Aldi Fragrances - dupes?

I absolutely love my fragrances and when it comes to Aldi, they do have an entire fragrance catalogue, which you might or might not have come across.  I make no secret of my love for the Aldi Lacura range, if you have never tried it, there are some absolute delights to find, the latest being the Warming Eye Masks.  However, today I am sharing some of the latest fragrances to launch and they might just surprise you.

The latest two fragrances to launch within the Aldi range is Lacura Lady Pour Femme EDP and Lacura Atom EDPP both 100ml and both priced at just £5.99.  At this stage you might be wondering where Aldi got their inspiration from for these fragrances! Well keep on reading to find out!

Lacura Lady Pour Femme Eau de Parfum is described as being a sensual scent which boasts dark notes of sandalwood and tonka bean to compliment the notes of orange blossom and Bularian rose.  So have you guessed what it might be a dupe for? The answer is Carolina Herrera Good Girl.

So where do the similarities start and end?  For anyone who is a fan of Good Girl, of which I am as you can see here, the bottle is perhaps one of the most iconic of its kind. That stiletto heel is attention grabbing, it looks stunning and is like nothing else I have ever owned. Aldi have not copied that design, instead their bottle happens to be a deep blue with a gold lid, so you could say the colour design compliments the stiletto but that's all.  

When it comes to the fragrance, they are incredibly similar, from Caroline Herrera, you have a scent which is fresh, rich, it is bold and incredibly beautiful with the citrusy floral aroma and in contrast, you get pretty much that very same scent with Lady Pour Femme from Lacura, only the sillage isn't as good and the opening notes are not as fresh.  However, at £5.99 for 100ml versus £98 for 80ml, it is worth looking out for in store.

The second fragrance is Atom and it is described as being carefully formulated with Iso E Super to create a warm fragrance that is designed to adapt to each person who wears it. So have you guessed what it might be a dupe for? The answer is Escentric Molecules - Molecule 01, which happens to also be one of my all time favourite fragrances.

It isn't easy to describe Escentric Molecules 01 as a fragrance to anyone but it is best described as being a Woody Floral Musk fragrance for women and men. Created by the incredible Geza Schoen to take the fragrance industry and give it a shake to create something completely different. Molecules 01 is designed to blend with the wearer’s natural pheromones and create a scent which is unique to each person that applies it, so much so, you might not be able to smell it on yourself. Whenever I wear this fragrance, I am always asked multiple times what I am wearing, much more so than any other fragrance I own.

From Aldi with Atom, there are no similarities when it comes to the bottle design, firstly it is much more rounded whereas as Escentric Molecules is square and whilst both are 100ml, you pay £5.99 with Aldi and £72 with ES.  However, there is for me a difference in the fragrances, they are similar on the first spritz (I am using the example of spraying them on the hubby) but when drying down, Atom carried the woody amber scent much stronger and again the silage isn't as good.  However, if you have always wondered about Escentric Molecules 01 and wanted to know what all the fuss is about, Atom isn't one to turn your nose up at, but it definitely doesn't beat the original.

Both of these fragrances can be found within the Aldi Health and Beauty range and as with many Aldi Lacura products, they come in and out of stock all the time, so worth keeping an eye out for.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Cult Beauty - The Cult Conscious Edit

Cult Beauty is back with another beauty box, having not too long ago launched The Sunshine Edit, the Conscious Edit is described as being dedicated to unearthing the best that beauty has to offer and better still, it is priced at just £30.

The Cult Conscious Edit is said to be worth over £155/€185 but will be on sale for just £30/€34.50 and as is tradition with these boxes, Cult Beauty states that it is a saving of 80%. 

Dedicated to unearthing the BEST that the beauty world has to offer, we unite proven products from established brands and unsung and up-and-coming companies under one online ‘roof’. And because elevating your beauty ritual is our ultimate mission, we're always curating selections of beauty finds that are destined to delight and thrill. Next in line: The Cult Conscious Edit. Powered by Provenance (read: a software solution that uses blockchain technology to log impact claims), Cult Conscious rejects greenwashing by cutting through the industry 'noise' and equipping you with evidenced facts that matter. This carefully curated edit shines a spotlight on nine Cult Conscious heroes with Proof Points — from vegan to recyclable packaging — that make them all the more covetable...

Hand-picked by the expert Buying team at Cult Beauty, you will find an edit which features five full sizes, one deluxe and three travel-sized beauty finds.

