The British beauty industry is a multi-billion pound one with an estimated £1.16 billion spent on just skincare alone in 2019. With the array of skincare, of varying prices all making similar promises, it begs the question of luxury skincare – is it worth the price?

When it comes to luxury skincare, it often goes beyond the product itself. It’s about the story, positioning, perception, experience, and intangible value behind the brand. 

Abiola Renée, CEO and co-founder of Skin Library agrees saying, ”Luxury skincare isn’t easily accessible and affordable but I think that’s the whole point of the luxury market - you’re buying into a brand experience as much as the product.”

The difference between luxury and budget skincare

From a functional standpoint both luxury brands and budget brands often use similar ingredients, however are priced very differently. So does it make a difference which one you use?

Ozohu Adoh, the founder of EPARA Skincare highlights that when it comes to luxury skincare “it should use the best quality ingredients, its presentation should be very well considered and it should ensure that it delivers the most efficacious products.”

With luxury skincare it’s certainly true that some products might contain a proprietary blend of ingredients, well thought out formulations and higher quality actives. It’s also important to understand that sometimes what you are paying for is possibly the brand name itself, packaging and marketing.

Alicia Lartey, trainee aesthetician and skininfluencer notes, “Luxury and budget brands are usually priced differently because you are buying into marketing. When a luxury fashion house or brand puts their name to skincare you are buying into the idea that you are adopting the luxury lifestyle. The product being priced so highly is not because of the ingredients; it is all about an idea”. When it comes to the product, “I do believe you can get similar effects from cheaper products, but cheaper products may not have an elegant texture or formula.”

So why would you pay more?

Karen Cummings Palmer, a leading health and nutrition coach and the founder of 79 Lux Skincare states “There are some great budget options available and a high price point is not always an indicator of high quality, but luxury brands often offer a more holistic experience, so that the pleasure begins at first sight and benefits continue beyond immediate use with serious skincare ingredients in meaningful amounts.”

Abiola adds, “I believe luxury skincare has various benefits in terms of greater quality in ingredients used; sometimes the price point is due to the level of research and development, product finish and packaging.”

How about when treating skin of colour? 

Ozohu states “For skin of colour, the difference is not in the idea of the positioning of the product but in considering the particular needs of skin of colour and providing solutions for them. Having said that, if you are cutting corners in terms of the ingredients that go into your skincare in order to keep them cheap, then it’s probable that you could be compromising on the quality of the overall product.” 

What should you consider when investing in skincare?

Karen advises, “Provenance and purpose are important. Protective and sustainable packaging is key and always read the label. Get a little skincare education and look for solution specific ingredients.”

Alicia agrees, stating that when purchasing products opt for the ingredients that address your concern versus something that is very basic because you just like the branding. “Always spend extra on your actives, such as retinol, retinal, retinoids as well as any exfoliants. There is no need to spend excessive amounts on a cleanser for example.”

So to answer the question – is luxury skincare worth the price?

The answer is less about whether it’s a luxury or budget brand. Skincare should always be about you as an individual – Ozohu highlights that  “You should think of your skincare as an investment, your skin is the first thing noticed about you and you want to be comfortable in it.”

Karen adds, “I think we should all get the best skincare we can afford - there are some great options for under £20 but if you can stretch beyond that you are likely to benefit from superior ingredients and results - up to a point - once brands start charging huge amounts you are more likely to be paying for expensive ad campaigns than formulations.  Expert led niche brands are rarely cheap but often offer great value for money.”  

It’s more important to spend more on the products that will do the work for you, the ones that have the most active ingredients and that will work to address the skincare concerns you have.