We all love a bit of luxury from time to time, whether that's designer garments or a fancy car; treating yourself every now and then is definitely a form of self care. Luxury skincare is its own world of caviar extracts, fermented sea kelp and £400 creams, and whatever you think of the prices, the brands below have earned their status at the top of it. Here are the top 5 most luxurious skincare brands worth knowing:
1. La Prairie
No doubt one of the most luxurious skincare and health brands out there. You'll find La Prairie items stocked at the likes of Harrods, costing sometimes upwards of £500 per formulation.
Founded in Montreux, Switzerland, the origins of the brand are from an anti-aging therapy perspective. Nowadays you'll find ingredients such as caviar infused into the formulations to lift and firm the skin. La Prairie also infuse fine fragrances into their products so you can indulge in a true at-home spa experience.
La Prairie, Skin Caviar Luxe Cream RRP: £407
2. Vine Vera
Founded in 2011, Vine Vera's focus is to provide skin care products for both sexes to transform complexions and skin care regimes.
Vine Vera primarily focuses on the addition of Resveratrol into their products. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant derived from red grapes, and it is seen to slow down the aging process; thus preventing fine lines and wrinkles from appearing.
Resveratrol Pinot Noir Longevity Cream, RRP: $800.00
3. La Mer
A tailored approach to skincare, La Mer was founded in 1965 by Huber. Crème de la mer was the original formulation, which literally translates to cream of the sea. Estée Lauder purchased the brand after Huber's death in 1991, which sort of explains the luxury factor.
La Mer use combinations of natural ingredients to create tailored products for all skin types.
Blue Heart Crème de la Mer, RRP: £355
4. Sisley Paris
Sisley Paris is a luxury cosmetic and perfume brand founded in 1972 in Paris, France. Plants and essential oils are a core part of Sisley's formulations and harmony is achieved between nature and the lab.
Sisley's expertise is in anti-aging, hydration and sun protection and they work hard to meet the needs of all skin types.
SISLEŸA L'INTÉGRAL ANTI-AGE, RRP: £327
5. Estée Lauder
While Estée Lauder perhaps isn't the most expensive brand it doesn't at all take away from the luxury factor. All of Estée Lauder's products come excellently packaged with various flashy bottles and tubs to spice up your bathroom cabinet.
Estée Lauder was founded in 1946 in New York City, USA. They're now a global giant who own many other companies (including La Mer as mentioned above). Estée Lauder produce many different lines of products for all skin types and concerns, particularly anti-aging.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, RRP £78.00
Is luxury skincare actually worth it?
The honest answer: you're paying for three things, and only one of them touches your skin. First, the formulation itself, which at this level genuinely is excellent: elegant textures, fine fragrances, stable actives and rigorous testing. Second, the experience: the weight of a La Prairie jar and the ritual of using it are real pleasures, and there's nothing wrong with paying for pleasure. Third, the brand: heritage, packaging and prestige, which is where most of the margin lives.
What luxury prices don't reliably buy is better results. The ingredients with the strongest anti-aging evidence (retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide, SPF and good moisturisation) are all available in excellent budget formulations; The Ordinary sells versions of most of them for under £10, and our retinol guide covers the one ingredient that out-performs everything in this list. A £355 Crème de la Mer is a beautiful moisturiser, but it is still, functionally, a moisturiser.
Our advice: build your results from proven actives at whatever price point suits you, and if a luxury piece brings you joy, add it as the treat it is. Skincare you love using is skincare you'll use consistently, and consistency is the real luxury.