Contents

• a travel-sized Coco & Eve Bali Buffing Sugar in ‘Lychee & Dragonfruit’ (60ml); 
• a full-sized Decree SOS Revitalising Mask (1 x sheet mask); 
• a deluxe Alpha-H Generation Glow Resurfacing Essence (30ml); 
• a full-sized Larry King Hair Care Good Life Shampoo Refill (180ml); 
• a full-sized La Bouche Rouge Mascara Le Serum Noir (6g); 
• a travel-sized Fable & Mane HoliRoots Pre-Wash Hair Oil (14ml); 
• a travel-sized Pai Skincare Rosehip Bioregenerate, Rosehip Seed and Fruit Universal Face Oil (10ml); 
• a full-sized Honest Beauty Gentle Gel Cleanser (150ml) 
• a full-sized Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (30ml) from The Ordinary. 

Plus, added to this edit, you will also have a handy RecycleMe bag inside the box, so you can easily recycle your empties too!

The Cult Conscious Edit can be found right here and will be on sale soon.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Collection

I am a huge fan of Emma Hardie, you will have all seen how many times I mention the incredible Moringa Cleansing Balm on my blog, across my social feed, so when I was lucky enough to be introduced to the brand new Lotus Flower Collection, I couldn't wait to share it, so this is a first impressions post which will be updated over the coming weeks!

Harnessing the power of the calming Lotus Flower, the new three-step routine has been designed to reduce high colour, blemishes, oiliness and shine and in doing so it imparts visibly improved, clearer skin tone and texture.  If your skin is oily, stressed, hormonal, peri-menopausal or menopausal, then this collection could work for you.

The new Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Treatment Range contains an innovative combination of Egyptian and Sacred Lotus Flower, as well as wild indigo, which  work sygergistically to soothe and calm irritation and redness whilst balancing excess oil for an improved complexion.

The three products within this range include a Lotus Flower Treatment Cream, a Lotus Flower Targeted Blemish Balm and a Lotus Flower Treatment Serum. What I love about this range is that it has been extensively tested in consumer trials and it has some pretty incredible stats

• Immediately - 89% said their skin was left immediately calmed and soothed
• After 1 week - 71% said their skin was less oily
• After 2 weeks - 85% said their skin looked more radiant
• After 4 weeks - 89% said their skin was calmer, 77% saw an improvement in their skin texture and 74% said they had fewer breakouts since using the regime.

First up we have the Lotus Flower Treatment Cream (£38/50ml) a lightweight gel-cream moisturiser which helps to provide hydration, help reduce oiliness and inflammation plus it helps to strengthen the skin's microbiome to give a visibly smoother and softer skin.  

What I am loving about this cream is just how delightfully light it is on the skin, it feels almost like a serum when applied, it is cooling and soothing as advised. Packed with an amazing ingredients list, you will find:

• Egyptian and Sacred Lotus Flower - to reduce oiliness and leave the skin smooth and radiant
• preBULIN AGA - a pre-biotic super moisturiser which improves the dispersion of microbiota over the skins surface
• Pollustop - this forms an non-occlusive film over the skins surface which acts as a protective barrier against pollution
• Aquaxyl - boosts hydration throughout the skin layers
• Wild Indigo - breaks down cortisol production and helps the skin appear de-stressed, calm and even.

On the skin, you need the smallest pea sized amount, the texture of this cream means it isn't too thick, so it spreads much easier and massages like a dream.  Ideal for use in both the morning and evening on freshly cleansed skin.

The second product within this collection is the Lotus Flower Targeted Blemish Treatment (15ml/£18) and this is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory targeted treatment which works to immediately tackle breakouts, or potential breakouts, by reducing redness and blemish size within 6 days.

On the skin, this treatment is velvety soft and smooth and it glides onto the specific area of skin suffering from that breakout or potential breakout effortlessly. Within this treatment, again there is a whole host of amazing ingredients which includes:

• Egyptian & Sacred Lotus Flower – to reduce excess sebum production
• Salicylic Acid – works on reducing blemishes and conditions the skin
• Witch Hazel – provides astringent, anti-inflammatory benefits and antibacterial effects whilst reducing the appearance of large pores
• Wild Indigo – to break down cortisol production (a by-product of stress), helping the skin appear de-stressed, calm and even
• Vital ET™ – a form of Vitamin E which has anti-inflammatory benefits and is known to help with reducing redness and blemishes

To use this treatment you need the smallest amount, you can either apply using your finger or it has been suggested that you could use a cotton bud and apply it right to the breakout.   Amongst the ingredients list, you will see Witch Hazel, an inclusion for many that is a no-no because of its scent, however.... it is not at all detectable within this formula and all I need now is a spot to threaten existing so I can put this treatment to the test!

