Here’s What Happened When We Tried ALDI’s Famous Lacura Skin Creams for 10 Days

Ah, kids. They give us some of the biggest laughs of our lives. The biggest love too. They also give us grey hair and wrinkles. I should know – I have three. Children, not grey hairs, I mean. I’ve got plenty more than three of those. And more than three wrinkles too. 

Laugh lines, frown lines, staring-into-the-sun-at-junior-footy-and-cricket-game lines … I have them all. And while I wouldn’t swap any of my kids for quids – or the moments that put those wrinkles there – I’m quite happy to say sayonara to the wrinkles themselves.

But here’s the thing about having three kids – between the footy kit and the swim lessons and the ballet fees, there’s no budget for expensive high-end face creams or fancy spa treatments. And don’t even get me started on the cost of power bills and groceries!

Luxury skin care with a family-friendly price tag

So when ALDI asked Mum Central to try their Lacura skin care gift sets, with its family-friendly $29.99 price tag, I was happy to volunteer my wrinkles and put the anti-ageing face creams to the test. And I roped in Mum Central writer – and new mum – Naomi to help.

Each Lacura Gift Set includes a day cream (50ml), a night cream (50ml) and an eye cream (15ml). The only rule from ALDI was that we should use the skin creams twice a day for 10 days – and then tell you all how they worked. So we did. Keep reading to find out how these creams – one for women in their 30s and one for women in their 40s – went on our (slightly) wrinkly mum faces.

REVIEW 1: Lacura Caviar Illumination Face Care Gift Set

Made in Germany, Caviar Illumination is formulated especially for – ahem – 40-plus women. Yep, that’s me. (Though I’m still 29 on the inside, I’m sure.) The gift set includes a day cream with SPF15 sunscreen (so it’s preventing new wrinkles while fighting the ones you already have), a night cream and an eye mousse. Yaha – three jars of skincare products for less than $30. We told you it was easy on the family budget.

As the name implies, Lacura Caviar Illumination contains caviar extract to help improve skin elasticity and smooth those bits you want smoothed. But that, as they say, is not all. Inside each jar there’s also snow algae extract, an ingredient that stimulates collagen synthesis and counters visible signs of ageing. While my daughter was a little disappointed it didn’t turn me into Frozen‘s Elsa, my skin did feel smooth and silky. Just like the packaging promised.

Snow algae extract for the smooth skin win!

There’s a lot to like about this anti-ageing skincare set – and not just the price. Unlike some creams, these moisturisers don’t have a strong fragrance, so they won’t irritate you – or any kidlets that come close for a cuddle.

The creams absorb easily into the skin, but I found it better to wait five or 10 minutes in the morning before applying make-up. There’s a nice “tingle” on the skin after applying the cream, which I like to think is that magical snow algae going about its business to help smooth over those laugh lines and crow’s feet.

Each jar has its own “special” additional ingredient. For the day cream, it’s the SPF15 sunscreen, which protects against UV rays while also saving you time in the morning. The night cream includes Provitamin B5 to soothe and repair and there’s Hyaluronic acid to boost moisturisation. In the eye mousse, look out for Beautifeye with the caviar and algae extracts to help smooth those annoying crow’s feet and reduce puffiness and dark shadows so you look less tired.

A little goes a long way too, so you only need a dab, especially of the eye mousse. In fact, after more than 10 days’ use, the jars are still very full and my skin feels nicely hydrated. Confession: the first day I used it, I may have dabbed a little too much under my eyes. I felt the “tingle” that day, so trust me, less is more.  I can imagine each jar will last several months, so it’s incredible value.

Take that, wrinkles

So, how did it work? I liked it, I liked it a lot, especially the eye mouse.  While strangers didn’t stop me in the street to comment on my new youthful complexion, a fairly handsome Frenchman did offer to help me look for a lost earring on a night out last weekend. Thanks, ALDI. Plus, my friends tell me my skin looks “more glowy” than usual. And that’s good enough for me.

Watch what Nikki says here:

REVIEW 2: Lacura Icellage Cellular Face Care Gift Set

As a busy mama of three little humans, including a brand spanking new baby, Naomi has a few non- negotiables for her skincare regime. It needs to be quick and easy to use, and it needs to be effective. The Lacura Icellage Cellular Face Care Gift Set delivers on both.

Specifically formulated for 30-somethings, it’s for when you’re not quite ready to commit to full blown anti-ageing products, but need a little help to keep fine lines, first wrinkles and environmental damage (think sun, pollution, air conditioning and heating) at bay.

Ice, Ice Baby

The active ingredient in this Lacura skincare range is PhytoCellTec nunatak, based on the stem cells of an Alpine flower which survived the Ice Age. If that sounds impressive, it should. The cream signals the deeper layers of the skin to start regenerating and tackle cell turnover. The result? Fresh, healthy skin – and for only $29.99. Yep, you read that correctly.

So what does Naomi think after trialling the range for 10 days? She says it’s a winner. Fast absorbing, the day cream with added SPF 15+ left her skin feeling soft, smooth and conditioned without any annoying residual greasiness. She applied it under BB cream and found that her skin stayed hydrated all day and that the tint didn’t ‘slip’ off by midday.

The night cream in its little silver jar is super hydrating without the heaviness that sometimes comes from rich, highly moisturising products, Naomi says. Super busy with a new baby to take care of, she really liked how it attacked those sneaky first signs of ageing in a single jar. Her sensitive skin often reacts to ingredients or formulations, but she didn’t have an issue with this range.

The eye gel was Naomi’s favourite for how it worked on the little lines, helping to soften and almost create a diffusion effect. The gel texture was refreshing and absorbed instantly. She could apply in the morning (after a rough night pacing the floors with baby) and whack her usual under eye concealer on without needing to wait around. Winning!

Affordable pampering

Let’s face it. Being a mum means we often put ourselves and our own needs last so we can do more for our kids. ALDI’s Lacura Skincare Gift Sets means we don’t have to. It’s affordable pampering that us mums don’t have to feel guilty about. And it works. Take that, wrinkles. Now if only ALDI had a miracle cream to fix lack of sleep…

Watch what Naomi says too …

Lacura Caviar Illumination Face Care and Lacura Icellage Cellular Face Care Gift Sets ($29.99) are available as an  ALDI special buy on Wednesday, November 1. Make sure to mark it in your diary – your skin will look amazing for the family Christmas photos and you can also pick up some for Christmas presents. Find it in ALDI stores nationally while stocks last.

This is a sponsored article for ALDI. All opinions are those of Mum Central writers.