When I heard that Aldi was launching a range of skincare that would rival the likes of Glow Recipe and Laneige, I zipped to the Bromsgrove branch quicker than you can say 'niacinamide'.

My local Selly Oak store is always teeming with students and I couldn't risk getting into a punch-up over a Lacura lip balm, so I thought I'd drive to Bromsgrove where there was a higher chance of me getting my hands on the good stuff.

And I was right, the shelves were well-stocked with the products I'd been lusting after.

Instead of buying them and immediately telling you our first impressions, we've been testing them over the last two weeks so we can give you a full review.

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While you can give a decent write-up after trying a product once or twice, skincare is something best trialled over a longer period.

This might mean that your local store is now out of stock, but it will give you a good idea of what to try if Aldi brings it back - they've done that a lot with their popular products (I have back-ups of the toner that is a dead ringer for the Pixi Glow Tonic, just in case it disappears).

Here's what we found:

Watermelon Gel Moisturiser

The product I was mostly looking forward to testing was the Watermelon Gel Moisturiser. I have wanted to try the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask for a while, but at £41, it seemed like a risk - there's nothing worse than splurging on a product only to find it makes you red and splotchy.

I have normal skin by and large. In the winter I might have a few dry patches but, on the whole, it's neither dry nor greasy. I have the occasional spot on my chin (thanks, hormones) but it's mostly just a bog standard face.

The Watermelon Gel Moisturiser smells good enough to eat

The thing that struck me immediately when I looked at the jar was the shelf life - you have only three months to use it before it's past its best.

The pink 50ml glass packaging is heavy and luxe-feeling, just like the Glow Recipe version.

Furthermore, it contains a number of excellent, skin-loving ingredients, like vitamin E, niacinamide and watermelon fruit extract.

Vitamin E helps your cells regenerate, niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) fights acne and blemishes while watermelon fruit extract is brightening as it's high in vitamin C.

The gel itself smells divine - if I didn't think it'd make me sick, I could be tempted to put some in a Victoria sponge. Can you eat face cream?

It's very thick but has good slip, and it glides over the skin. For the first hour or so, your skin feels a little bit sticky, so it's quite nice to use under make-up as it gives you a hydrated base but some tackiness makes it feel like it really grips your foundation.

If you're applying just the moisturiser, expect for your hair to stick to it if a breeze catches you.

I've been using it for two weeks, generously, day and night and I've used at least half - maybe the short shelf life has me panic-slathering.

Overall, my skin feels hydrated, largely blemish-free and smelling juicy and delicious. I'd definitely repurchase, especially for £4.99.

Please bring it back, Aldi. Especially ahead of winter when everyone's face needs a little bit of extra hydration thanks to the central heating.

Avocado Bright Eyes

Bright eyes... burning like fire... I was really hopeful that this retinol sleeping mask wasn't going to leave me with fiery peepers, and fortunately for me, it didn't cause any discomfort at all.

Coming in at £4.49, this little green glass jar holds 15ml of product. Compared to the watermelon moisturiser, that felt a bit expensive.

That said, it's a dupe for the Glow Recipe £41 eye mask, so it's hard to complain about cost in comparison.

The eye cream only has a shelf life of three months

The thick Lacura cream contains coffee seed extract (known for its skin-firming properties), retinol (which is said to smooth fine lines), moisturising avocado oil and shea butter and niacinamide (like the watermelon product).

It's difficult to view any eye mask as being particularly effective after using caffeine solution. I've been using The Ordinary's 5% caffeine solution from Boots and it has instant and visible effects on my morning puffiness and dark circles.

That said, the Avocado Bright Eyes does give my eye area a boost of moisture, it's just nothing groundbreaking. I think if I was to shop over again, I'd skip on this one.

Given you only need to use a pea-sized amount, I'm not convinced I'll get through the jar before it goes off in three months.

It doesn't have a tasty scent (or any fragrance at all, for that matter) so I just don't think it's a must-buy. I'm glad I didn't have to deck a student to get my hands on this - it wouldn't have been worth it and I don't think you're allowed to take glass in a jail cell.

Dewy Lip Balm

I've been a fan of Laneige since they first came to the UK. At first, I could only get my mittens on the grapefruit scented Lip Sleeping Mask from Selfridges, which at £19 felt a bit steep, but it really is the most deeply moisturising lip product I've tried.

Now Selfridges stocks the Korean brand's Lip Glowy Balm for £16 a pop, and I have no doubt that it's amazing.

So when I saw that Lacura were stocking their Dewy Lip Balm, complete with a component barely distinguishable from Laneige's version, I had to grab them.

I picked up the pear scent, and the berry one too. Why not? They were only £1.99 a piece.

The lip balm is comparable to Laneige, but the scent is strong

Packed with ingredients like shea butter and coffee seed oil, it seemed as though it couldn't possibly be disappointing.

And in many ways, they weren't. They give your lips a lovely, plump glossy look, so they're really lovely to wear over a lip liner in place of a lipstick.

The nourishing feeling lasts for ages too - unlike other balms that seem to disappear within an hour, this rich texture clings to your lips in a non-gloopy fashion, keeping them juicy and hydrated.

There's only one downside, and I think it will come down to personal preference - the scent is just overwhelming.

The pear fragrance smells like something from my past - Jolly Ranchers, maybe? - and it's so strong that you can smell it through the plastic tube.

When I first apply it, the scent lingers and it's pleasant. But then it affects your day. Having a sip of coffee? Now it's pear flavoured. Bite of a cheese sandwich? Pear flavoured. It's just inescapable.

I imagine teenagers will absolutely love this product, but for those of us who just want to enjoy the full splendour of the dinner in front of us, it's something of a hurdle.

So if Aldi are planning to bring back any of the K Beauty products, we've really got our hearts set on the watermelon pudding.

I mean, moisturiser.