11 Luxury Skincare Products That Are Worth The Money, According To Experts

My skincare routine is one of two halves. While my face wash (Garnier Gentle Hydrating Deep Face Cleanser) is a modest £9.99, my current moisturiser is almost 11 times dearer at £108. From the delicate scent to the cosseting texture, using it morning and night feels like the ultimate treat and it takes the chore out of caring for my finicky skin. 

Here’s the thing: Affordable brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List will always have a dedicated spot inside my bathroom cabinet but I will open my purse for the right luxury product — particularly if it spotlights barrier repair. (Decorté Liposome Advanced Repair Serum, £55, and U Beauty The Barrier Bioactive Treatment, £191, are just two purchases that have swayed me in recent years. Personally, I think they're worth every penny.)

While it’s not exactly true that high-end skincare is “better” than cheaper skincare (it’s subjective and depends on how much you can spend), there are a few distinct differences. A lot of the time, the price of a high-end product reflects a more advanced formulation. Though testing has progressed in recent years — and it is possible to come by effective products at lower price points — the likes of vitamin C and retinol, for example, can be tricky to stabilise. (Stable ingredients are less likely to break down over time and become ineffective so you might expect to pay more for a formula that promises a longer shelf life.) 

Then there’s the packaging. Airtight, opaque tubes and bottles tend to be of a higher quality and protect the formula more carefully than clear dropper bottles. They can be more expensive. All in all, an investment in ingredients, research and packaging, plus the overall user experience, typically sets luxury products apart from cheaper alternatives. How a product makes you feel is not to be sniffed at; I think that luxury skincare is so often a reward for the senses. 

But let’s be real. In a world of rising bills, it’s not always possible to keep a luxury beauty stash topped up, and if you’re anything like me (I go through skincare at lightning speed) it’s likely that you’re questioning what is really worth your money. To weed out the must-haves from the waste-of-times, R29 asked a handful of beauty experts and experienced editors to share the luxury skincare products that have transformed their routines for the better. From Augustinus Bader to SkinCeuticals, here are their top picks. 

“This product lives up to the name and it really is the richest cream I have used on my face. I am prone to dry skin, especially in the evenings (more so in winter), and this cream banishes that dry feeling as soon as it is applied. I was apprehensive as I didn’t want a really greasy product but this soaks into the skin well and leaves it feeling supple and re-energised. The TFC8 technology [a patented technology composed of vitamins and amino acids, essential for producing collagen and elastin] also ensures that I am benefiting from omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants. One application is enough, which helps to make this wonder product last for longer.”

“For something with a water-like texture, a three-figure price tag is dear. No matter how many zingy ingredients or clever benefits, spending over £100 requires thought and consideration, no matter the item. But if you have skin like mine (incredibly sensitive to stress, dust, pollution and generally being alive), finding products that are gentle enough to not irritate it — but potent enough to show tangible results — is crucial. For me, Tatcha's The Essence is absolutely that. I've used it morning and night for the last two years and the improvement in the strength, resilience and softness of my skin is incredible. My hunch is that Hadasei-3™, which is the name Tatcha gives to the trio of fermented ingredients in The Essence (rice, green tea and algae), has helped improve the integrity of my skin barrier, which in turn has helped with moisture retention and fewer flare-ups. It's a non-negotiable in my (admittedly short) skincare routine — at home or away.”

“Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. Vitamin C has everything I look for in a good product. It's very well formulated with 15% vitamin C and it feels fantastic to use; it sinks into the skin quickly and doesn't feel greasy. Finally, it has a faint but not overpowering citrus smell, which I personally love.”

“One luxury skincare product that is worth the money would be the Wildsmith Super Hydrating Overnight Mask. It’s a super moisturising face mask which helps to strengthen and restore the skin barrier. It plumps, hydrates and smoothes the skin while helping to reduce redness and calm irritation. It's the perfect pairing for my Inner Harmony Gut Skin Rejuvenation Facial.”

“I love Revision Skincare’s C+ Correcting Complex 30%. It’s a highly concentrated vitamin C serum but not at all irritating. It has a very nice, light creamy texture that absorbs quickly and leaves the skin glowing. It’s one of the best vitamin C serums I have used.”

