Top 10 dupes for your favourite high-end beauty brands

I love a good dupe product, one which really makes you question the price of a high-end brand and whether you are being overcharged. Not all dupes are dupes of course, just because something looks similar doesn’t mean it is the same, as the saying goes, even salt looks like sugar.

Over the past 12 months there has been an explosion of dupes and not just from Revolution and Aldi Lacura, if you are on or watch anything on Tiktok it is awash with dupes and as seen on the infographic below, it showcases some of the best viral beauty dupes for 2023 but not all.

As you can see, those are just 8 dupes from brands you might now have expected to see, like Elf, L’Oreal and even Fenty Beauty, but for me, there are some that should have made that list. In recent weeks, I shared the Aldi Lacura Eyeshadow Primer which to all intents and purposes is inspired by Urban Decay and their Eyeshadow Potion, very much a HG product for many. Again, Aldi have also got their own Hot Cloth Cleanser which is similar to that of Liz Earle, but it isn’t just Aldi. Primark also has an incredible line up of ‘dupes’, most recently, people raved about the PS Skin Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment, which is most definitely inspired by the cult classic from Dr Jart+ and even more recent was the PS Flawless Glow Radiant Primer Foundation which many claimed was a potential dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, £36.

So, if I was to create my very own Top 10 makeup dupes for your favourite high-end beauty brands, this is what you would find on that list:

• Aldi Lacura Vitabase Moisturising Primer - potential dupe for Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base
• E.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter - potential dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
• Rimmel Magnif'eyes 12 Pan Shade Palette Spice - potential dupe for Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette
• L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup - potential dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
• Aldi Lacura Microblade Effect Pen - potential dupe for Benefit Cosmetics Brow Microfilling Brow Pen
• Elf 16hr Camo Concealer - potential dupe for Tarte Shape Tape
• Revolution Pro Miracle Cream - potential dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream
• Aldi Lacura Vanilla Golden Bath Nectar - potential dupe for Laura Mercier Honey Bath
• Revolution Pro Miracle Balm - potential dupe for Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream
• Essence Stay 8h Waterproof Lip Liner - potential dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner

That least doesn’t even cover hair care or fragrances, which again both Aldi and Revolution have hair care dupes of Olaplex and Living Proof in their line-ups, and the same for fragrances.

I would love to know if you have a favourite dupe of a high-end branded product!

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

Beautiful Bronze Highlighter - A Boots No.7 Dupe?

I am a huge fan of the Boots No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter and have reviewed it HERE. It costs just £9.95 and has an amazing formula which dried incredibly quickly and creates an amazing highlighting effect.

I love highlighters in general and have a growing collection of them, so whilst in Primark, I came across the Beautiful Bronze range by Sunkissed, which looks amazing. The one product which caught my eye from the range was the Glow Stick Highlighter which is paraben and alcohol free and contains Vitamin E and costs just £3, so it quickly went into my basket.

It looks absolutely stunning and when I swatched it, I was shocked to find it is the perfect dupe for my favourite Boots No.7 highlighter. Infact it isn't just the colour which is a perfect dupe, but the formula is also very very similar which you can see below.

I am absolutely delighted to have found a dupe for my beloved highlighter and at a saving of almost £7 I am definitely going to check out the rest of the range.

Have you tried anything from this range?

Aldi Lacura launches Laneige Dupe range

Aldi are well known for their dupes and over recent months I have featured quite a few of the from a Miracle Cream which is an Elizabeth Arden Dupe to a Collagen Serum which has been likened to Pixi.  Just recently, Aldi has expanded its Lacura range even further to include dupes of a K-beauty brand you might know called Glow Recipe, annoyingly I didn't manage to get my hands on, but just this week there is another addition to that K-Beauty line-up and it  could be said they are dupes for the much loved Laneige brand! 

Aldi's Lacura brand has introduced two new products, which I have got to share with you.  The first is the Dewy Lip Balm range following on with a H2O Sleep Mask!

Firstly we have the Dewy Lip balm, which is available in three varieties - Berry, Pear and Grapefruit, Laneige for reference have their Lip Balms in berry, grapefruit and peach flavours. Like many of you, I have an obsession with lip balm, always have had and perhaps more so because a lip balm doesn't smear all over my face under a facemask.

