10 best Aldi beauty and make-up buys that rival Charlotte Tilbury, Sol De Janeiro and more

From a bargain lip oil to an alternative to Paula’s Choice’s liquid exfoliator, here’s what to basket during your next weekly shop

These premium-inspired formulas start from just £2.99 (The Independent)

Much-loved for its cheap groceries and designer-worthy garden furniture, Aldi has also made quite the name for itself in the beauty world, thanks to budget alternatives to premium products.

Proving time after time that quality doesn’t have to come with an expensive price tag, Aldi offers beauty buys that are affordable alternatives to brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Ole Henrikson, Tom Ford, Drunk Elephant, Laura Mercier, Clinique and Bobbi Brown, to name a few.

Whether it’s alternatives to Olaplex and Sisley or a cleanser à la Emma Hardie, the supermarket’s premium-quality formulas come beauty-editor-approved and span make-up, skincare and perfume.

Hailing from its famed Specialbuys section and Lacura range, the bargain formulas almost always sell out – and more often than not resell on Ebay for three times the price. As of this month, you’ll only find Aldi’s viral products in store rather than online, with new batches relaunched throughout the year.

How we tested

To help you decide what to buy on your next weekly shop, we’ve pitted Aldi’s formulas against their pricier counterparts – testing both new launches and old favourites. Considering price, the formula, packaging and quality, we’ve rounded up Aldi’s best SPF moisturisers, concealers, primers, eye bases and more.

From a £2.99 Charlotte Tilbury-esque lip oil to a £4.99 alternative to Paula’s Choice’s cult liquid exfoliator, these are the budget Aldi beauty buys worth adding to your basket.

The best Aldi beauty alternatives for 2023 are:

• Best budget liquid exfoliator – Aldi lacura 2% BHA toner: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk
• Best hot cloth cleanser – Lacura original hot cloth cleaner: £1.99, Aldi.co.uk
• Best Charlotte Tilbury alternative – Aldi Lacura collagen lip oil: £2.99, Aldi.co.uk
• Best make-up primer – Aldi vitabase face primer: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk
• Best for dewy summer skin – Aldi Lacura CC serum: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk
• Best budget SPF moisturiser – Aldi Lacura hydrating tinted moisturiser, SPF 30: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

Aldi Lacura booty balm: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Bum and leg cream
• Rating: 3.5/5
• Budget alternative to: Sol De Janeiro Brazilian bum bum cream: £36.90, Amazon.co.uk

Sol De Janeiro’s bum bum cream is a staple of summer skincare regimes (ours included) – so, Aldi’s £4.99 has stiff competition. Including the same three hero ingredients (coconut oil, guarana extract and cupuaca butter), it works to smooth, tone and moisturiser skin.

We all know and love Sol De Janeiro’s signature scent, and Aldi’s cream provides a similar caramel fragrance, though it’s a little sharper and on the fruity side. As for the texture, both formulas have a similarly creamy and soft formula, but Sol De Janeiro’s glides onto skin slightly easier than Aldi’s thicker formula. The Brazilian bum bum cream will always come out on top in our eyes, but Aldi’s alternative is a more than worthy bargain option.

Buy in store now

Aldi Lacura 2% BHA toner: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Budget liquid exfoliator
• Rating: 5/5
• Budget alternative to: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid exfoliant (£29.99, Amazon.co.uk)

It’s not only the packaging of Aldi’s toner that bears a striking resemblance to Paula’s Choice’s viral liquid exfoliant, we can confirm the formula does too. Both contain the hero ingredient salicylic acid which works to reduce blackheads, blemishes and redness while smoothing the skin. Completing the trio, there’s also green tea extract and methylpropanediol for a clearer complexion. Aldi’s £30-cheaper formula boasts the same watery and lightweight consistency (though it’s fragrance-free, unlike Paula’s Choice’s vinegar-esque scent) and glides across your face and neck easily with a cotton pad.

We’ve sworn by Paula’s Choice’s exfoliator for months now – but after switching to Aldi’s for a week, our skin looks just as bright, smooth and clear as it does with the more expensive formula. And at 85 per cent cheaper, we’ll definitely be stocking up in the future.

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Aldi luminous lip oil: £3.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Tinted lip oil
• Rating: 4/5
• Budget alternative to: Dior’s addict lip glow oil (£28, Boots.com)

Aldi’s bargain lip oil promisies to nourish and moisturise lips, thanks to its antioxidant-heavy formula. Enriched with vitamin E, it does what it says on the tin and left our lips soft, smooth and shiny. Available in clear or cherry, the latter adds a healthy, pink sheen to your pucker while the former is great for layering over matte lipsticks.

We found there was a slight tingling sensation at first, which had a subtly plumping effect – another plus. The similarities to Dior’s product don’t end there, with Aldi’s budget alternative boasting the same understated mint scent and luxe-looking packaging. All in all, it’s a great bargain buy for perfecting your pout.

Buy in store now

Lacura original hot cloth cleaner: £1.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Hot cloth cleanser
• Rating: 4 /5
• Budget alternative to: Liz Earle cleanse and polish cleanser (£19.99, Amazon.co.uk)

Aldi’s hot cloth cleanser has been a mainstay in the Lacura range for the last couple of years. A fan favourite, it costs just £1.99 compared to Liz Earle’s similar £19.50 product. The creamy formula contains rosemary, camomile, white tea, cocoa butter and eucalyptus oil and is designed to be applied to the face, massaged in and removed with the muslin cloth. Removing make-up while gently exfoliating thanks to the cloth, it’s a great multitasker that offers the same cleansing benefits as Liz Earle’s dearer product.

