Supermarket beauty has come a long way in the past couple of years. From sell-out moisturisers to eyeshadow palette dupes, it’s no secret that there are some bargains to be had up and down our supermarket aisles. But while they often go viral online, are they actually worth the hype?
If you were to take a quick trip down to your local supermarket, chances are you’ll spot some recognisable products – for the fraction of the cost of their more expensive counterparts.
From M&S’ Pure Hot Cloth Cleansers to Aldi’s Lacura Caviar Day & Night Creams and even eyeshadow palettes that look near-identical to Urban Decay’s cult Naked Palettes – there are tonnes of low-cost beauty dupes available.
But it makes you wonder if uber-cheap budget beauty can ever really rival the more expensive branded buys?
When it comes to branded beauty, it’s no secret that you’re often paying a premium price tag for expensive packaging and the brand name itself. So if a supermarket can pretty much replicate a product for a fraction of the cost, maybe that’s not a bad thing?
Beauty dupes and supermarket brands are great for offering a more affordable and accessible range to the mass market… but is the hype really worth it and are the products actually good quality?
I tried out some of the most hyped-up supermarket beauty buys from the likes of Aldi, Lidl, M&S and Sainsbury’s, to see which budget beauty buys actually deserve a place in your beauty bag.
Here’s what’s worth your cash (and what’s not)…
Lacura
Brand: Lacura (available at Aldi)
Prices: 99p – £6.99
Hero product: Lacura Caviar Illumination Day Cream, £6.99
Other products worth the money: Lacura Vitamin C Hot Cloth Cleanser, £3.99, Lacura Miracle Oil Spray, £5.49
Anything not worth the money? Lacura Snapshot Ready Illuminating Primer, £5.99
Aldi has become famous for its beauty dupes and is not afraid of quite clearly being “inspired” (ahem) by other brands. There are (very obvious) dupes for the likes of La Prairie, Urban Decay, Liz Earle, Elizabeth Arden and Sand & Sky.
I tried a whole host of products from the Lacura range and was surprised by how many were actually impressive.
The best-selling Caviar Day & Night Creams have a real cult following (they’ve racked up a whopping 658 five-star reviews online), but it was the Lacura Caviar Illumination Day Cream, £6.99, Aldi, that sold it for me. The rich formula left my skin feeling instantly plumped and moisturised without being greasy or heavy on the skin. At £6.99, it’s pleasingly affordable and a great everyday moisturiser option.
Other standouts included the Lacura Miracle Oil Spray, £16.97, Amazon (a dupe of Elizabeth Arden’s 8-Hour Miracle Oil) which was great at hydrating my skin post-shower. In my opinion, oil is oil and there’s no point spending £££ on a body oil unless you’re buying it purely for the fragrance.
The Lacura Vitamin C Hot Cloth Cleanser, £3.99, Aldi, (a dupe of Liz Earle’s bestsller) was also really solid. While I’m not sure that inclusion of vitamin C is anything to shout about (vitamin C is notoriously hard to package at an affordable price – plus, it’s best left on the skin IMO) the cleanser felt lovely.
Enriched with cocoa butter, it leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth while effectively removing every last scrap of makeup. Plus at £3.99 for 200ml – you can’t beat the price. A fab budget buy.
For me, the Lacura Snapshot Ready Illuminating Primer, £5.99, Aldi (a dupe of Smashbox) was a let-down as it pilled when I applied my foundation. I tried applying it again and waiting longer before putting on my foundation but to be honest, I don’t think it necessarily made any difference to the staying power or finish of my makeup so it’s not something I’d buy.
*Eliza may earn commission on sales from these product links
Boutique
Brand: Boutique (available at Sainsbury’s)
Prices: £2-£6
Hero product: Boutique Illuminating Drops in Champagne, £4
Other products worth the money: Boutique Nail Polish in Pale Pink, £3
Anything not worth the money? Boutique Colour Correction Palette, £5
Launched back in 2013 in collaboration with makeup artists Jo Saville and Sophia Price, Boutique by Sainsbury’s offers high-quality cosmetics at a seriously affordable price. I’ve tried a few products from Boutique before and really liked them so it’s a range I was excited to re-discover.
