Beauty editors have a pretty unique perspective when it comes to separating the good from the ‘got to get it again’.
We have the rare pleasure of seeing tens, and sometimes hundreds, of beauty samples land on our desks in any given week. When we’re in need of a new fragrance, lip colour or hair essential, we’re fortunate enough to know there’s probably already a winner waiting in the beauty closet or our rather substantial personal stashes.
So when we decide to spend our own money restocking something we’ve already tried rather than reaching for one of the many alternatives at our disposal, it’s because it was just that good. And that says a lot. Especially when said product comes with a particularly hefty price tag.
It might not be true of everything, but some products really do justify their price—and considering how many we’ve tried, we’re fairly hard markers. Here are the beauty buys we believe are genuinely worth the splurge…
Tara Lamont-Djite, Head of Beauty
Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant, $184
“I use this mask (and everything BR) religiously and it leaves my skin looking its absolute best. It removes dead skin cells, brightens, hydrates and leaves my complexion looking smoother. It smells like Vegemite but it is worth every cent.”
K-18 Air Wash, $85
“$85 seems like a lot for a dry shampoo, but after I ran out of my first bottle and decided not to repurchase I discovered I kind of couldn’t, live without it?! As someone with fine, oily brunette hair, this product’s science-led approach to formulation is an actual first-to-market game changer. It sprays in wet and clear so you don’t get any grey mess or powder, and it gives the most insane volume. Sometimes I use it for the volume factor alone!!”
Fara Homidi Beauty Smudge & Contour Lip Pencil, $59
“I’ve recently become a lip liner and gloss girl, and I’ve got more lip liners in my bag then I care to admit. However, Fara’s is the one I reach for the most often. It’s creamy enough to blend in seamlessly but has great staying power. The colours are gorgeous, the perfect “nude but something more” and they’re beautifully pigmented. The beauty of a lip pencil is that they blend more easily into your lips than a lipstick, and often don’t feel like you’re wearing anything at all. Plus I love the blue packaging.”
BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE
Masque Vivant
K-18
Air-Wash
FARA HOMIDI BEAUTY
Smudge & Contour Lip Pencil
Delaney Loane, Beauty Editor
Chanel Beige Eau de Parfum, $450
“‘Beige’ is the antithesis of anything I like in any other arena (sad beige homewares are a no and the colour washes me out), but this interpretation of the neutral is honeyed floral perfumery perfection. And before you judge me for the price tag, just know that the 200ml bottle costs $820, so technically I’m making a financially conservative decision by opting for the smaller size. I only wear it a few times a month—it’s definitely rationed carefully—but when I do, it’s the first thing people (or at least people with good taste in fragrance/an affinity for notes of neroli, freesia and frangipani) comment on.”
Natasha Denona Glam Palette, $121
“This palette’s shades blend so seamlessly that you might just believe I’m skilled with a shadow brush. Every time I convince myself to use a different one in an attempt to avoid hitting pan on my precious (and pricy) favourite, I’m reminded exactly why I love it so much. The shadows blend almost effortlessly, the pigments actually translate onto eyes as the colours you see in the palette, and even the more ambitious eye looks in my ‘Saved’ folder suddenly seem achievable. The names tell you exactly where to apply and they genuinely stay in place all day. The hazy shadow wings I’ve applied with the ‘Lash Line’ shade are honestly reason enough to repeatedly restock; I can swipe one on at 8am and it’s still smudge-free by evening.”
ColorWow Money Masque, $79.50
“To be fair, I usually tend to reach for a $10 supermarket hair mask, so this is the splurge I allow myself to dip into when I need my hair to be particularly cooperative and (everything crossed) silky. My naturally coarse, fluffy texture isn’t always the easiest to work with for a sleeker look, but this (temporarily, at least) makes it feel like a different head of hear. It’s softer, visibly shinier and has more of a liquid-like look to it, to the point where it almost appears as if I was dealt the ‘naturally smooth’ hair card. Considering the reality is that my hair’s been bleached and blow-dried within an inch of its life, I’m pretty happy to pay for that switch-up when a special occasion warrants it.”
CHANEL
Beige Eau de Parfum
NATASHA DENONA
Glam Palette
COLORWOW
Money Masque
Briar Clark, Beauty Writer
Le Labo Thé Matcha 26 Eau de Parfum, $523
“This fragrance is one that I keep coming back to because it’s an effortless scent that’s easy to wear day or night. The matcha, fig and sesame notes are comforting without feeling heavy—I wear it everywhere, from the office to dinner, and it works just as well in summer as winter.”
iS Clinical Extra Strength Active Peel Brightening System, $220
“If I’ve ever received a compliment on my skin, it’s usually the day after I’ve used these two step treatment pads. The first pad exfoliates using a blend of glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids, and plant-based enzymes, and is left on the skin for three minutes. Then I follow up with the second pad, which neutralises the exfoliating properties of the first, as well as infusing the complexion with brightening antioxidants.”
Naturium The Multi-Peptide Advanced Body Wash, $33
“$33 may not seem like a lot of money, but I know plenty of people who would gasp at the prospect of spending cash like that on a simple household item like soap. And with the rate that I go through the stuff, body wash is less a basic hygiene product and more a bonafide luxury. The fact that this particular formula is enriched with skin-softening peptides, moisture-boosting vitamin E, and texture and tone-improving rice amino acid and antioxidants is a mere bonus.”
LE LABO
Thé Matcha 26 Eau de Parfum
IS CLINICAL
Extra Strength Active Peel Brightening System
NATURIUM
The Multi-Peptide Advanced Body Wash
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