The Aldi perfumes to know, including its £5.99 alternative to baccarat rouge 540
The budget fragrances smell high-end
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Have a high-end taste (and nose) without the budget? Aldi should be your go-to destination. When it comes to beauty, the supermarket proves time after time that you needn’t spend a fortune to enjoy designer-quality products.
From Charlotte Tilbury-inspired make-up to Olaplex haircare alternatives, Aldi’s roster of budget alternatives is unrivalled – particularly its perfume offering.
Whether it’s products hailing from the Lacura range or Hotel Collection line, the supermarket is much-loved by fragrance fanatics and frugal shoppers alike for its affordable versions of cult scents, from Thierry Mugler, YSL and Creed to Carolina Herrera and Escentic Molecules. Better still, Aldi’s scents cost less than £10.
Now, designer fragrance aficionados are hailing Aldi’s latest perfume launch as a Maison Francis Kurkdjian baccarat rouge 540 eau de parfum alternative, namely, the Lacura cardinal red eau de parfum.
Here’s everything you need to know about the TikTok-approved perfume which is available in-store now, plus details on its other sell-out perfume alternatives. While some of its perfumes are out of stock at the moment, Aldi often brings back its most popular buys, so we’re hoping they’ll make a comeback soon.
Aldi Lacura cardinal red eau de parfum: £5.99, Aldi.co.uk
Aldi’s Lacura cardinal red eau de parfum has been likened to Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s baccarat rouge 540 eau de parfum. The designer scent boasts woody and floral notes and sets shoppers back more than £200 a pop. While Aldi’s alternative blends sweet, floral jasmine with a hint of sandalwood, offering spicy and floral notes comparable to those of the Francis Kurkdjian, and totals just £5.99 for a 50ml bottle. We’re yet to test Aldi’s alternative, so cannot vouch for how long the fragrance lasts and how it actually compares to the designer perfume.
Lacura floral love eau de parfum, 100ml: £5.99, Aldi.co.uk
Aldi’s scent shares plenty of ingredients with Viktor & Rolf’s cult flowerbomb fragrance (£76, Amazon.co.uk), including rose, freesia, bergamot and patchouli. These florals are complemented by darker, woody aromas of musk and creamy vanilla. This scent is sold out, but we’re keeping an eye out for it in case it returns.
Lacura men’s gentleman eau de toilette: £4.99, Aldi.co.uk
Inspired by Jean Paul Gaultier’s le male (£67, Boots.com), Aldi’s gentleman scent will set you back just £4.99, saving you around 90 per cent. A great gift to a partner or loved one, the fresh fragrance features woody notes with hints of mint, lavender and cinnamon complementing the vanilla base. While the fragrance is currently out of stock, we’ll be keeping watch to see whether it does return, so make sure to check back with us if you’re keen to try the scent for yourself.
Hotel Collection no.1 lime, basil and mandarin eau de parfum, 100ml: £6.99, Aldi.co.uk
Aldi’s Hotel Collection comes in the same 100ml size bottle. According to the retailer, the bargain fragrance boasts top notes of lime, mandarin orange and bergamot, working together with middle notes of basil, lilac, iris and thyme, with base notes of patchouli and vetiver. If you love the aroma of Jo Malone’s signature scent, Aldi’s budget alternative sounds just as fresh and vibrant, for a fraction of the price.
Hotel Collection no39 poppy and barley eau de parfum, 100ml: £6.99, Aldi.co.uk
A pocket-friendly alternative to Jo Malone’s cult poppy and barley cologne (£118, Jomalone.co.uk), Aldi’s version is more than 90 per cent cheaper for the same 100ml size bottle. Featuring top notes of poppy and barley, the vibrant scent is perfect for spritzing on sunny spring days.
Looking for more Aldi recommendations? Read our review of Aldi’s Olaplex alternative