Aldi's Lacura Beauty Advent Calendar, priced at £19.99, goes on sale this month with 12 products from the supermarket's beauty line. A Liverpool ECHO shopping writer tested it ahead of the October 25 launch to see if it is worth choosing over traditional chocolate calendars.
First Impressions and Design
The calendar arrives in a deep burgundy box decorated with gold stars, giving it a premium feel. Inside, the box folds out in a way that resembles opening a classic jewellery box or dollhouse. The main drawback is the number of doors: only 12. The writer noted that feeling short-changed by a 24-door calendar makes 12 windows disappointing, and in their opinion, it should not really qualify as an advent calendar.
What's Inside the Calendar
The products inside span hair care, skincare, lip products, and accessories. The full list includes a claw clip, large plush scrunchie, jade gua sha, set-and-forget clear brow gel (2.8 ml), vanilla lip balm (7.5 g), plumping lip gloss in Perfect Peach (5.1 ml), hair repair oil (15 ml), one sheet mask, leave-in conditioner (50 ml), sweet blusher liquid blush in Pink Lace, and one pair of eye pads.
The lip plumping gel stood out as a fun product to experiment with, something the writer would not usually buy. The packaging had a luxury feel, and the colour and fold-out design were praised.
Value for Money and Verdict
Unlike higher-end brands, Aldi does not state the combined value of the products if purchased separately, though it certainly exceeds the £20 price tag. It will not offer the multi-hundred-pound savings seen with luxury equivalents. The writer estimated they would regularly use about half of the products, with haircare items, under-eye patches, a gua sha, and brow gel being practical additions, while face masks, lip glosses, and liquid blushers are harder to match to individual tastes and skin types.
Ultimately, buying individual items tailored to a specific routine is probably more cost-effective in the long run, but the variety means there is a little something for everyone. The calendar is a great choice for anyone looking to try new Aldi products or experience the trend without the heavy price tag, and could also make an early gift or birthday present for December babies who love a bargain beauty find.
