This Aldi Charlotte Tilbury magic lip oil dupe is £26 cheaper than the original

We tried this budget alternative to the cult classic buy

Pout-softening ingredients include shea butter and vitamin E (The Independent)

Aldi is an affordable retailer known for serving up exciting weekly Specialbuys and delivering impressive beauty dupes, with those featured so far including Pixi glow tonic, It Cosmetics CC cream, YSL perfume, Laura Mercier honey bath, Olaplex, Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser, Elizabeth Arden eight-hour cream and many more.

While we’re huge fans of cult classic make-up and skincare, these popular products aren’t always the cheapest. Still, thanks to TikTok shining a spotlight on trending favourites, we’re always tempted to trial timeless picks and viral buys, to see the results for ourselves.

When thinking about saving cash, we’re constantly intrigued by the budget alternatives Aldi regularly drops, all of which most closely mirror a premium brand’s product packaging too. While the ingredients list may differ slightly, we’ve found key components are often included (just in varying quantities). For example, Aldi’s Pixi glow tonic dupe shares glycolic acid and aloe vera in common with the original.

Speaking of beloved brands, Charlotte Tilbury is a tried-and-tested IndyBest name, thanks to the iconic pillow talk and magic cream ranges. So, we were very excited to find out about Aldi’s latest launch, which looks to us a lot like Charlotte Tilbury’s eponymously named Charlotte’s magic lip oil crystal elixir (£28, Charlottetilbury.com). The big difference though is Aldi’s Lacura collagen lip oil costs a snip at only £2.99.

But while the tubes both have a roller ball applicator, metallic detailing and linear-style illustrations, how does this cheaper version fare? We saw it as our shopping-expert duty to find out.

How we tested

Our reviewer sampled Aldi Lacura’s collagen lip oil over a week’s worth of testing, looking at packaging, price point, formula and results. We wanted to see whether this latest big-brand dupe lived up to our Aldi Specialbuys expectation. Read on for our full tried-and-tested take.

Aldi Lacura collagen lip oil: £2.99, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi)

• Rating: 8/10
• Tube size: 8ml
• Applicator: Rollerball tip

Presented in a tiny 8ml tube, this is the same compact-sized packaging as the Charlotte’s magic lip oil elixir and we love how easily it slots into our purse, bag or desk drawer. We instantly noticed the chic finish, from its metallic lid to linear pattern, and, when taking off the top, our tester saw a rollerball applicator. Once more, that’s identical to the applicator included on Charlotte Tilbury’s magic lip oil.

In fact, this applicator got a special mention when we included the Charlotte’s magic lip oil crystal elixir in our best lip oils round-up, where our tester raved about the product as it “soothes without nicking even the most cracked lips.” They added, “Dubbed a lip conditioner by day and a lip mask at night, the crystal-infused oil works alone or as the perfect lipstick topper, turning matte and even drying lipsticks into a vibrant, glossy finish.” That’s high pout praise indeed.

Back to the Aldi version, and we found the rollerball makes smoothing this oil across lips quick and easy, and because it offers plentiful coverage and precision, there’s no need for a mirror either. The oil is a transparent shade, and key cruelty-free ingredients cover vitamin E, shea butter and collagen, with our tester feeling these conditioning components while slicking the product onto lips.

We think this product fits in somewhere between a lip gloss, lip oil and lip balm hybrid, as we’ve seen gentle shine, felt softening nourishment and noticed its excellent absorption. Happily, it doesn’t create any greasy residue, instead simply feeling like a lightweight touch of lip nourishment. While, unlike Charlotte Tilbury’s magic lip oil, there wasn’t a prolonged level of overt glossiness left on our lips, we did see a moisturising layer with every application. From our testing comparison, we’d say Aldi’s number is a more subtly hydrating lip oil. And for just shy of £3, we certainly don’t mind topping it up regularly. Particularly as the cute tube is so perfect for stashing in our make-up bag.

Although, at the moment, there are only plans to stock the collagen lip oil in store, you can explore a few other affordable favourites online, including a Benefit ‘they’re real!’ Aldi dupe, in the form of Lacura’s too legit mascara (£5.99, Aldi.co.uk). For a Laura Mercier alternative, dip into Lacura vanilla honey bath (£5.99, Aldi.co.uk). As well as the Liz Earle-like Lacura vitamin C hot cloth cleanser (£3.99, Aldi.co.uk), and Pixi glow-esque Lacura healthy glow glycolic toner (£2.99, Aldi.co.uk).

Available to buy in store from 15 September

The verdict: Aldi Lacura collagen lip oil

As affordable lip oil goes, we can’t fault this tiny Lacura tube. The rollerball application makes for seamless pout coverage, while the formula delivers soothing lip smoothing without any greasiness. While we did need a top up to retain hydration levels, we saw subtle nourishment and, with change from £3, we’re sold.

High-street fashion fan? Have a look at these affordable dupes of Meghan Markle’s designer outfit