These balms are said to give your lips a moisturising and nourishing coating whilst Aldi claim they leave a hint of colour, what I have found so far, from the Pear and Grapefruit selection I have, is that they don't leave any hint or trace of colour on the lips at all.

Impressively, the list of ingredients within these balms states that there is a combination of shea butter, coffee seed oil and aloe leaf extract which together work on to provide that moisture-boost and they can be worn on bare lips or over make up. 

The formula is fairly thick but it isn't sticky nor is it tacky when applied, what there is however is a delightful scent of either Pear or Grapefruit.

The Lacura Dewy Lip Balm, which costs £14 less than Laneige’s version at just £1.99 and they are definitely worth picking up if you come across them!

The second product within the Aldi Lacura Laneige Dupe range is a product that you use to complete your evening skincare routine - the Aldi Lacura H2Overnight Face Sleeping Mask. This cream, which comes with its own spatula for application is really lightweight and is said to hydrate and condition the skin with its fast-absorbing gel texture.  On the skin, I love how cooling and soothing the cream feels when applied and again, it is neither sticky or tacky.

It uses a combination of Aloe Vera Leaf Juice which helps to hydrate the skin, Rosa Centifolia which has astringent, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties whilst Sodium Hyaluronate helps to keep the skin moisturised and together the ingredients come together to hydrate and condition overnight to help improve the appearance of tired-looking skin.   Aldi recommend using this overnight mask once or twice a week depending on your personal preference and obviously how dry and dehydrated you feel your skin might be.  It is priced at just £4.99 and as far as I am concerned an absolute bargain and well worth trying!

As with all Aldi Lacura products, these all tick the cruelty-free box!  I would love to know what you think to them!

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

Aldi Lacura Launch Estée Lauder Dupe Range

Well it was going to happen and here it is! Aldi, with their Lacura brand has launched the ProNight Advance range which you could say is very much inspired by Estee Lauder.

It has now launched in stores and is expected to sell out, as all the Lacura launches do, especially as it is priced from just £4.99.

The ‘ProNight Advanced range’ which is dermatologically tested and boasts the perfect combination of natural and antioxidant-rich ingredients that work overnight to repair, hydrate and rejuvenate whilst reversing daytime sun damage.  It features three products and combined, are said to give you a saving of up to 90% compared to the  luxury brand, Estée Lauder!

Starting with the Lacura ProNight Advanced Face Cream (£5.99, 50ml), not only is it incredibly hydrating, but it is designed to rejuvenate the appearance of dull and dry skin. 

Formulated with ingredients that have moisture-binding properties, you will find  Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid and Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract (a form of seaweed/kelp) to reduce the look of wrinkles, dark circles and signs of ageing.  I have only been using this cream for a few days and what I like is the texture is not thick, greasy or tacky when applied to the skin, it is infact smooth and really hydrating, so I am looking forward to see how this works over the coming weeks.

Potential Dupe for the Estée Lauder Nightwear Plus Face Cream.

The second product within this range is the Lacura ProNight Advanced Face Serum (£5.99 30ml) and possibly the product most people will be curious about. 

Designed to promote younger looking, radiant skin, it has a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula which is enriched with Copper Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Allantoin for an all-in-one recovery complex that will soothe, moisten, and restore.  I am a huge fan of the Estée Lauder Night Serum and can't even count the number of bottles I have used over the years, so this product is definitely the one to catch my attention within this range.  It does have a dropper to help apply the right amount of serum and whilst the textures are different, with this one being slightly runnier, it does feel delightful on the skin and isn't sticky or tacky - a big issue I have with any serum!

Potential dupe for the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum

The final product within this trio is the Lacura ProAdvanced Eye Serum (£4.99, 20ml) and whilst I don’t have this in my collection, you can bet that I am intrigued to try it.

Enriched with Caffeine, Algae and Chamomile Flower Extract to rejuvenate and visibly reduce signs of ageing around the eyes, the ingredients are said to help improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles and age spots.   Again, Aldi have created their product with a dropper to help with the application of this serum and again, the description does state that it absorbs super quick into the skin on application.

Potential dupe for the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix

As you can see, this is an impressive looking range from Aldi 's in house Lacura brand and you might notice there is one huge difference - the packaging.  Not the same and possibly only similar with the bronze/brown coloured bottles of the serums.

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

Aldi Candles - A Jo Malone Dupe?