Buy now

Aldi Lacura collagen lip oil: £2.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Charlotte Tilbury alternative
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Budget alternative to: Charlotte Tilbury magic lip oil (£28, Johnlewis.com)

While Charlotte Tilbury’s lip oil will set you back £28, you can nab Aldi’s budget alternative for just £2.99. As well as similar packaging and size, both products have a roller ball applicator for ease of use and boast a gloss, oil and balm hybrid formula. Thanks to vitamin E, shea butter and collagen, our lips felt instantly nourished and hydrated, with easy application owing to the roller ball.

The transparent formula serves as a great lipstick topper, giving a glossy finish to matte lips. Unlike many glosses, it doesn’t leave any greasy residue and absorbs quickly. While the hydration doesn’t last as long as Charlotte Tilbury’s pricier product, Aldi’s lip oil is a stellar alternative at a fraction of the price.

Buy in store now

Aldi Lacura vitabase eye primer: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Eye primer
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Budget alternative to: Bobbi Brown enriched eye base primer (£37, Lookfantastic.com)

Costing just £4.99, Aldi’s vitamin eye primer is nearly 90 per cent cheaper than Bobbi Brown’s cult enriched eye base. The thick formula contains vitamin B, shea butter and hyaluronate (the three hero ingredients also found in Bobbi Brown’s product), with the product working to rejuvenate tired eyes while providing a solid base for smooth make-up application.

Impressively fast absorbing, it had a cooling and softening effect on our under-eye area and concealer glided on easily over the top. Simultaneously plumping and hydrating, the grapefruit scent is pleasingly subtle and a little went a long way.

Buy in store now

Aldi vitabase face primer: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Make-up primer
• Rating: 5/5
• Budget alternative to: Bobbi Brown vitamin enriched face base (£45, Amazon.co.uk)

Aldi’s £4.99 version of Bobbi Brown’s signature vitamin base primer sold out instantly after launching last year. Now, it’s back in store – and it’s left us very impressed. Boasting the same thick but fast-absorbing texture as Bobbi Brown’s product, the formula has a subtle zesty scent and a roster of hydrating ingredients.

From vitamin C and B to shea butter, sodium hyaluronate and geranium oil, it shares many of the hero components found in Bobbi Brown’s face base and comes in a similarly sleek glass pot. Foundation glides on smoothly over the top and our skin enjoyed a radiant sheen after use that lasted throughout the day. Top marks all round.

Buy in store now

Aldi Lacura CC serum: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: For dewy summer skin
• Rating: 4 /5
• Budget alternative to: By Terry brightening CC serum (£61, Byterry.com)

Designed to even out your skin tone before applying make-up, Aldi’s CC serum is more than 90 per cent cheaper than its premium equivalent, By Terry’s brightening CC serum. Formulated with natural ingredients including rose extract and sunflower oil, it’s not only colour correcting but ultra hydrating.

The lightweight formula sits well under make-up and helps create a glazed, dewy look (à la Hailey Bieber) that’s perfect for summer. Giving luminosity to skin without looking too greasy, it comes in a natural tint or peach tone for a more radiant effect. Our only gripe is that it’s a little sticky, but this is a minor complaint considering the price.

Buy in store now

Aldi Lacura hydrating tinted moisturiser, SPF 30: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: BudgetSPF moisturiser
• Rating: 5/5
• Budget alternative to: Hourglass illusion hyaluronic skin tint (£55, Spacenk.com)

Costing £50 less than Hourglass’s hugely popular skin tint, Aldi’s hydrating tinted moisturser is one of Lacura’s most lauded products. Back in stores in time for summer, the hydrating formula is complete with all-important SPF 30 protection to shield you from UV rays.

Coming in six shades, each one gives skin a subtle sun-kissed tint. We tried shade two and three, with the latter providing just the right amount of colour for a healthy glow. Super hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid, we found the lightweight product offered enough coverage to forgo foundation. Perfect for a “no make-up” look this summer, it’s well worth stocking up on ahead of your next holiday.

Buy in store now

Aldi Lacura brightening concealer: £3.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Best: Brightening concealer
• Rating: 3.5/5
• Budget alternative to: Clinique even better all-over concealer and eraser (£25, Amazon.co.uk)

Concealers can be tricky to get right – but Aldi has packed a lot of benefits into an under-£5 product. Dubbed a copy for Clinique’s all over concealer and eraser, the formula is designed to brighten the under eye area and hide dark circles.

Though we found the formula didn’t blend quite as easily as more premium products, Aldi’s concealer did exceptionally well at brightening, masking under-eye bags and softening skin. Plus, it’s infused with caffeine to invigorate dull skin. Coming in six shades, it’s a bargain quick-fix for tired eyes.

Buy now in store

The verdict: Aldi beauty buys

Aldi’s Lacura BHA 2% toner is a more than worthy alternative to Paula’s Choice’s liquid exfoliant – and will set you back just £4.99. The supermarket’s budget lip oil was equally impressive thanks to its hydrating, nourishing and glossy formula, saving you more than £25 compared to Charlotte Tilbury’s version.

If you’re in the market for an SPF moisturiser that doesn’t blow the bank, Aldi’s tinted SPF 30 product is a summer must-have while its face and eye primer give Bobbi Brown’s cult product a serious run for their money.

Looking for more bargains? We’ve rounded up the best beauty buys for less than £20