11 Best Aldi Beauty Dupes, According to Professional Makeup Artists

Chrissy Callahan

Sun, April 5, 2026 at 8:10 PM UTC

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Luxury makeup and skincare products are great and all, but even celebrities appreciate the value of a great drugstore beauty find . Some beauty essentials are worth splurging for, but you can often find a worthy dupe at a fraction of the cost.

Aldi is known as a one-stop-shop for groceries and other household essentials, but the store is also becoming a popular destination for beauty products. To find out which ones are worth your time and money, Parade reached out to two makeup artists to get their picks for the 11 best Aldi beauty dupes.

We chatted with Markphong Tram , a makeup artist based in New York, and Lindsey Trop , a makeup artist based in Connecticut, and asked them what makes Aldi's collection of beauty products so popular with makeup and skincare aficionados.

To help you make the most of your Aldi shopping experience, we also asked the pros what you should be looking for while shopping for these products and how to spot a good beauty dupe that truly rivals a luxury brand. All in all, our conversations proved that you don't have to spend a lot of money to stock your beauty bag.

Top Aldi Beauty Dupes

Best Mascara: Lacura They're Brilliant Mascara vs. Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Lengthening Mascara
Best Lip Oil: Lacura Cherry Lip Oil vs. Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil
Best Concealer: Lacura Bold Cover Concealer vs. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
Best Eyeshadow Palette: Lacura Naturals 3 Eye Shadow Palette vs. Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette
Best Brow Gel: Lacura Clear Brow Gel vs. Benefit Cosmetics 24-Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel
Best Face Scrub: Lacura Cleansing Exfoliating Scrub vs. Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub
Best Micellar Water:Lacura Micellar Water vs. Bioderma Micellar Water
Best Makeup Remover Wipes: Lacura Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelette vs. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes
Best Facial Cleanser: Lacura Hydrating Facial Cleanser vs. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Best Face Cream: Lacura Anti Wrinkle Care Day Cream vs. Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream
Best Hand Cream: Lacura Laboring Hands Cream vs. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands

Are Makeup and Skincare Products at Aldi Any Good?

As a professional makeup artist, Tram has encountered a plethora of brands throughout his career, and he's learned that drugstore beauty finds can often be just as high quality as luxury options.

"Many retail chains are beginning to invest in their private-label beauty products, including Aldi, which has launched low-cost alternatives to premium beauty brands,” he explains.

Trop says you "can't beat the value" of Aldi's beauty products.

"Many of their products are manufactured in Germany and Poland, which provides reassurance that the formulations are safe and high quality," she tells Parade .

Why Aldi Beauty Dupes Are So Popular

Tram says Aldi’s store brand, Lacura, has grown in popularity since it "delivers impressive dupes to high-end beauty products at a much lower cost."

"It’s a great option for anyone who wants to save money without giving up too much quality. Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to drop $200 every time they shop at Sephora or Ulta. Aldi beauty dupes show that decent, quality beauty products don’t have to come with a hefty price tag," he says.

On one recent trip to Aldi, Trop purchased five skincare products for $14.95. Like many other customers, she loves "the thrill of finding dupes at such an unbeatable price point."

"But mainly, it’s the thrill of finding dupes that actually deliver," she shares. "The products are also somewhat hard to get because assortment on shelves differs week to week and season to season, so it makes them that much more covetable and exciting when you do find them."

What To Look for When Buying Beauty Products at Aldi

Before you embark on your next Aldi trip, it helps to know exactly what to look for while shopping for beauty products. To jumpstart your search, we asked the pros to share a checklist of characteristics they consider while shopping.

Eyeshadow: "Pay close attention to the pigment payoff by making sure the color picks up easily on the brush or your finger, and transfers well onto the eyelid," Tram says.
Foundation/concealer:"Blendability is key. I also look for shades that don’t oxidize too much about 20 minutes after applied," Tram says.
Skincare: "When it comes to skincare and body lotions, I’ll choose formulas that absorb well into the skin rather than sitting on top. I avoid products that peel off when touched after applied, since that usually indicates ingredient incompatibility and as a makeup artist and consumer, that’s something I try to stay away from," Tram says.

Naturally, you won't be able to fully explore the product in-store unless there's a tester available. But you can notice some of these things with the naked eye, so it helps to keep this all in mind while shopping.

How To Spot a Good Beauty Dupe

Realistically, you won't really be able to tell if something is a good beauty dupe until you put it through its paces.

"It’s all about results, like efficacy and longevity. You can’t simply touch a product and decide if it’s a good dupe. You need to use it a few times to determine if the dupe is actually worth it," Trop explains.

Once you do test a product at home, you'll know if it's a solid dupe if it meets certain criteria.

"A good beauty dupe should deliver similar results to a high-end product at a much lower cost. You can compare ingredient lists, test how it performs in terms of longevity and texture, and check whether it lives up to its claims," Tram tells Parade .

If all else fails, Trop says many retailers like Aldi offer generous return policies in case the product doesn't live up to your expectations.