The Boutique Illuminating Drops in Champagne, £4, Sainsburys are the real winner for me. A liquid highlighter, the product gives the skin a radiant-looking boost, without looking glittery or shimmery.
The ultra-fine light reflecting pearls give your skin a healthy ‘sheen’ and can be applied under, over or mixed-in with your foundation for an all-over glow. I also like to mix a couple of drops in my SPF and apply it to my body for a lit-from-within glow.
Another great bargain buy has to be the nail varnishes. I really don’t understand paying £20+ for a nail varnish when there are so many affordable options that are just as good (if not better!), and I’ve tried luxury designer polishes that have really weak colour pay-off and chip within days.
The Boutique polishes offer opaque coverage in just two coats, dry in a couple of minutes and last for a good week. It’s a yes from me.
If I was to bin one product it’d be the Boutique Colour Correction Palette, £5, Sainsburys. Personally, I’m not a massive fan of colour correcting products in the first place but even for a fiver, the actual amount of product you’re getting in this palette is minimal. Save your cash and buy a concealer instead.
*Eliza may earn commission on sales from these product links
Formula
Brand: Formula (available at M&S)
Prices: £5-£35
Hero product: Sleep & Replenish Ultimate Sleep Cream, £22.50
Other products worth the money: Restore & Nourish Cleansing Balm, £15
Anything not worth the money? Not that I’ve tried!
Formula, M&S’ skincare solutions brand, is another range I’ve previously tried and liked. The Sleep & Replenish Ultimate Sleep Cream, £22.50, M&S (which was historically called Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream) garnered cult beauty status a few years ago for rejuvenating skin overnight, leaving it feeling plump, smooth and soft come morning.
It’s formulated with ingredients such as Matrixyl 3000® – a powerful peptide that works to smooth fine lines and boost collagen, plus marula oil and niacinamide. At £22.50 the cream is one of the more expensive supermarket beauty buys – but in my opinion, it’s worth every penny.
A product that was new to me but just as impressive was the Restore & Nourish Cleansing Balm, £15, M&S. Formulated with avocado oil and evening primrose oil, it melted away makeup with ease – leaving my skin ultra-smooth and clean. Cleansing Balms can be notoriously pricey, so this £15 option is a great, more accessible option.
I’ve yet to try anything I don’t think is worth a try from this brand, making it a great all-rounder.
*Eliza may earn commission on sales from these product links
Cien
Brand: Cien (available at Lidl, in-store only)
Prices: 45p-£1.49
Hero product: Cien Q10 Day Cream
Anything not worth the money? Cien Roll On Deodorant for Women
At the most affordable end of the scale falls Cien, Lidl’s own-brand beauty line. With the most expensive product being under £2, this range really has your budget beauty basics covered. Lidl’s beauty offering isn’t available to buy online, so if something does catch your eye, you’ll have to head down to your local store.
The hero product for me is the Cien Q10 Day Cream. Yes, it’s basic – but if that’s what you’re after, then there’s no reason why this can’t be a nice everyday moisturiser.
A little goes a long way and it’s lightweight and soft on the skin. The formula is enriched with vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and Q10 and while I’m a little bit dubious about the amount and potency of these ingredients, it’s a good fuss-free, daily moisturiser that’s ridiculously affordable.
Unfortunately, the Cien Roll On Deodorant for Women isn’t worth the 69p it costs. I’m not a particularly sweaty person but this definitely didn’t cut the mustard – after an hour or so, I panicked that I’d forgotten to put on deodorant and come lunchtime I had to top it up with my trusty Mitchum.
Sorry Cien, it’s a no from me.
Supermarket beauty: my final verdict
I won’t lie to you; I’m a sucker for luxury beauty. After all, it comes with the territory of being a beauty editor.
And while nothing will ever replace my IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream or my Chanel bronzer, there are definitely some supermarket beauty buys that really are great budget options.
There are some things that I would never scrimp on. SPF, vitamin C and retinols are – in my opinion – worth forking out that little bit more on for a brand you can really rely on and trust.
But for the basics – cleansers, daily moisturisers and the odd makeup dupe, the supermarket beauty offerings really are worth a try. You might just find yourself a forever favourite and save a load of cash at the same time.
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