The champion of beauty dupes has once again launched a product that could save shoppers on their skincare essentials.
Budget retailer Aldi appears to have created a copy of a cult skincare classic - but for £37 cheaper than the original.
In its deep blue bottle, the £4.99 Lacura Overnight Repair Concentrate might be mistaken for the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate , which is £42 for the same sized 30ml bottle.
The promising dupe claims to be ‘perfect for dry skin’, working overnight whilst you catch up on your beauty sleep.
Aldi added: “Curated with a concentrate of essential oils and botanicals, this oil helps reduce fine lines and regenerates skin.”
Both facial oils contain botanicals that aim to ‘repair’ or ‘replenish’ skin overnight - but would £37 be the difference between a product working, and a gimmick?
Luckily, I had a small sample of Kiehl’s iconic elixir - which launched in 2010 - in my skincare cupboard, meaning I could compare it to it’s under-£5 alternative from Aldi.
Both bottles have a pipette dispenser, which can be used to dispense two to three drops of the oil onto the fingertips. Less is more with this elixir, and a little really does go a long way.
While Aldi’s version does contain rosehip, jojoba, hemp and chia oils, it also contains the lavender essential oil that gives it that Kiehl’s fragrance. That said, the smell of the Lacura product is a lot stronger than that of Kiehl’s, which some beauty buffs may find overpowering.
Personally, I like the smell of both, with Kiehl’s offering a subtle soothing scent, but Aldi’s intense fragrance perhaps feels more spa like.
I applied two drops of Kiehl’s to one half of my face, and two drops of the Aldi dupe to the other, and noticed that the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery was more absorbent, whilst the Lacura Overnight Repair oil was more watery and greasy, sliding around the face and took a while to sink in.
As I went to bed, both products had been massaged into my skin, and honestly, there wasn’t much in them by this point, but the relaxing fragrance of Aldi’s £5 oil still lingered as I fell into my slumber.
Now don’t get me wrong, when I woke up the next morning, it wasn’t some miracle where my tired under eye bags had vanished and I looked like I was back when I was a fresh-faced 18-year-old. But, my skin did feel very smooth, looked even in colour, and generally felt quite healthy.
Reviews on the Aldi site seem to agree too, with one shopper writing: “Picked this up as it seemed incredibly similar to Kiehl’s and safe to say it’s amazing! My skin is so hydrated and I’ve had less breakouts. Have stocked up to ensure I don’t run out. Please make this a permanent line!”
Another added: “This is unreal you need to buy and multi buy at that! I own another £38 rival and this is as good if not better on my skin. I constantly get comments on my skin's health and it’s from popping this over my night cream. So glad it’s returned.”
I do love the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate , however, the Lacura version is great if you’re on a budget, or wanted to try out the product before committing £42 for the big name brand.