I am a candle obsessive and for this I make no apology, I find them relaxing, I like to have one burning in whichever room I am sitting in.  When my timeline exploded with excitement over the Jo Malone candle dupes from Aldi, I naturally had to see what all the fuss was about.  

Admittedly there has been chatter that these candles cannot be dupes because the wax used is not the same, the essential oils are not the same and obviously the design and packaging is not remotely similar, that said I gave them a try.

So the candles are priced at £3.99 and oddly I found them amongst the cleaning products rather than with all the special offers around the store, but I did manage to get all three that they had in store. The candles are packaged in large glass containers and have a double wick which is quite impressive and they have a 48 hour burn time.

So candle No.1 is Lime, Basil & Mandarin.  

With this candle you can smell both the Lime and the Mandarin before it is lit and then as the candle burns the basil comes to life and I was quite surprised as to how lovely scented this candle was. 

Candle No.2 is Blackberry Bay and this candle is much stronger smelling than No.1.  

The Blackberry scent is not as strong and fruity as I had expected it to be, you have to get up quite close and personal to catch the actual scent, but I have bought candles far more expensive which have less of a scent.  For me, I think it is the weakest of three candles.

My favourite of all the candles is No.3 which is Pomegranate Noir. 

This one for me has the strongest scent and the one which has the ability to ensure the fragrance spreads throughout the house and to me, it actually does smell as the name suggests.

Having mentioned the candles are from Aldi, cost £3.99 and most people are on the fence about their worthiness as a dupe, these two wick candles have surprised me for a few reasons.  Firstly they burn well and secondly there is no black residue or smoke once the candle is alight and I was actually expecting there to be some if not a lot of black smoke.

As always with a glass jar candle you need to be careful about touching it, despite the thickness of the glass, these jars do get very hot, so you will need a mat underneath each one, or use the lid like I do and they need to be cool before touching. At £3.99 I think these are well and truly worth trying, they are not a match for a Jo Malone Candle when it comes to luxury, an amazing scent and that incredible packaging though.

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

Aldi hair mask - is it a dupe?

I have shared a lot of the Aldi Lacura range on my blog and in recent months, more and more people message me and ask if I have tried this or have I tried that. The last product I shared was the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm dupe, which I liked but didn’t love. Today is the turn of the Lacura Hair mask, some say it’s a dupe of the Coco and Eve Like A Virgin Mask - it isn’t a mask I have tried, but a good friend of mine swears they are pretty similar!

Aldi’s Lacura Hair Mask is priced at just £4.99, though I managed to grab it for just £1.99 in store and when compared to the Cocoa and Eve mask I previously mentioned, which costs £32.90, it isn’t hard to see why this Aldi hair mask is a constant sell out everytime it comes back into stock - which it has done between my purchasing it and writing my review.

The Aldi Lacura mask comes packaged in a floral box and inside the tub is bright pink, the Coco and Eve mask is sold in a similar looking tub but with a lighter pink base and green lid - so not quite the dupe at this stage. The one thing Aldi does well is similarities, you can usually tell what the product is there to dupe by looking at it, with this, it is not the case. However, when it comes to ingredients both feature coconut and fig on their list and both are designed to nourish dry, struggling hair which is in need of some TLC.

Aldi describes the mask as the ‘perfect addition to your beauty regime.’ For me, any hair care routine needs a hair mask. I try and apply one at least once a week!

Transform your hair with a Lacura Hair Mask,’ they write. ‘Deep treat your hair 2-3 times a week with this nourishing hair mask. You’ll be left feeling refreshed, revitalised and most importantly relaxed.

This mask is said to be a 5-in-1 mask that works to revive, restore, repair, tame, and deeply conditions as well as working to target frizz and help the appearance of split ends. Now this is quite the claim. Vegan and cruelty-free, this is a hair mask which smells absolutely delightful and reminds me of holidays, it is quite thick and luxurious, so it is a case of a little goes a long way and it is easy to use.

The Lacura Hair Mask states that you should apply a generous amount of the product to damp hair after washing it and then leaving it on your hair for up to ten minutes before rinsing it out with warm water. As an extra treat, you can also leave the hair mask in overnight if your hair is extra damaged and this gives you a deeper treatment for your hair, which you rinse out the following morning. My hair hasn’t seen a salon for the longest time I can remember, my local salon where I went regularly doesn’t have the same appeal since my stylist left the U.K. to go back to New Zealand, so whilst I decide what to do with my hair, I need all the help I can get because it is very unruly with a life of it’s own, not to mention that it is also half way down my back when usually it sits comfortably on and around my shoulders!

