You probably already know what the answer is.
Perfect skin has become the ultimate quest for the modern man and woman. It’s become normal, if not a point of pride, to spend hundreds (even literal thousands) of dollars on pricey skincare that will edge you just a little bit closer to that goal of bump-free, evenly textured, beautifully radiant skin.
It’s not bad to want to maintain your skin and keep it healthy — drinking water, applying sunscreen and washing off your makeup before bed are all things you should be doing on the daily. But spending $300 on serums and potions that promise an elixir of youth? Save your dollars! There’s no reason to drop that kind of money if you’re working minimum wage!
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most expensive (and for some reason popular) products on the market that command the heftiest price tags for sometimes literal water and silicone. Yeesh.
Dr. Sturm Hyaluronic Acid, $300
Source: Vogue / YouTube
If you’re like us and shamelessly spend hours watching those Vogue videos of celebrities applying their skincare and makeup, you’ve probably heard the name Dr. Sturm thrown around once or twice. Celebs love this hyaluronic acid. This $300 hyaluronic acid. Which just dropped at Sephora, and was sold out for like a week. How?!
First of all, let’s look at what hyaluronic acid even is. Hyaluronic acid is a clear, gooey substance that’s naturally produced by your skin. It’s the stuff in your connective tissues and on your skin, and it acts as a glue to keep moisture on your body. Things like the natural aging process, UV radiation from the sun, and pollution can dehydrate your skin and make it prone to sagging. Hyaluronic acid, when applied topically, can help suck some of that moisture back in. It’s great for applying prior to your moisturizers or serum, because it can help draw out all of the vital nutrients and vitamins present in your skincare and keep it where it needs to be: your face!
It’s also insanely cheap to produce, and the $5 dollar bottle is no different or special or “more pure” than the $300 bottle. The only difference is the $295 price tag.
You know what else is worth $295? Roller skates. Half a plane ticket to the other side of the country. A really cool Epiphone banjo. All things more deserving of your dollars than this.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, $155
Source: Sephora
Bottles of this stuff at Costco get snapped up faster than potato pierogi samples. It’s insanity. What even is it, anyway?
Essences and ampoules are relatively new to the Western beauty market, but have been popular in Asia for some time.But, but, they aren’t really necessary in your routine, especially if you’re already using serums. Adding extra unnecessary steps to your skincare routine can actually have the adverse effect and cause irritation. Too much of a good thing is a real concept!
To be completely frank (and also if you ask the experts) SK-II is popular by brand name association only. It contains slip agents and “Pitera”, which is basically just a fermented yeast by-product that has yet to be proven to do anything for your face.
La Mer, Moisturizing Cream, $445
Source: Sephora
Rumour has it that Barbra Streisand uses the eye cream all over her entire face. Let us ask you a question: Do you have Babs’ money? No, you don’t. (Not yet, at least.) Then again, you don’t have to be a literal billionaire to instinctively know that spending half a grand on mineral oil (literally one of the most common substances on Earth) is a bad idea right?
That’s right — one of the main ingredients in La Mer is mineral oil, which, granted, is actually great for your skin! But you can get it for $5 in the form of Vaseline or Nivea. Both work great, and are just as effective as this “two-night-stay at a four star hotel” cream.
If you really want to kick it up, add in your own “miracle broth” by buying packets of sea kelp. That’s all it is! Who knew you could shop La Mer on Amazon? Someone should tell Barbra.
Drunk Elephant Vitamin C, $105
Source: Sephora
Vitamin C is considered a “holy grail” product when it comes to exfoliators. It’s very gentle on the skin and can even improve the quality of your SPF.
It’s also a very unstable ingredient, meaning that it can expire faster than other skincare ingredients, especially if it doesn’t contain any preservatives or stabilizers.
With that said, what Drunk Elephant gets right is that all of its products are packaged in opaque, air-tight packaging, meaning you can get the longest shelf-life out of all your products as possible.
Even then, though, Vitamin C can still turn sour. What’s a skincare addict to do?
The best option is to buy your Vitamin C in powdered form and keep it in a cool dry place. Don’t spend $165 on a bottle. It’s just not worth it, no matter how cute the elephant is.