I have a theory that humans are hard-wired to associate high prices and beautiful containers with luxury products. Who can deny that a $136 Sisley Paris mask looks and sounds more beautiful than a $4 Queen Helene Mint Julep mask? Does a $10 pot of body cream really get your motor going the way a tub of lemony, luscious Kiehl's Creme de Corps does? ? And who among us hasn't walked past the La Mer counter and felt drawn to the infamous brand's promises of eternal youth and beauty, even if we know in our heart of hearts that there's nothing that special in its formulation?
I ask because a recent Into the Gloss article, "The $3000 Skincare Routine," left me wanting gorgeous Guerlain containers for my non-existent vanity and $165 tubes of body cream for my generally well-behaved skin. I actually had to sit myself down and say, "Renee, your skincare is fine. Your skincare is GREAT, even. Your face looks fine and your wallet is empty. Why lust after the expensive stuff?"
My most expensive products are my sunscreen (Shiseido SPF50+ is $39.00 at Sephora) and my cure-all balm (Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, $19.50), yet both of these products are regularly available at TJ Maxx and Marshall's for half the price. Hilariously, the products I depend on most to keep my dry skin from looking lizardy are the cheapest ones in my collection: Haus of Gloi skincare rarely retails for more than $10, the Avon Nurtura cream regularly goes on BOGO sale, a tube of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream will last you a thousand years, and that impossibly huge bottle of Queen Helene Cocoa Butter was $2 at Wal-Mart. With the possible exception of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Intensive Moisturizing Body Treatment, no high-end moisturizer has ever compared to these budget buys.
Of course, I know that the cost and effectiveness of my skincare is just part of a larger equation: my mother and grandmother always had beautiful, youthful skin, so to an extent I hit the genetic lottery. But I also learned good beauty practices from them, things like "always wash off your makeup" and "use a moisturizer with sunscreen," which I think have had an even bigger effect on my skin's clarity. Add to that the fact that I eat a decent diet with plenty of raw vegetables and water, and a $500 night cream has never been necessary.
I don't say these things to be smug or superior, simply to make a point: that affordable skincare, used alongside good skincare and eating practices, seem to get the job done. Yet the skincare market is absolutely saturated with bank-busting beauty products that promise to work a thousand times better than the drugstore alternatives. And I cannot deny that I've purchased $60 foundations instead of similar $6 formulations, or that I've tested out those uber-expensive oils and creams in the hopes of finding a miracle in a bottle. I also own at least three times more skincare and haircare products than the rest of the household combined:
Yeah, that's kind of embarrassing.
So I'm wondering: have any of you ever eyed expensive skincare, even if you didn't think it was necessary? Have you tried the $300 creams and serums--did they make a noticeable difference, or were they all hype? Why do we desire these incredibly expensive products? And of course, is it wrong to want luxury when affordability is seemingly just as effective (or is it)?
I've bought the pricey crappe, but I'm 57 and actually have issues with lines, sagging, and hyperpigmentation. At your age, I stuck to the basics. You're lucky that the basics are so much better! I don't think SPF15 was available until I was almost 30, and there was no such thing as a non-scented, makeup-friendly sunscreen--they all smelled like piña coladas.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I absolutely believe you! My mother and grandmother used Oil of Olay moisturizers for yeeeears, but I remember that the lotion one only had SPF15. And I still can't find an affordable spray-on sunscreen that isn't smelly (Banana Boat) or heavy (Coppertone Water Babies). You'd think we'd be further now...
DeleteInterestingly, the drugstore brands have JUST started to come out with decent anti-aging products, like some of the Cerave line (which my mom uses now) and that "becoming infamous" Neutrogena night cream with retinol. I really hope that they continue to improve their lines for mature skin, because everybody deserves nice products that won't break the bank.
I entertain the cheaper stuff in mid-range brands like Caudalie and Clarins (cleansers, etc. but definitely not their ultra fancy face creams), but I very rarely even consider high end because they normally have strong fragrance and I'm not a fan. I will happily use slightly more expensive products if I find they work better, but I'm more than happy to stick with drugstore (like my trusty Neutrogena salicylic acid lotion). To me, the experience is often what I go for rather than the products themselves, so if I find a face mask that feels amazing to use, has a relaxing scent, and is just really luxurious in general, I'll prefer that over a drugstore one that's a pain to get out of a tub, smells like chemicals, and spreads unevenly. My most expensive thing is also my sunscreen-- Kiehl's Super Fluid SPF 50+. I'm so fussy about it needing to be light and absorb quickly, and I really need an SPF above 30, which is a tricky combination to find at the drugstore.
ReplyDeleteThat's one thing that constantly turns me off of high-end skincare: the powerful fragrances. That new Diptyque line, for example, is super-expensive and just REEKS. If you want to give people luxury, okay, fine, but make it a luxury that even people who are sensitive to fragrance can use!
DeleteAnd I understand that feeling of luxury. When I can afford it, I get a tube of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizer for my body. It's stupidly expensive for what you get, but it feels AMAZING when you apply it.
Also, I am all for buying whatever you like and whatever works for you! I just think that a lot of luxury products are overpriced for what they contain, or use exploitative advertising. Sunscreens, though, definitely seem to work better in the more expensive lines, like your Kiehl's and my Shiseido. I have "try the Neutrogena liquid" on my list, because everybody raves about it in the Skincare board.
I certainly try to stick to cheaper skincare (which is kind of ironic since I tend to only buy high end makeup). Neutrogena's daily foaming cleanser is one of my favorites for removing makeup at the end of the day. I also use a lot of Paula's Choice stuff, which sometimes feels like it's more expensive even though the price is comparable to things like Olay.
ReplyDeleteI've been impressed with a lot of PC stuff. Most of it isn't to my tastes or doesn't suit my specific needs, mind you, but I could see a lot of people using and loving it!
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