I Tried Aldi’s Dior Lip Oil & NARS Blush Dupes & I Have Thoughts

Any mention of Aldi is always met with excitement among my beauty editor friends. Back in February, the supermarket created a buzz when it unveiled a handful of new perfumes under cosmetics brand Lacura, and it wasn't long before we were drawing comparisons with much higher end fragrances like Thierry Mugler Angel and Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium. Fast-forward to June and Lacura is piquing interest again, this time courtesy of its new makeup collection, which it seems is inspired by brands we already know and love.

First up, Lacura Luminous Lip Oil, £3.99, which looks suspiciously similar to Dior Cherry Lip Oil, £32. Then there's Lacura Fabulash Lash Primer & Mascara, £4.99 (likely to have taken a cue from Revitalash Double-Ended Volume Set, £37), and Lacura Blush in Coral, £4.99, which appears to be very much like NARS Blush, £30.50. Reviews for the lip oil alone have already amassed 805 million views on TikTok despite the product only launching yesterday.

Before I go any further, I always think it's worth caveating reviews like this, as I know that product dupes — of all kinds, not just beauty — are a controversial topic. Many argue that dupes pass off the work of larger, more established brands as their own. On the flipside, it's important to note that they make high-end beauty products a little more accessible for those on a budget. Considering the impact of the current cost of living crisis, it's best not to judge where people choose to spend their money.

With that out of the way, I'll start with the product which impressed me most: the lip oil. Save for a different lid (Dior's is arguably more sophisticated), it's a pretty convincing dupe that's available in colourless and tinted versions. When I whipped the tinted oil out of my bag at an event this week, it's safe to say I fooled my industry peers. Though almost neon red inside the tube, Lacura's lip oil leaves behind a subtle hint of pink that's naturally pretty, and the minty-vanilla scent is very similar to Dior's. No one could tell the difference.

Don't let the name fool you, though. This is more of a lip gloss than an oil. It's not at all sticky but it is more substantial than other lip oils I've tried in the past. The chunky doe-foot applicator makes application simple, not messy. The ingredients in Lacura's lip oil mirror those found in plenty of moisturising lip products, too, namely vitamin E, which is both a humectant (draws moisture into the skin) and an emollient (keeps that moisture under lock and key). It's also an antioxidant so it can help protect your lips from environmental aggressors such as pollution.

There are at least three lip products in my handbag at any one time but the day I happened to forget this one at home, I felt a bit lost without it. My lips are the driest so I like how this softens flaky, rough skin almost instantly. The wash of colour breathes life into lips, too.

I didn't quite get on with the Lacura Blush in Coral. First of all, it's disappointing that the shade ranges of Lacura's makeup products are so limited and I doubt this would show up on darker skin tones. I struggled to pick up enough pigment, despite dunking my blush brush into the compact multiple times. When I did manage to adequately coat my brush, the product didn't glide on as seamlessly as I hoped it would, leaving a few gaps. In comparison, NARS blush is highly pigmented and very easy to blend.

One upside is that the very fine shimmer particles made my cheekbones gleam so I could skip highlighter. However, I've since shelved this product. If you're after a good blush, I can't recommend enough Jones Road The Best Blush, £26. Even just lightly grazing my brush over the pressed powder imparts a considerable wash of colour over my cheeks — no need to double dip. If you'd rather spend less, try 3INA The Blush, £15, or Max Factor Creme Puff Blush, £9.99.

Lastly, I tried Lacura Fabulash Lash Primer & Mascara. At £4.99, this is a snip of the price of its Revitalash counterpart but I have to admit that I didn't have high hopes. That's because I'm not keen on the trend for lash primers, which are said to prevent clumping by separating lashes first, and thicken them up with ingredients like strengthening biotin and moisturising panthenol. I believe a good mascara can do all this and more. If you have a lash curler to hand? Even better.

I'm convinced that the lash primer weighed my lashes down and made them droop throughout the day so the second time I used this mascara, I decided to skip the primer entirely. The bristle brush is beefy so it captured my lashes quickly, fluffing them up and fanning them out. I'm most impressed by how well the mascara lasted. I took multiple sweaty Tube journeys and not a single flake tumbled onto my cheeks. At the end of the day, a foaming cleanser was enough to remove it easily; no scrubbing or tugging required. Disappointingly, you only get 6ml of mascara as the other half of the tube is occupied by the primer. This product would be so much better as a dedicated mascara.

Considering these products are under £5, it's likely that they'll sell out fast — the aesthetic lip oil in particular, which gets my vote as the most effective (not to mention Instagram-worthy). All three — as well as a new bronzer and two eyeshadow palettes — are available in Aldi stores right now.