The beauty industry today is increasingly shifting its focus on skincare and we couldn’t be happier. Modern beauty routines include excessive amounts of skin-prep and while that works out wonderfully for the health of your skin in the long run–an addiction to luxe beauty can make your paycheck disappear faster than you can earn it. Talking exclusively about luxury skincare products today, we decided to dive deeper into some outrageously-priced products that seem to have a hold on our wallets.
So put a face-mask on, because you’re in for a ride.
What’s making these products sell like hotcakes?
Celebrity endorsements, state-of-the-art packaging, 24k gold, active ingredients or just a powerhouse brand name? Sometimes it might be one of the other and sometimes it’s a combination of everything. How does the lay-woman then decide what’s worth her pretty pennies? Should you be shelling out those extra thousands? The key is to look for active ingredients. Skincare products like serums and essences are packed with active ingredients that help address a wide variety of concerns like redness, dullness, blackheads, whiteheads, acne and hyperpigmentation. If you get lucky, you will find one miraculous bottle that checks all your boxes.
Do you really need it?
Well, yes and no. Some of us just have a fondness for luxury products, the rest of us do it for the gram’ and a few of us do it for the ingredients. If you’re a beauty enthusiast, sometimes we just WANT to feel the pleasure of using a fancy product. That self-care ritual of smacking on a moisturiser that’s practically a visual masterpiece, makes you feel good. If you’re in the market for a swanky new skincare product, we’ve found you 5 editor-approved products that you will fall in love with. They might, however, cost as much as your monthly rent, so don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Vintners Daughter – Active Botanical Serum
A serum that’s loved by beauty editors and celebrities like Sofia Richie, Lady Gaga and Gwenyth Paltrow sounds worth a try, doesn’t it? This serum is actually a facial oil – and not just any facial oil. It’s touted to be THE facial oil that will put an end to every other facial oil you have ever tried. This bad boy contains 22 of the world’s most potent, active organic botanical ingredients and a single bottle takes about 3 weeks to prepare! Does the price tag make more sense now? No? Okay, let’s continue. A few drops of this oil can take you back to your infant-skin days of being pore-free and zitless. It smooths, plumps, firms, moisturises and reverses all the damage you caused all those times you stepped into the sun without sunscreen. No matter what your skin type, you can use it day and night AND layer under any of your existing products! If you have tried this serum, you know what I mean. Here’s me sending my sincerest e-apologies to your constantly depleting bank balance.
La Mer – Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream
For approximately 28gms of product, this is possibly the world’s most expensive moisturiser. It’s widely used by celebrities, makeup artists and beauty influencers. But what makes each gm of this worth Rs 481? (Yes, I actually did the math.) This cream is one of La Mer’s original skincare products and it might be best suited for people with dry and dehydrated skin. Infused with La Mer’s signature Miracle Broth, this moisturiser basically comes straight out of the ocean. The fermentation process to make the signature broth that’s the miracle ingredient in most La Mer products takes 3-4 months to prepare. According to La Mer’s website, the Miracle Broth is “A blend of sea kelp, calcium, magnesium, potassium, lecithin, iron, Vitamins, C, E and B12, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa and sunflower go into the broth, but its “miracle” lies in the way these ingredients are combined – a process called biofermentation. This 3-4 month process results in a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, with the power to transform the skin’s appearance.” The cream is thick and creamy in consistency, like hummus, and might just take a little elbow grease getting it absorbed into every corner of your face. But the end result is TOTALLY worth it. Even if you have just spent a week in the Sahara, your skin is going to look like a dewy, bouncy marshmallow.
SkinCeuticals – Prevent C E Ferulic
Step into a dermatologist’s clinic complaining about dull, blemished skin and you will be prescribed some sort of antioxidant cream and a Vitamin C serum. Think of Vitamin C as an eraser for bad skin. Blemishes, hyperpigmentation, tan and acne scars will be completely wiped off the surface of your face. If you’ve used one of those over-the-counter Vit-C serums you know the worst part — they break you out, smell awful and are incredibly sticky and just aren’t worth the hassle. If you wonder what gives every celebrity uses (apart from botox and fillers) to get that blemish and wrinkle-free skin, Vitamin C (and Retinol) is your answer. This SkinCeuticals serum combines the best of the best. Vitamin C, E and Ferulic acid come together to bring you an anti-aging cocktail like no other. It absorbs into your skin, won’t break you out (because of its composition) and isn’t sticky. Be prepared to light up because in just a few days, your tired, grumpy skin will be beaming, blemish-free and your spots and fine lines will start to be less noticeable.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
A cult-favourite product all over Japan, this treatment essence is fondly called miracle water. The formula of this has been the same for close to four decades! And yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. It’s a decorated toner. A single bottle of SK-II’s essence is packed with a 90% concentration of an active ingredient called Pietra (it’s a bio-ingredient that has over 50 micro-nutrients.) Potent, right? Effective too. A few drops of this on a cotton pad after cleansing can actually boost the absorption of all your other skincare products. Despite its water-like feel, hydrated and glowy skin days stand before you. Lines, wrinkles, blemishes and dryness will all take a backseat and you can attribute it all to this miracle in a bottle.
SUNDAY RILEY – Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment
Good Genes, bad habits? Me too! This elegant skincare product from Sunday Riley is cheekily called Good Genes because well, that’s what it is potentially going to do for your skin–make it look like you were born this way. The AHA rich product has a cult following and has managed to remain front and centre for millions of shelfies. Other brands have tried to dupe the formula (and failed, of course.) So what makes this worth your paycheck? It’s a dermatologist-grade product that promises to exfoliate, brighten, plump, smoothen and fade hyperpigmentation. People who struggle with textured, clogged skin will particularly love this. It can be used day and night as an exfoliating serum, even if you have sensitive skin. The ingredient list is as elegant as the packaging. It contains actives like purified, glycolic acid, surgical-grade filtered water combined with botanicals like aloe, prickly pear and cactus extract. The brand has nailed the formula down to the T. You’re really getting what you paid for with this one – great skin!
Are there any other luxury skincare products you have tried? We’d love to know!
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