As I’ve said, this mask does have a luxurious feel to it and it does smell absolutely delightful. I have used it both as a weekly mask and have tried the option of using it overnight and I have to say, it has impressed me. My hair felt softer and smoother to the touch, not as much frizz as I expected to have and it didn’t weight my hair down or leave it feeling greasy - all of which has really impressed me and I can see why it gets the rave reviews it has been getting!

This mask has again currently sold out, but if you see it in the future, it is definitely one to try and it costs less than £5!

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

Aldi Lacura Cleansing Balm - Emma Hardie Dupe?

Aldi have a bit of a thing for creating dupes - from good and drink to homeware and beauty. The latest edition to their beauty line has created quite the stir because it is claimed to be a £6.99 dupe of this much-loved Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, which just so happens to be my favourite cleansing balm ever, so how does this version compare?

The Aldi description of their Lacura Cleansing Balm. reads: 

"Try an alternative luxury way of taking off your make-up with the Lacura Cleansing Balm. The lightweight formula is enriched with moringa oil, shea butter and cocoa butter. It transforms from a solid balm into a silky smooth oily texture to remove make-up and dirt leaving your skin deeply cleansed. Implement into your daily routine to help your skin feel balanced, refreshed and hydrated."

From the description alone it sounds pretty much like my beloved Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm with its Moringa Oil, the ingredient that gives the balm that most incredible scent. It is also a solid balm, like Emma Hardie and again when it comes into contact with water it transforms into a silky smooth oily texture - but this part is where Emma Hardie wins hands down because the formula is similar but it is not as good. From Aldi you get a texture which is much more oily and the balm isn’t as solid, the Moringa scent which is clearly noticeable when the lid of removed from the pot isn’t as strong but, and this is a big but, the Aldi Lacura version does do a pretty good job at removing that dirt, grime and other detritus from your skin, especially when used as a first cleanse and this includes waterproof mascara - including the most difficult to budge!

The hero ingredient, as you might expect is moringa oil and it is worthy of a mention because lol it is best known for its anti-inflammatory and collagen-building properties as a start and added to that, it is also said to help fight fine lines and wrinkles, it is suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive of skin and if that’s not enough it is also a great oil that addresses other skin issues such as pigmentation, soothing sunburned skin, healing scrapes, and burns. Aldi’s version also includes both Shea and Coconut Butter which leaves the skin feeling smooth, hydrated and nourished. 

How to use it? Massage a small amount into the palm of your hands and apply directly onto dry skin before rinsing off with water and removing the excess product using the cleansing cloth. Speaking of cloths, this one also comes with a dual sided microfibre muslin cloth which is designed to remove the Lacura Cleansing Balm and gently exfoliate and polish the skin - again, the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm also comes with one of the best cloths I have ever used and I seem to buy them a lot, but this cloth, well I didn’t hate it, given the price tag, but it isn’t as good, the texture of the cloth from Aldi isn’t as good on the skin, but it is a great back up to have if you should ever need a cloth and you’ve run out of your favourites.

Aldi beauty dupes have been some of my favourite discoveries - from Laneige and Elizabeth Arden to Nip + Fab and Pixi Aldi has offered similar products of the much loved iconic and cult brands and their products at a fraction of the cost and they sell out super quick, this Cleansing Balm sold out as quickly online as it went live and even finding it store has become quite tricky.

The Lacura Cleansing Balm is priced at £6.99 is definitely not something to sniff at, it does an alright job, you would absolutely love it without question if you haven’t tried Emma Hardie, but I’m an Emma Hardie fan and for me that cleansing balm cannot be duped or replaced, it is a firm favourite from the scent and the feel of the balm to being something I just want to bathe in from head to toe.

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

Makeup Revolution Primark Dupe!

Brush cleaning day, usually Sunday, is one of those chores that I huff and puff about having to do and a few months ago, I did a blog post on The Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette and the Makeup Revolution Pro Cleanse Brush Tool which you can find here.

Anyway, I have found a Makeup Revolution Brush cleaning dupe in Primark for £1.50 and they are so remarkably similar in how they look, how they feel infact looking at them, the only difference is that one is pink (Primark) and one is Purple (Makeup Revolution).

