The supermarket has just unveiled a new duo of skincare dupes - but are they worth taking to the checkout? We put them to the test
When it comes to beauty dupes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a shop on the high street that does it better than Aldi. From its version of Liz Earle’s cult Cleanse and Polish to its knock-offs of Urban Decay’s Naked Eyeshadow palettes , they’ve been on a roll. Back in February they launched body care to their limited edition special buys including a copy of Jo Malone's fragrance , and now thanks to popular demand they've added to their permanent collection of purse-friendly dupes in the form of their Jo Malone-inspired Luxury Hand and Body Wash and Luxury Hand and Body Lotion (both £2.99).
What you’re getting
They offer a saving of £27 and £37 respectively when compared to their costlier counterparts to provide a pretty impressive saving. Plus, there are three scents of each to choose from - Lime, Basil & Mandarin, Freesia and Pear and Pomegranate. We tried the Hand and Body Lotion in Lime, Basil and Mandarin and the Body Wash in Pomegranate.
The skincare duo joins the sweet-smelling candles, diffusers and room sprays released late last year as part of the supermarket’s Luxury Collection . Fragrance-wise, their predecessors (particularly the diffusers) definitely impressed, so we understandably had high hopes for the new skincare additions.
The verdict
The pros - great packaging, reliable pump bottle and a fantastic price-point. The cons? Surprisingly, the scents, which, as long-lasting as they were, were too overpowering for me. There was something a bit metallic about them which made them smell more like an air freshener or cleaning products rather than luxury body care - which is probably why they work so well in their reed diffuser, room revitalising forms.
The cream also felt tacky when I applied it and less moisturising than their more expensive Jo Malone equivalents - perhaps one for dry hands, but I’m not sure I’d want to put it on the entirety of my body. Out of the two, I’d be more inclined to buy the Hand and Body Wash and pop it by the sink in our guest bathroom, but in all honesty, I’d probably choose to go past them on my next trip to Aldi and pick up a £3.99 Hot Cloth Cleanser instead.
Aldi’s new Luxury Hand and Body Wash and Luxury Hand and Body Lotion (both £2.99) are available in Aldi stores nationwide now.