I tried & tested supermarket dupes of posh beauty brands – from Aldi to Asda & Tesco here’s what came out best
GOODBYE L’Oréal and Estée Lauder – hello Aldi and Maks &Spencer.
Supermarkets are cashing in with their beauty ranges, offering everything from shampoo and moisturiser to face washes and anti-ageing serums at budget prices.
Many of these dupes cost only a fraction of the price you would normally pay for a designer beauty brand, but often look and smell similar to their pricier counterparts.
But just how good are they at easing fine lines, washing off make-up and getting your hair clean and glossy?
Writer Lynsey Hope, 41, a mum-of-three, from West Malling, Kent, tested beauty products from five supermarkets.
Here, she gives her verdicts on store products with marks out of five.
Aldi: 5/5
- Lacura Everyday Use Mighty shampoo: £1.19
- Lacura 3 in 1 cleansing face wipes: 55p
- Lacura Moisturising face wash: 99p
- Lacura Q10 serum & hyaluronic acid: £3.29
- Lacura Caviar Illumination day cream: £7.99
TOTAL COST: £14.01
LYNSEY SAYS: Aldi’s shampoo is a dupe of the Aussie Hair Care range, but far cheaper. It didn’t smell as nice and was thinner, but my hair looked great.
The face wash left my skin fresh, and the wipes are good for a quick freshen-up, but dried out quite fast.
The Caviar cream, however, is amazing. It’s a dupe of La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Luxe Cream, which costs a breath-taking £450. I’ve never tried that one, but this cream was light to apply and my skin felt hydrated.
If I didn’t know what it was, I would’ve assumed it was a much higher-end item.
Overall, I loved Aldi’s range. It is more expensive than Asda and Tesco but I preferred the products.
Asda: 2/5
- Just Essentials apple shampoo: 75p
- Asda Kind & Gentle plastic-free skincare wipes: 80p
- Asda Kind & Gentle foaming face wash: £1.50
- Asda Hyaluronic Plus Niacinamide serum: £4
- Radiance day cream: £1.70
TOTAL COST: £8.75
LYNSEY SAYS: Top marks for Asda’s face wipes – they removed stubborn make-up well.
I particularly liked that they are plastic-free, which means they break down in weeks rather than years in landfill.
A total bargain at 80p. I also loved the Hyaluronic Plus Niacinamide serum.
It’s a dupe of a £45 Liz Earle product and it left my skin glowing. The day cream was a bit heavy for me, so not a favourite.
At 75p, the apple shampoo is so cheap and left my hair smelling lovely. But after a few days, my roots seemed greasy so I had to ditch it.
Five products for £8.75 is amazing so I can’t complain.
Sainsbury’s: 3/5
- Apple shampoo: 75p
- My Skin Matters micellar cleansing wipes with hyaluronic acid and cotton seed oil: £1.25
- Source Of Nature gentle face wash: £2.25
- My Skin Matters intensive hydrating serum: £5.50
- Source Of Nature hydrating day cream: £4.50
TOTAL COST: £14.25
LYNSEY SAYS: The Source Of Nature face wash lathered up beautifully and my skin felt clean and fresh afterwards.
The day cream from the same range left my skin firm and taut. It had a lovely smell without being too overpowering, it wasn’t greasy and it absorbed well into the skin – a win all around.
For the price, I loved this eco range, which is produced especially for Sainsbury’s – I am keen to try more.
The wipes, however, smelt awful and it was a real struggle to remove eye shadow, let alone waterproof mascara, with them.
The apple shampoo is great value, but I wasn’t a fan as it left my hair feeling so greasy, I had to wash it again afterwards.
OK for occasional use, but I definitely wouldn’t want to use this every day.
Tesco: 4/5
- Tesco Extracts apple shampoo: 75p
- Tesco Kind & Pure biodegradable face wipes: 65p
- Tesco Kind & Pure refreshing face wash: £1.50
- Skin Saints overnight cream: £4
- Skin Saints vitamin C illuminating serum: £4.50
TOTAL COST: £11.40
LYNSEY SAYS: The Tesco Kind & Pure range is lovely. The face wash is a bargain at £1.50 and did a great job.
It seemed gentle and didn’t irritate my skin like some others, though it was a bit watery so I got through quite a lot. The wipes were effective and didn’t dry my skin.
Tesco also offers some fancier products as part of the Skin Saints range, so I opted for the overnight cream and a vitamin C serum. I adored the serum.
For £4.50, it was such good value and left my skin glowing. I definitely felt I’d been given a vitamin C boost after using it.
The cream was thick and luscious, and I got a few comments on how bright and clear my complexion looked after using it.
The Tesco products were great value, coming in at less than £12 for five items.
M&S: 4/5
- Apothecary energise shampoo: £7.50
- M&S cucumber cleansing facial wipes: £1.50
- Formula cleansing balm: £15
- Formula advanced replenishing day cream: £22.50
- Formula prevent and brighten multi-action retinoid serum: £12.50
TOTAL COST: £59
LYNSEY SAYS: There’s no hiding that the M&S products are more expensive, but this range really impressed me. The shampoo felt like a high-end designer product.
It had a lovely smell and left my hair so thick and luscious that I’m going to make this my go-to.
The wipes were refreshing and though I couldn’t find a face wash, the cleansing balm was good for clearing off the day’s grime.
It had a slightly unusual, buttery texture but slathering it on my face felt satisfying.
The day cream was creamier and thicker than I expected and lasted ages, which makes the £22.50 price tag more palatable.
My skin was noticeably firmer and for that price, you’d be hard pushed to find something that did a better job at softening fine lines.