“Chanel’s CC Cream is so lightweight I use it instead of foundation. It makes my skin feel hydrated without being heavy and it evens out my skin tone. Best of all, it has SPF 50 and UVA protection [UVA rays can cause premature ageing and skin cancer], preventing UV damage. I also like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum. It is an excellent antioxidant serum that helps improve skin’s appearance by protecting the skin against environmental damage caused by free radicals [essentially pollution and UV rays in the environment]. It combines vitamins C, E and ferulic acid, brightening the skin and evening skin tone.”

“I have a tricky time defining luxury. Does it mean dropping a hefty sum of money or is it all in the name? For me, Jan Marini Transformation Face Cream, £108, dispels any confusion. I was introduced to the brand by consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto, who recommended the cleanser (£38), but I’ve since graduated to the moisturiser. The texture is unlike anything else. It occupies a curious space between a jelly and a cream, which makes my combination skin soft (that’ll be the glycerin), plump (thanks to hyaluronic acid and skin-strengthening peptides) and subtly glowy — all without breaking me out. I’ve received a handful of compliments since using it. Aside from marketing, I believe that the difference between luxury and premium brands isn’t all that big. If you want to spend a little less, I particularly like Elemis, namely its Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm, £49. Using it feels like a spa experience. The smell, the rich texture and the way it slices through waterproof makeup with ease means that I’m always willing to budget for it.”

“I’ve definitely grappled with the aesthetics versus efficacy of luxury skincare but Hue’s Supra-Fade Dark Spot Night Serum allows me to indulge in both. It’s truly the most fast-acting and effective hyperpigmentation serum I’ve tried, and you can even get your serum in a limited-edition giant golden egg. From a formulation perspective, you have a lot of the heavy-hitting, pigment-fighting ingredients like azelaic acid, alpha arbutin and kojic acid, which I know is quite expensive to formulate with. It's a true example of how science can transform the luxury skincare space.” 

“For me, true luxury in skincare means something that is tailored to you by a specialist and actually works to deliver results. Normally, seeing a dermatologist and having us formulate a personalised cream can cost hundreds of pounds. Don’t get me wrong, it’s often money well spent, especially if you have been struggling with your skin. We recognise the price point isn’t achievable for everyone so we created Klira [alongside dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne]. It’s all the best ingredients in a luxury cream but with the addition of tailored ingredients based on a dermatology specialist assessing your skin.”

“Sisleÿa L'Intégral Fresh Gel Cream comes in at over £400. This is audacious, I’m all too aware, but stay with me. My job as a beauty editor affords me the luxury of having access to a lot of beauty samples ranging from high street to high end. As a journalist, it’s not exactly a secret that I couldn’t afford anything from Sisleÿa otherwise. That said, when I do eventually leave the industry (and no longer have access to the glorious Grazia beauty cupboard), would I save up and splurge? I’ve thought about it and perhaps shockingly, it does feel likely. The cream itself just works like magic for me. It’s silky, lightweight and satisfyingly fast-absorbing, plus it’s brimming with skin-beautifying ingredients like soya protein and apple seed. I’ll apply a pea-sized drop and massage it into my complexion and see an instant reduction in the appearance of my fine lines. Phrases like ‘facial in a jar’ are bandied around all the time but I truly am left with noticeably plumper, more radiant skin; such instant results don’t come often where skincare is concerned. That’s where my ‘girl math’ reasoning comes in. I’ve already delegated this as my ‘special occasion’ moisturiser for birthdays, weddings and holidays — pretty much any time I want to feel like a more put-together version of myself. Considering cost per use? And the price of booking in for an actual facial? Well, I think I’ve found myself a bargain…”

“de Mamiel was one of the first luxury skincare brands I was introduced to as a 25-year-old baby beauty editor. (Before I got into beauty, ‘luxury skincare’ to me was the Dermalogica products that my posh friends at uni used.) I went to see de Mamiel's founder, skin health specialist Annee de Mamiel, for an acupuncture facial. She fascinated me as she explained the principles of acupuncture, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. Annee blends the antioxidant-rich oils by hand, creating a different oil for each of the seasons, in keeping with the principles of Eastern medicine. The idea is that you inhale the oil blend before applying it to soothe the mind as well as the skin; the oils smell seriously heavenly so it's a gorgeous ritual to perform every night. I was reluctant to use them on my spot-prone complexion (this was the late '00s, when we had all been told oil in skincare was the devil) but my skin drank them up and felt incredibly soft and smooth, with a post-workout glow. While I tend to avoid extravagant skincare (all my money goes on prescription tretinoin), this is one splurge I can definitely justify.”