Designed to fit over your fingers, as you can see they have groves and knobbly bits to help clean your brushes. All you need to do is wet your brush, apply your brush shampoo and swipe the brush backwards and forwards along the grooves, as you do so, you can see all the makeup ‘stuff’ that has been lingering on the brushes run off into the sink and within seconds your brush is clean and ready to be left to dry. The Knobbly bits I use for my smaller brushes as I find it helps clean them much better.

So which one works better? The Makeup Revolution material is slightly softer and more pliable when washing the brushes, so instead of being rigid like the Primark one, there is some movement. Other than that, they are absolutely identical - same size, same number of grooves, same number of knobbly bits, same size part for your fingers to fit into. The only difference, other than the colour is that Primark charge £1.50 and Makeup Revolution £4.99.

MaxFactor Colour Corrector Stick Primark Dupe!

I am a huge fan of Colour Correcting products and adore the Makeup Revolution palette, upon which ive just hit pan on green *cries*. I find they work well with my skin to correct and conceal, more so with the redness I have on my cheeks, for which I do need the green. It took me a long time to accept that putting something green on my face would not leave me looking like Grotbags (remember her) and infact it would work.

The idea of using green to correct redness is a blessing as it neutralises redness whether that is blemishes, blochiness and in some cases a broken vein. You simply apply it to the area you want to correct, gently blend, add more if required and then finish off your make-up. 

Primark often has some hidden little gems and I was surprised to find they did colour correcting sticks, even better they had been massively reduced, so I bought one of each and this is what they look like - notice the similarity?

Yes, to me, they are the exact same colour corrector stick that is sold by MaxFactor, only the Primark versions are a whole £8.50 cheaper, should they work!  The swatches show the Primark crayon at the top and MaxFactor at the bottom, even colour wise they are similar, the only real difference is the formula and for me, the Primark crayon is much softer, though both blend like an absolute dream.

Do they work? Yes, I find it hard to choose who wins between them, both do an amazing job at concealing the redness but given the difference in price, then I would opt for Primark every time, purely to save £8.50.

Aldi Lacura Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit Dupe

It is well known now that I love a good Aldi Lacura beauty product and in recent months there has been some brilliant releases, from the exciting Sweet Angel Shower Gel, which may or may not be similar to Snow Fairy from Lush, Their BHA Toner which is aid to be similar to Paula's Choice, through to their Charlotte Tilbury inspired lip launches.  Today it is another inspired product and the Lacura Lip Kit.

Said to be inspired by the Kylie Cosmetics Matte Lip Kit, £28. Looking at the packaging, you can see that similarly just like Kylie Cosmetics, the Aldi Lacura version is housed in millennial pink packaging with the lip print and inside it contains two products a matte liquid lipstick and liner duo. 

Priced at just £4.99 each, there is a choice of three different shades, my local Aldi had just the one shade in stock and thankfully, the one I wanted in Nearly Nude, which is said o be inspired by the shade Kylie.  The other options are ‘Just Peachy’ which is similar to ‘Sweater Weather’ and then the shade ‘Velvet Sugar’ which is inspired by he shade Twenty’

As expected, both of these products are really impressive, described as having a long-lasting formula and of course it is Vegan.  

The liner which is more of a pinkier brown shade than it looks, glides onto the lips as thought it is a balm, it is so soft and smooth, easy to smudge if the need arises and it does wipe away if a mistake is made, but you need to do it before it settles.  However, what it does is create a great liner for your lips and it works well with other lipsticks too.

Then the liquid lipstick, I adore it, there ive said it.  It is bright, it is pigmented, it glides smoothly onto the lips without being taut and whilst it does dry down quite quickly, it is a definite liquid lipstick which some might want to add a gloss too, depending on which type of finish you like, But the colour is also slightly more Pink than its inspired offering, so something to have in mind.

As you can see from the swatches above, which are not edited, both the Lip Pencil and the Liquid Lip do give good colour pay off and they work with other products that you might have in your stash.

Each one of these Aldi Lacura lip kits is priced at £4.99 each and in comparison to the Kylie Cosmetic Lip Kits are priced around £28, it is quite the saving!  As with most Aldi Lacura products, if you spot them in the middle aisle, grab them as quickly as you can if you want to give them a try because they never hand around for long!

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