Grey skies are back and your face feels it. Shelves are filling with wallet-friendly fixes before the first frost lands.
As temperatures dip and radiators click on, skin often responds with tightness, dullness and fine lines. Aldi’s Lacura counters the slide with a returning line-up of peptide-led skincare and glow-boosting drops designed for cold, wet months, arriving just in time for a seasonal routine reset.
Why peptides are having a moment
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as messengers to the skin. They nudge cells to make more collagen and elastin, the scaffolding proteins that keep skin springy. With age and colder weather, that scaffolding thins. A peptide moisturiser targets that drift while helping the skin barrier hold water for longer.
Lacura’s Multi‑Peptide Moisturiser returns with a seven‑peptide blend and waterlily extract. Waterlily is often used to calm redness, support hydration and offer antioxidant protection against everyday pollution and wind-chap.
Key takeaways: seven peptides for firmness signals, waterlily for calm and hydration, a £7 price point aimed at daily use.
The £7 cream taking on premium rivals
Shoppers will recognise the minimalist pot and its clean, gel‑cream texture. The formula aims to smooth the look of fine lines while keeping the barrier topped up through colder snaps. In use, peptides help reduce the appearance of wrinkles over time, while humectants draw moisture into the upper layers for a more elastic feel.
The obvious comparison is Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream. Protini lists nine peptides and a similar waterlily extract, while Lacura offers seven peptides for a fraction of the outlay. Those counts don’t tell the whole story, yet the ingredient logic is aligned: frequent peptide exposure plus barrier support to steady weather-stressed skin.
| Product | Peptides (count) | Notable extracts | Indicative UK price | Texture | Target concerns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lacura Multi‑Peptide Moisturiser | 7 | Waterlily | £7 | Light gel‑cream | Fine lines, dehydration, winter dullness |
| Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream | 9 | Waterlily | circa £60 (50ml) | Silky gel‑cream | Loss of firmness, texture, dryness |
If you want peptide benefits without a premium bill, Lacura offers a lower‑risk trial at daily-use pricing.
What’s landing in aisles on 25 September
The moisturiser arrives alongside glossy, barrier‑cushioning extras and glow‑giving boosters. The timing matters: central heating, wind and sleet conspire to disrupt the lipid barrier, so emollients and humectants pay dividends from late September onwards.
Peptide lip treatments at £2.99
Lacura’s Peptide Lip Treatments return in salted caramel, watermelon and unscented. The tubes blend peptides with shea butter, babassu and cupuaçu, three fatty‑rich emollients known to soften flaky lips and slow water loss. Think comfort now and a more even, plush look after repeated use.
- Flavours: salted caramel, watermelon, plus an unscented option
- Function: cushion the barrier and retain moisture through colder air
- Price: £2.99 each
Pocket‑money spend, cold‑weather payoff: a peptide hit for lips at £2.99 that doubles as an overnight balm.
Bronzing and glow drops for dull days
Two liquid boosters—Lacura Bronzing Drops and Glow Drops—can be mixed with moisturiser or body lotion for quick radiance. Both include niacinamide, vitamin E and marula oil: niacinamide for tone and pore appearance, vitamin E for antioxidant support, and marula oil for lightweight nourishment without a heavy film.
Use a single drop for a soft lift on greyer mornings, or mix two to three for a weekend glow that still reads skin, not shimmer.
Who will benefit—and who should go slow
Peptide moisturisers can suit a wide range of skin types, including dry, combination and sensitive. For oilier skins, a gel‑cream texture like Lacura’s sits neatly under sunscreen without pilling. If you already use retinoids, peptides may complement your routine by supporting repair signals without extra sting.
- Ideal for: tight, wind‑prone skin that loses water quickly; early fine lines; city commutes with pollution exposure
- Proceed gradually if: you layer multiple actives that tingle; your skin flares with fragrance (opt for unscented lip treatment)
- Patch test: try behind the ear or along the jaw for 48 hours before daily wear
How to build a cold‑weather routine with Lacura
Morning
- Cleanse: mild, low‑foam wash to avoid stripping.
- Treat: optional niacinamide serum if uneven tone or visible pores bother you.
- Hydrate: Lacura Multi‑Peptide Moisturiser over damp skin to lock in water.
- Boost: one drop of Glow or Bronzing Drops mixed into moisturiser for a soft‑focus finish.
- Protect: broad‑spectrum SPF 30+ every day, even under cloud.
Evening
- Cleanse: remove makeup and SPF fully.
- Repair: apply a retinoid a few nights per week if tolerated; alternate with simple hydrating nights.
- Nourish: re‑apply Lacura Multi‑Peptide Moisturiser to support overnight recovery.
- Lips: a pea‑sized blob of Peptide Lip Treatment as an overnight mask.
Layer actives on different nights: peptides nightly, retinoids two to four evenings weekly, acids on a separate day if needed.
Availability, price and value check
Lacura’s autumn skincare specials are scheduled to hit Aldi stores from 25 September, subject to local stock. The Multi‑Peptide Moisturiser is priced at £7; lip treatments are £2.99 each. Glow and Bronzing Drops carry ingredient lists built for skincare-first tints rather than pure makeup.
On cost per use, a 50ml moisturiser applied twice daily typically lasts six to eight weeks. At £7, that’s roughly 8–12p per application. Compared with a £60 peptide cream at about 85–95p per use, the barrier‑care habit becomes easier to keep every day, not just on special occasions.
What the ingredients signal about winter resilience
Seven peptides suggest a multi‑pathway approach: some signal collagen support, others help the skin look smoother by relaxing the feel of tight, dehydrated areas. Waterlily extract offers calm when colder air and rain sting. Niacinamide in the drops helps steady blotchiness after a windy walk home.
For lips, the trifecta of shea, babassu and cupuaçu delivers fast comfort thanks to fatty acids that mimic skin’s own lipids. That matters because central heating reduces indoor humidity, pulling water from the upper layers of the skin and lips.
Extra tips to get the most from a £7 peptide cream
- Apply on damp skin within 60 seconds of cleansing to trap extra water.
- Sandwich stronger actives: moisturiser, then retinoid, then a second thin layer of moisturiser on fragile areas.
- Don’t skip SPF; UV is the main driver of collagen loss, even in winter light.
- Mind the neck and chest: extend one pump to these areas where texture gives away the season first.
Beyond beauty: when to adjust expectations
Peptides don’t deliver overnight transformations, and that’s the point. Look for comfort immediately, then texture and bounce over four to eight weeks of regular use. If skin is inflamed or peeling, simplify: gentle cleanser, peptide moisturiser, SPF and a plain lip treatment until the barrier settles.
Those with deeper static lines may still want targeted retinoids or professional treatments for bigger changes. A budget peptide moisturiser, though, can anchor the daily routine so pricier actives feel less necessary—and so your face stays comfortable when the forecast doesn’t.
If this really gives Protini vibes for £7, I’m in. Anyone tried it under SPF on frosty mornings? Does it pill or play nice?
Seven peptides vs nine… does the count even mater if the formula’s weak? Skeptikal but curious.