The final product within this three-step programme is my favourite and it is the Lotus Flower Treatment Serum (30ml/£40). Fragrance-free, this lightweight gel serum to reduce excessive oiliness and shine on the skin, helps to reduce inflammation, and visibly improve skin tone, blackheads and blemishes.

I have become really picky with the serums that I use within my routine. In recent months, some of the serum products I have been using have a stickiness to them, almost as though they want to stick you to the pillow you sleep on and prevent you from moving and it isn't something I am enjoying. So, whenever I am introduced to a new serum, the test is always how it feels after I have applied it immediately to my skin, if there is any sign of stickiness, then it is a no from me. This serum is not one of those I am saying no too, it is delightful.  As with the rest of the range, this serum also has a series of key ingredients which includes:

• Egyptian & Sacred Lotus Flower – to reduce oiliness and leave skin smooth and radiant
• PoreAway™ – to tighten and re‑ne the skin as well as reduce shine, blackheads and microcysts
• Niacinamide – to help regulate sebum and provide anti-in­flammatory benefits
• Hyaluronic Acid – to hydrate and moisturise
• Wild Indigo – to break down cortisol production and help skin appear de-stressed, calm and even

To use, the suggestion is that you need between 4 and 8 drops of the serum, thankfully, I have found that the pump gives enough of the product in 3-4 presses that it is more than enough to use.  Massage the serum onto and into the skin and it can be used on the face, neck and décolleté both morning and evening.

So there you have the brand new Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Collection and it has launched on both the Emma Hardie website and with Marks & Spencer.  It can be used in conjunction with other Emma Hardie products to compliment that already existing skincare routine and if like me, your skin has a little bit of a strop and is in need of some TLC, a routine like this can make all the difference.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Glossybox - Perfectly Imperfect May Edition

This months Glossybox has a great theme and with it, packaged in a pretty box, is a mantra that we should all be proud to shout from the rooftops.

Encouraging you to no longer be afraid to be adventurous, to be bold and to be proud of your unique beauty, our ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ edit will have you no longer being afraid to be you. Because being you, exactly how you are, is pretty wonderful indeed. 

A theme which has curated a box of beauty products worth over £50, they strip back to the basics of beauty and added to that, a sleeve of self-love stickers and a box lid which is actually a mirror - it’s quite the box!

First out of the box from Balance Me is their BHA Exfoliate Concentrate.

This product is described as being a fast-action, fast-absorbing leave-on chemical exfoliation. Using Salicylic Acid, Willow Bark and Tiger Grass, the formula works to gently remove dead skin cells, fight blackheads, reduce blemishes, target enlarged pores, and improve hydration to reveal a softer, more youthful-looking and brighter skin, without causing redness or inflammation.

The second product is from MineTan with their very own coffee scrub.

I have used this scrub many times and I really liked it. It is infused with ingredients such as Sweet Almond Oil and Macadamia Oil to ensure your skin remains hydrated and conditioned and the inclusion of freshly ground coffee which helps to target those areas of dryness and flakiness for a softer, more even skin texture.

To keep with the theme of scrubbing, Glossybox has included the Body Scrubbing Tool from Daily Concepts.

Made from 100% silicone, this body scrubber is designed to massage the skin as well as to aid the use of your body scrubs, gels and lotions.  It has a finger loop on the back to ensure using the body scrubber is easy and the bristles are incredibly soft yet effective.

From Sophie + Mabelle we have a pink cream blush stick for the penultimate product inside the box.

In the shade Blossoming, this blush stick is described as being perfect for all occasions and adds a hint of pink to your cheeks for that natural flush. 

Finally from grace & stella we have a pair of “Everything is better in Pink” collagen boosting eye masks.

These masks are described as being focused on firming and hydrating the under eyes. Formulated with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to stimulate and boost collagen production, Fructose to attract and retain moisture in the skin, Horse Chestnut to maintain healthy blood circulation and strengthen capillaries, Chondrus Crispus Powder, which is a type of seaweed that is rich in anti-oxidants to help protect skin from blue light exposure, and finally Glycerin which is used for its abilities to draw in moisture to the deeper layers of the skin, leaving the skin hydrated and smooth. An impressive collection of ingredients I’m looking forward to putting to the test!

Another great theme for Glossybox this month and continuing on from the last few months box of great boxes for 2022.

As you will all know by now, Glossybox is a beauty box subscription service and it costs as little as £11 per month here*. By subscribing to these boxes, it gives you the chance to get your hands on the Limited Edition boxes.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.