A former Estée Lauder employee has declared that Aldi's £6.99 Lacura Golden Solstice perfume is "very very similar, if not identical" to the designer brand's £78 Bronze Goddess scent, making it a must-buy for bargain hunters.
A Fraction of the Price
Danielle Kate Wroe, who worked at Estée Lauder from 2019 to 2020, praised Bronze Goddess as one of the most gorgeous summertime perfumes on the market. However, at £78, it may be too pricey for a seasonal scent, even with its promise of "a creamy and sensual fragrance with notes of tiare flower, coconut, and amber, evoking visions of summer skin".
Aldi's Lacura range offers a strikingly similar alternative for just £6.99. Wroe notes that you could purchase 11 Golden Solstice perfumes for the price of one Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess, and she believes they are similar enough that most people couldn't tell the difference. In fact, she suggests the Lacura version may have a nicer dry-down and smell more uplifting than its expensive counterpart.
Expert Opinion and User Reactions
Wroe, who smelled Estée Lauder perfumes daily during her tenure, admits she can usually spot the difference between the real deal and a similar perfume, but with this one, "you'll genuinely struggle to tell the difference".
TikTok user @budgetbeautyemi also tried the Golden Solstice perfume for the first time, exclaiming, "That smells the same." After smelling both side by side, she agreed: "This is very very similar, if not identical to Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess."
However, some commenters complained about the perfume's longevity, claiming it "only lasts 30 minutes". Wroe didn't experience this issue, noting that hours after spraying it on herself and her clothes, she could still smell it. She suggests dabbing Vaseline on wrists to help with longevity.
Another Bargain Fragrance
Aldi is also offering the Lacura Elara Eau de Parfum for £6.99, which is said to be similar to Kylie Jenner's Cosmic perfume.
