Biologique Recherche PIGM400 — it’s not the MOST expensive product, but it’s definitely not inexpensive. It’s one product I’ve repurchased over and over again and feel like it makes a difference to my skin.
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For me it’s the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex. There are certainly cheaper serums out there that do a nice job, but this one literally improves my skin over night— every time! Including those monthly hormonal eruptions- Estée Lauder is the only thing I’ve found that can tame those.
I totally agree with you. I had a bad reaction to a retinol product, I put the Advanced Night Repair on the next night and it calmed my skin down so fast, in three nights my skin was back to normal, this stuff is gold! I always have a backup bottle.
I really love Belif Aquabomb gel-cream. For me, that is an expensive skin care product, (I’m more of a Neutrogena girl,) but that is my one skin care splurge. I love how quickly it absorbs and I don’t feel greasy or oily afterward.
Wasn’t the Neutrogena Hydro Boost line supposed to be a dupe for Belif Aquabomb?
But that’s the definition of a splurge to me… I’ll pay the extra cash even when a 90% cheaper dupe is available. 😅
I love the La Mer Treatment Lotion and the Lancome Genifique serum for my face. When I used both as samples, I saw such a huge difference in my skin. If I stop using for a while or try something different, my skin looks worse. For my eyes, I love the Bobbi Brown extra eye repair cream. I didn’t think it did much until I switched eye creams and then I saw a huge difference in my undereyes…just dry and haggard. I love that all three have either very light or barely detectable scent.
I’ve never bought anything SUPER expensive, but on the higher end I’ve always found Farmacy to be worth the cost. Honey Drop is my HG face cream and I’ve repurchased it probably a dozen times.
If you don’t limit this to OTC products, for me it would have to be whatever filler my dermatologist uses on me, followed by Botox. I am past the age when even the most expensive non-prescription product will make a real difference.
I love filler on my forehead. It works miracles!!!! I think my doc uses restylne and I get 3 years out of it!
Two that I love and can’t live without are Drunk Elephant Protini Peptide and Ole Henriksen Truth Serum!
Personally I didn’t like the DE Protini, but your comment reminded me I like to splurge on Paula’s Choice Peptide Booster. Other items in my routine already have some peptides, sometimes it seems like overkill. But with age I have learned to appreciate when something makes my skin plumper overnight. 😅
Christine, where do you buy this? I can’t find a website from this brand, just links from online sellers who also carry this product. I want to make sure I don’t buy from an unauthorized dealer. Thank you!
Shop Rescue Spa! You have to log in to shop.
Looks like (If you’re in Canada) a lot of those products are not approved and ergo not shipped up here.
For me any efficient skincare product is worth the splurge, I like to invest in my routine, from cleansers to treatments.
But truth be told, I never found luxury brands to have good skincare. The most expensive item in my routine I guess it’s the Paula’s Choice Retinol Treatment, which I love from the first time I tried it 7-8 years ago.
I would consider more of a splurge my cleansers and makeup removers. Even if there are plenty of way cheaper good options, I still get my cleansers from Paula’s Choice and I constantly repurchase Clinique Take The Day Off Balm.
Paula’s Choice is the one skincare brand I always come back to. Their 2% salicylic acid liquid is like magic for my skin. Every time I experiment with other skincare products – like ones that influencers swear by – my skin gets unbalanced 1-4 weeks in. Paula’s Choice products – the original ones that Paula launched before she sold the company – always save me. Consistent, reliable, and relatively affordable.
I agree – to a point. I’ve never found that skincare products from companies that are primarily known for makeup – actually work well. Certain brands dedicated to skincare like Murad, Biologique Recherche, Obagi, etc all seem to have better reviews than something from Dior or Armani.
Funny you should post this. I just dropped a small fortune on BR products. I can’t live without P50 “1970” and I’m addicted to Masque Vivant. It’s awesome. I splurged on 7 serums, and I used a “cocktail” of 4 or 5 today, and my skin looked freakin awesome! My makeup lasted longer, I wasn’t shiny in 3 hours. I fully believe that sometimes, you get what you pay for. There are lots of dupes on the market for other products that are really good, but BR is so unique in their formulas, very few dupes even come close.
