Aldi’s New £4.49 Setting Spray Makes A Play For Charlotte Tilbury’s Cult Classic

Looking for a beauty dupe? By now you knowAldi's Lacura range is the place to shop. Over the last year, the affordable supermarket giant has steadily built up a reputation for offering up affordable alternatives to the ever evolving pool of cult classics and viral beauty buys. Each of them certainly makes a serious play for their original counterparts. We've seen dupes of everything from Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush to Sol De Janeiro's well-loved Brazilian Crush range, and even a £5.99 dupe for the wildly popular Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540. It seems there isn't much that Aldi can't dupe and if you needed more proof of its dominance, look to its latest launch: a £4.49 alternative to Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray.

Now, I am a very (very) big fan of Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, £30, and will go so far as to say it's the best setting spray I've ever tried. Granted there are plenty on the market to choose from, ones that mattify, ones that give a glow, ones that put skin first, and others that will see you through rain or shine, but Charlotte Tilbury's manages to do all of the above with the addition of an actual filter-like airbrush finish.

It's an award-winning viral buy for good reason. With 182.5M views on TikTok, those touting about the cult buy will be quick to point out its merits. It boasts a featherweight, hydrating and delicately floral scented formula, which works to prime the skin and also lock make-up into place with a covetable smoothing, blurred, soft-focus finish. Packed with a blend of aloe vera, Japanese green tea and aromatic resin, it also soothes and takes care of skin while working its magic. All of this puts it up there in the category of next level, new-gen setting sprays that work hard to level up your make-up.

Our verdict on the Aldi Lacura Illuminate Setting Spray

So how does a £4.49 dupe fair in comparison? Aldi's Lacura Illuminate Setting Spray, £4.49, promises to 'lock your make-up in place for a long-lasting airbrushed finish,' with a multitasking formula that has a lightweight, hydrating feel and a delicate floral scent. At first glance, the resemblance is uncanny, it comes equipped in a burgundy box with rose gold writing and sparkles (I did say uncanny), the bottle also features a frosted finish and rose gold cap just like Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray.

On application it does a very decent job of budge-proofing my make-up and I imagine I would reach for this again for moments when I'm on-the-go and touch ups are required. The scent is, as the brand says, delicate, soft and unproblematic, and the formula feels hydrating and comfortable on the skin. Does it keep things in place all night long? I wouldn't say so. Other points of difference to note are the pump – Charlotte Tilbury's deposits a fine veil of mist delicately over skin, while Aldi's pump is far more generous and works better for when you need a refreshing hit moisture. As for the airbrush finish, the original wins on this occasion. That said, at £4.49 this cheaper alternative is great to have in your bag for daily make-up wear and will certainly help keep things looking fresh throughout the day.

Shop: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Aldi's Lacura Illuminate Setting Spray is available in stores now