11 Best Aldi Beauty Dupes, According to Makeup Artists

1. Best Mascara: Lacura They're Brilliant Mascara , $5 vs. Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Lengthening Mascara , $24

Beauty lovers have been known to shell out a pretty penny for larger-than-life lashes, but Tram says you don't necessarily have to do so if you shop at Aldi. For instance, he notes that Lacura's They're Brilliant Mascara is a solid substitution for Benefit Cosmetics' They're Real! Lengthening Mascara.

"Aldi's version is identical to the original in both brush bristles and formulation, but at a fraction of the price, making it a great option to try," he says.

2. Best Lip Oil: Lacura Cherry Lip Oil , $4 vs. Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil , $42

"Lip oils have been one of the biggest beauty trends over the past few years, with nearly every brand launching its own version. Among them, Dior set the bar with a $42 price point. Personally, that’s a bit steep for me," Tram says.

This more affordable alternative is "super hydrating and not sticky," per Trop.

"They also provide a bit of color. For those who think $42 for a lip oil is insanity, this is a perfect option," she says.

3. Best Concealer: Lacura Bold Cover Concealer , $6 vs. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer , $32

"Lacura Bold Cover Concealer is a dupe for Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer. The packaging and doe foot applicator are incredibly similar to Shape Tape, as is the full coverage formula. There is a slight scent to the Lacura formulation but if scent doesn’t bother you at all, this is an amazing concealer option," Trop says.

Tram agrees, noting that the only downside to this dupe is the "limited shade range."

4. Best Eyeshadow Palette: Lacura Naturals 3 Eye Shadow Palette , $6 vs. Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette , $59

For less than $10, Tram says you can get "almost the same eyeshadow shades as the Urban Decay palette."

Trop is also a fan of the affordable palette and appreciates that it comes with "12 shadows and a dual-ended brush in a sturdy case with a mirror."

"Some of the shades go on very smoothly, but a few do look a bit patchy upon initial application and require a bit more reapplication and a bit more blending. That said, at just one-tenth of the price of the Urban Decay palette, it’s a great option," she says.

5. Best Brow Gel: Lacura Clear Brow Gel , $4.49vs. Benefit Cosmetics 24-Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel , $28

Brow gel doesn't need to be pricey to get the job done. Trop recommends giving this Aldi dupe a try if you're a fan of Benefit Cosmetics' 24-Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel.

"Lacura Clear Brow Gel has a dual-ended applicator that separates the brow hairs and sets them right into place. The formula doesn’t flake and it lasts for a very long time. This is a winner," she says.

6. Best Face Scrub: Lacura Cleansing Exfoliating Scrub , $3vs. Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub , $6

Trop says both of these scrubs leave skin "feeling clean and smooth right away," but one of them does so for half the price.

"The Clean & Clear scrub has a very recognizable fresh scent that a lot of people associate with their teenage skincare years, so there’s a nostalgia factor there. The Lacura scrub has a similar fresh, cooling scent, but it’s a bit milder," she says.

7. Best Micellar Water: Lacura Micellar Water, $5vs. Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water , $21

Trop regularly uses micellar water to remove makeup and appreciates this more budget-friendly option that can keep up with Bioderma's popular version.

"This product does a great job of removing makeup without irritating my skin. It's a great first step in a skincare routine and also works for fixing makeup mishaps during your makeup application," she says.

8. Best Makeup Remover Wipes: Lacura Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelette , $1vs. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes , $6

Trop likes the scent of these "refreshing" makeup removing towelettes "even better" than Neutrogena's popular wipes. "They’re very effective at removing makeup, even with long-wear products like cheek stains," she says.

Tram is also a fan and says "they get the job done" at a "great value."

9. Best Facial Cleanser: Lacura Hydrating Facial Cleanser , $6 vs. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser , $15

Trop loves that this facial cleanser dupe has no scent and says it "feels super soothing."

"I would remove your makeup first with a cleansing towelette and then cleanse with this because this cleanser is not as effective at removing makeup by itself. My skin felt hydrated after, not tight or dry whatsoever," she says.

Tram also recommends Aldi's cleanser, saying it's "just as effective" as CeraVe's version.

10. Best Face Cream: Lacura Anti Wrinkle Care Day Cream , $4 vs. Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream , $13

Anti-aging beauty products don't have to be exorbitantly expensive. Case in point? Tram suggests considering Aldi's anti-wrinkle day cream that rivals Eucerin's version.

"It’s hard to argue with a price of just $4.19. Plus, it’s fragrance-free and absorbs quickly into the skin. It also lays well beneath foundation," he says.

11. Best Hand Cream: Lacura Laboring Hands Cream , $4 vs. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands , $8

"I have insanely dry, rough hands that are made worse by constant cleaning of my makeup kit and brushes with various chemicals," Trop says.

When she wants to give her hands a little TLC, the makeup artist turns to Aldi's more affordable alternative to O'Keefe's Working Hands.

"Laboring Hands Cream provides instant hydration without a greasy feel and without a scent," she says.

Up Next:

Sources:

Markphong Tram , makeup artist based in New York
Lindsey Trop , makeup artist based in Connecticut

This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Shopping, Deals & Freebies section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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