Funny how different skincare works so differently for different people! I got the smallest bottle of that P50 “1970” and I consistently used up the entire bottle a couple times per week and in the end I felt like it made no difference at all. I was so disappointed! LOL! But at least it didn’t make me break out. What serums did you get? They have so many to choose from!
I bought Dermopore (2nd bottle), Collagen Natif, Extraits Tissulaires, Fluid VIP O2, Serum 3R, and Serum VG Tensil and Serum PIGM 400. I already had Serum Placenta, Oligo-Protein Marine, and Complexe Iribiol. I just turned 50, and I had a lot of flaking and dryness from a recent TCA peel. The Placenta serum really helps with healing of any kind. Dermopore keeps my pores from getting congested, Extraits Tissulaires is really hydrating. The others are more targeted, like PIGM 400 is for hyperpigmentation. The Biomagic Masque is awesome and you can mix serums with your masks too!
Some people don’t like the original 1970 versions because of the Phenol. From what I’ve read, some of the other versions without it are actually more exfoliating. Maybe those could work for you?
Nicole, What brand is BR?
I’m not Nicole, but BR is Biologique Recherche. 😊
I’m guessing it’s the company that makes Christine’s product: Biologique Recherche. I’ve never tried it or anything from them but now I’m curious.
Biologique Recherche is the brand. Straight up – it’s expensive. And almost all the products are formulated to be as natural as possible, so that means no fragrance of any kind – and for some of the creams and serums (specifically the Placenta products) can be kind of stinky. The classic P50 toners have vinegar so some people feel like it smells like a salad. LOL Their cleansers are the bomb…I ran out of the Lait U cleanser and tried Cera Ve Hydrating cleanser and wow -that stuff dried out my skin like crazy. So back to BR I go!
I use BR P50 1970 also–for YEARS! That mixed with Vitamin C squares from MaryKay (!) brighten and make me very wrinkle-free! Love it!
Amorepacific Treatment Enzyme Exfoliating Powder Cleanser is a nice cleanser, it helps keep my skin soft and gets rid of the build up of peeling skin around my nose, and I love, love the smell sooo much. I always stock up during Sephora’s Rouge sale.
Thats my Splurge worthy product too! It truly is an amazing product. I also absolutely love the smell. I love that for me at least it lasts forever because you need very little powder to get the job done.
Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0 and EL ANR. I was using the CE Ferulic acid serum but I’ve since switched to using the Ordinary’s Vitamin C powder which is super affordable.
I don’t know how I’ve lived this long and never used SkinCeuticals CE serum (their most popular product) or any of their products. I was a fan of many Perricone MD products. Unfortunately all of them changed and some fantastic ones are gone. Since the Ordinary was bought by Estée Lauder have you noticed any difference in the formula?
The Ordinary still works well. I haven’t noticed any difference in formula, but I understand that EL is hands off for now and lets the company run on its own. I mix the Vit C powder with any serum without niacinamide and its really worked well for me. I’ve tried their other Vit. C solutions but the powder just works for me. SkinCeuticals really does make some standout products that are worth the investment IMO. I’ve tried various 1% retinol formulas (Paula’s Choice, Obagi) but I see faster results with the SkinCeuticals.
Sunday Riley Good Genes. I received a sample and tried it just because I had been wanting to try some kind of chemical exfoliator (I have dry, sensitive skin and have trouble with exfoliator). I couldn’t believe how much magic it worked on my skin. It’s the only product I’ve tried that lived up to the hype. It’s pricey, but I make sure to only buy it during a sale.
Sunday Riley Good Genes. I got a really good deal for one in a beauty box group and I’m already scared about what I’ll do when I run out haha. It’s really not in my budget XD
Skinceuticals Vitamin C serum . I already have a clear skin so I was not expecting something big except removing my old PIH. It’s been nearly two months and the pIH is fading by my skin is smoother and brighter.
For my Natura Bisse Diamond Extreme Eye. It does it all – lines, wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness. There’s nothing like it.
Probably the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Exfoliator. Had it not been for the sample I got, probably as a points perk, I’d have written it off as a really overpriced scrub – nothing out of the ordinary. But it was really worth the splurge – it’s so effective but so “non-irritating”.
Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil
Sunday Riley Good Genes. I got a really good deal for one in a beauty box group and I’m already scared about what I’ll do when I run out haha. It’s really not in my budget XD