$200 Is a Lot to Spend on a Face Cream—but It’s Worth It for These Luxury Skin Care Products
The only thing better than coming home with a bag full of new skin-care products to try out? Coming home with a bag full of new luxury skin-care products to experiment with. We know, we know, we're shopping enablers. But trust us, we have your best interests at heart. That's because the phrase "you get what you pay for" totally applies to skin care. And there's a huge difference between a $30 retinol cream and a $300 one—namely, how well it works. So, with that in mind, here are six luxury skincare products that are actually worth spending your hard-earned money on.
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Serums
These potent formulas are packed full of active ingredients that are meant to sink into your skin and improve its hydration, texture and tone. So there's no use in massaging in a mediocre serum that just looks pretty in the bottle. Instead, we want one made with high-quality actives that actually make us see a difference. The four below will make you believe in serums again, we promise.
Our Favorite: Vitner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum
This baby is a cult-favorite for a reason, which explains why we've written about it approximately ten times. Its 22 botanicals and over 60 nutrients leave the skin looking healthy, radiant and youthful.
Shop Other Serums We Love
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum $300
Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% $127
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum $166
Moisturizers
Skimp on a moisturizer and you'll probably end up with clogged pores, dry patches and roughness. Nobody wants that. A good face cream will practically pay for itself in the long-run by nourishing your skin with powerful hydrating ingredients. That means less expensive facials and advanced derm treatments in the future.
Our Favorite: Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer
Obagi specially designed this facial moisturizer to retain the skin's natural moisture while continuously releasing active compounds that continues to improve skin condition as you wear it.
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Jan Marini Transformational Face Cream $180
SKII R.N.A. POWER Radical New Age Cream $235
Retinol Creams
Sure, you can get a retinol cream at the drugstore. But they don't deliver results like the potent, high-end versions can. With these picks, you'll notice the anti-aging benefits after only a few uses. Now that's a hit to the wallet we can get behind.
Our Favorite: Clark's Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream
One PureWow editor raves, "I've seen the benefits of this bad boy first-hand. My 52-year-old mom's skin looked glowy and smooth after just one use. Magic." Enough said.
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SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream $88
Kate Sommerville +Retinol Vitamin C Moisturizer Cream $90
PCA Skin Intensive Clarity Treatment 0.5% Pure Retinol Night $110
Cleansers
If you think all cleansers are created equal, we have news for you: They're not. A quality cleanser will remove oil, dirt and buildup without stripping and dehydrating your skin. Plus as the first step, they're basically the foundation of your skin care routine—so you want a good one.
Our Favorite: CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ Softening Cleansing Foam
Looking to treat yourself (and your skin)? This divinely textured cleansing foam is made with precious diamond, silk and pearl powders. So. Fancy.
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Elemis Jumbo Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash $65
Tata Harper Skincare Regenerating Cleanser $84
Resurfacing Peels
You don't necessarily have to make a trip to the derm if you're on a mission to get smoother, more even-toned skin. Prestige resurfacing peels can get the job done from the comfort of your own bathroom. These four are known for being the best of the best.
Our Favorite: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula
Not sure if it's a necessity? Just ask the over 200 five-star reviews on Nordstrom's site.
Shop Other Resurfacing Peels We Love
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Instant Resurfacing Peel with 9.9% AHAs + BHA $75
Omorovicza Blue Diamond Resurfacing Peel $195
GOOPGLOW 15% Glycolic Overnight Glow Peel $125
Eye Creams
If you're reading this thinking "wait, but do eye creams even work?" you've clearly never had the pleasure of owning a luxury one. When infused with the right ingredients, eye creams can be a total game-changer when it comes to fighting crow's feet, dark circles and puffiness.
Our Favorite: Shiseido Benefiance Eye Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream
Use this morning and night, and the brand guarantees you'll see fewer wrinkles in just one week. Count us in.
Shop Other Eye Creams We Love
Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Cream $115
CHANEL Sumblimage La Crème Yeux Ultimate Regeneration Eye Cream $240
LANCÔME Génifique Eye Cream $67
PureWow may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from PureWow's editorial and sales departments.
