Lust, Not Must: Luxe Beauty Products I Prefer Not To Be Without

You know there are always products that you buy even though you know logically, that there are lot of affordable alternatives? They aren’t a “MUST” and life most definitely can go on without them. However budget allowing, you will keep going for these - over cheaper alternatives - every time. 

Here are some of mine!

Tom Ford Eye Color Quads - so pricey, but so gorgeous. And the color combinations are always so beautifully put together that you don’t need to be great at color coordination to put a great eye look together.

Fresh Sugar Lip Balms - finding perfect lip balm is like finding a perfect mascara; everyone likes something different. And it's like Goldilocks trying different bowls of porridge when you're looking for the perfect one - some are not moisturizing enough, some are too gloopy and sticky, some are too runny, some are too thick... I always sigh despairingly at how expensive a tube of Fresh Sugar balm is compared to something I can pick up at the drugstore - but I always repurchase them. And I sigh and wish I was one of those for whom Maybelline Babylips works just fine.

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks - no these are not the most expensive lipsticks I own; but I do use them up pretty darned fast because they are so soft and creamy and need lots of touching up through the day. But we still love them.

La Mer The Intensive Revitalizing Mask - sleeping packs and leave-on masks are a dime a dozen these days. So why do I have to fall in love with one of the most expensive ones around? This is instantly nourishing but still feels fresh on my dry skin. The comfortable feeling and glow lasts for the whole day.

Aurelia Bamboo Muslin Cloths - hot cloth cleansing has made a world of difference for my skin. It polishes and exfoliates without irritating my dry and semi-sensitive skin. And these anti-bacterial, ultra-soft muslins are still my favorite. I remove makeup and use a cream cleanser, then dampen one of these in hot water and finish my face cleansing routine with a few wipes. No foaming wash required.

Serge Lutens fragrances - no these aren’t the priciest as far as niche scents are concerned, but I definitely have more favorites from this line - and use these more - than my Frederic Malles or any of the other niche lines. So naturally I wish they were cheaper or came in larger, more economical sizes than the standard 50ml.

La Prairie Skin Caviar Foundation and Concealer - this costs a veritable bomb. But it makes my skin feel so good and gives such a perfected, luminous, demi-matte finish that I just buy it against my better judgment. Plus, having a matching concealer in the cap is just - handy.

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Eye Cream

In 2014, La Prairie launched their Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Collection, featuring Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Cream and Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil, which use rare and exclusive extracts from the Swiss Alps including Purple Saxifrage, Soldanella Alpina, and Swiss Snow Algae, to help skin protect itself from premature aging.

I've tried the Dry Oil and Cream, and they're really luxurious and silky, but I did reserve those for traveling in drier climates, because they can feel a tad rich for our weather, even with my dry skin.

This year though, they've launched a lightweight Emulsion (SGD500) for those with oilier skins, or anyone who prefers a fresher-feeling product for warm, humid weather.

What I'm reviewing today is the new Cellular Swiss Crystal Eye Cream, which uses the same key ingredients to hydrate and brighten the eye area. Now there aren't any noticeable mica pigments which are often used by brands to "instantly brighten and illuminate" the skin temporarily. It contains a plant extract from a plant called White Bird of Paradise, which reduces the amount of bilirubin (the by-product of hemoglobin breakdown under our skin, which causes the discoloration found around our eye areas).

Like many other popular eye creams which contain Haloxyl (which essentially has the same function), these extracts work only if your dark circles are caused by these leaky capillaries (many people who have sinus allergies or rub their eyes often, etc), and then only if you keep using these bilirubin-clearing creams. If your dark circles are caused by skin pigmentation (hereditary for many), these creams will not do much for you other than hydrate and condition the skin under the eyes.

It is supposed to also depuff the eyes, but I fortunately/unfortunately have not suffered from puffiness since I started trying this so I can't say how effective it is in that regard. But to be honest, if puffiness is your main and only concern, you should probably invest in something cheaper and more caffeine-laden. This product is more one for anti-aging.

Texture-wise, Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Eye Cream looks and feels just as luxurious as you would expect an eye cream from La Prairie to be. Given the fact that a 20ml jar costs SGD370, you would do well to expect quality. I've used this for a few weeks and it does do a great job of hydrating the eye area without giving me milia. 

Apply AM and PM.

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Eye Cream launches mid-Feb in Singapore at all La Prairie counters.