I'm a huge fan of Glow Recipe's Watermelon Serum, £32 - both the untinted and bronzing variety - so as soon as I saw the packaging of these serums I knew they were a dupe.
Niacinamide is one of my favourite skincare ingredients - thanks to it's ability to reduce inflammation and redness, balance oil control and soothe skin - and both brand's hero it in their formulations.
In fact, the first five ingredients are exactly the same across the two, so on paper you'd expect them to be similar.
Unfortunately, that's not the case.
The bronzing serum is extremely glittery, and very orange, giving me flash-backs to the Geordie Shore style fake tan of my teens.
Thankfully, the untinted version was much better.
It has a thick serum formula, that instantly cools the skin soothing any irritation.
I used it for a few days, and my skin felt softer and more plump - although it does have a strong watermelon scent, so that's something to note if you struggle with fragranced products.
LACURA SHIMMER HYDRATING FACIAL MIST, £4.49
When this landed on my desk, I immediately question when I'd ever have an occasion to wear it.
If you haven't already worked it out - I'm really not a fan of glittery products on my face.
My skin is oily enough as it is, and I don't think the vampire look is very in.
Formulated with antioxidant ingredients including Vitamin E, Chamomile, and Green Tea, the formula definitely leaves skin brighter and feeling refreshed.
It took a few minutes to dry down, during which time the glitter transferred to everything I touched.
I can't get past the school-disco levels of shimmer, but if that's your thing, you'll love the face mist!
LACURA BLUSH, £3.99
As far as I'm concerned, blush is the most underrated make-up product.
So many people worry about where to apply it, or going to far and looking like a clown - but get it right, and it's the quickest way to add life to your face and revive your complexion.
There's two shades of blush; coral - which has a peachy orange hue and candy, that's more pink in colour.
Again, they're both extremely glittery - I'd love to meet the Aldi boss who's obsessed with the stuff!
Supposedly, they're dupes of the iconic Nars Orgasm blusher - and while the packaging certainly looks similar, the OG formulas are not nearly as shimmery.
Thankfully, after a few uses the glitter isn't quite so prominent - in future, I'd scrape the top layer of product off to get rid of it rather than apply it to my face.
The blush has the perfect level of pigment, so you only need to dip your brush in once for enough pay off, but not too much that you risk over-doing it.
You'd be hard pressed to find a better blusher for the price.
LACURA LUMINOUS FILTER FOUNDATION, £4.99
Last time this was on shelves, shoppers went wild - calling it a dead ringer for Charlotte Tilbury's Hollywood Flawless Filter.
I'd not tried it before, so I had high hopes.
The product description claims it 'creates a flawless base and blurs imperfections' which sounds right up my street.
The consistency is thinner than I expected, so I have to wear foundation on top to get enough coverage - which means I then loose out on the glow.
As you can guess, it's also more sparkly than the £39 version, although I went in expecting as much so I wasn't too offended.
Having experimented with it a few times now, it works best if you mix it with your foundation, or use your fingers to apply to the high points of your face rather than as an all-over primer.
If you want a Flawless Filter dupe that's more like the real deal, I prefer E.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow, £15.
LACURA MICROBLADE EFFECT PEN, £3.49
Tiktok goes wild for micro-blade effect brow pens, but in all honesty, I've never quite understood the hype.
This one has three distinct tips, which do help to create hair like strokes, but the ink formula quickly spread into the fine lines and texture of my skin - so the definition quickly disappeared.
With this kind of formula, it's really hard to control the pigment load you apply to skin, so you can quickly end up with brows that're far too dark.
If you want to try the trend, £3.49 isn't too much of a risk, but be warned it'll take a lot of patience to get right!
Wine expert shares her view on Aldi's Whispering Angel dupe
WINE culturist Amelia Singer hails 'The Chassaux et Fils Rosé' as a "really savvy move from Aldi". Here, she gives Fabulous her verdict...
Sainte Victoire is my favourite part of Provence to find personality filled yet great value Rosé.
Thanks to the altitude of the Sainte Victoire hillsides, the grapes get exposed to plenty of sunshine during the day but their ripeness is moderated by cooler evening temperatures.
This enables the wine to brim with intense, complex fruit which is balanced by elegant acidity and herbal finesse.
I am delighted that Aldi are highlighting an actual area of Provence as quality and flavour profiles can vary greatly – however I always know with Rosé from Sainte Victoire that I will not be disappointed.
Amelia Singer's podcast, 'Ameliarate Through Wine', which pairs celebrities' personalities, core values, and careers with wine. Available on Apple & Spotify.
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