While higher price points do not always directly correlate with efficacy, it’s no secret that some expensive hair- and skin-care products are truly worth the cost. Even with dedicated research, affordable alternatives to luxury formulas may fall short. As a result, you may very well get caught in the cycle of buying burnout, essentially throwing away bottles of ineffective products (and your money) in the process.
If you’re interested in investing in your skin-care and hair-care routines, there are several standout products you might want to consider. R+Co Bleu Vapor Lotion to Powder Dry Shampoo is a dry shampoo with a grease-absorbing formula that’s so innovative that it was awarded a 2022 Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough Award. Far from your typical drying lotion, the Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Mark Fading Gel addresses signs of post-acne scarring and discoloration in as little as three days.
The TL;DR: when we say that something is worth the splurge, we mean it. That’s why we’ve curated a list of expensive-but-worth-it winners from the Allure Best of Beauty Awards — all available on Amazon with Prime shipping, so they’ll arrive in time for any last-minute gifting needs.
Luxury Skin Care on Amazon
Tatcha The Texture Tonic is an exfoliating treatment that manages to be effective and gentle, enlisting the help of fruit AHAs (derived from apple, grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, hawthorn, and jujube), niacinamide, Japanese mugwort, and wild rose to visibly soothe irritated complexions. This is especially fantastic if your skin errs on the dry side, as it manages to clarify pores without eliminating natural oils.
Get glowing with Coola’s Dew Good Illuminating Serum Sunscreen SPF 30, a luminous alternative to greasy, heavy, and white-cast-inducing formulas. Packed with hyaluronic acid for hydration, this silky serum provides a shimmery finish for a lit-from-within look.
iS Clinical Active Peel System is an at-home, two-step peel system that rivals expensive spa treatments. Step one cleanses and treats with sugarcane, witch hazel, willow bark acid, and orange, lemon, and apple extracts; step two provides hydration with tripeptides. The result? Reduced fine lines and a brighter, smoother complexion.
Rich in niacinamide, Kate Somerville’s EradiKate Acne Mark Fading Gel tackles all post-acne concerns. It diminishes scarring, neutralizes texture and tone, and helps prevent future breakouts with salicylic acid. Bonus: it’s gentle enough to be used morning and night and a fast-absorbing consistency means this won’t stain or rub off on pillowcases.
A 2019 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, StriVectin’s Hyaluronic Tripeptide Gel-Cream has a dual-phase formula that targets signs of fine lines, dryness, and puffiness. The cooling gel phase contains hyaluronic acid and peptides to deeply hydrate skin, while the cream phase contains niacin and vitamin B3 to strengthen the delicate area.
