Editor’s note (updated October 2026): we first published this list in 2012. We have checked every product, updated the names to what is sold today, corrected our La Mer pick to the brand’s eye cream, and added how to decide where a splurge is worth it.
The skincare worth the upgrade: when the budget allows, and only on the products that earn it. Most of a good routine can come from the drugstore. A few categories reward spending more, and this is our guide to which ones.
Where the splurge actually shows up
Three categories. Actives where formulation is the whole game: vitamin C, retinoids and peptides depend on stability, concentration and delivery, and the best-researched formulas are often the expensive ones. Textures you use every day: oils, balms and creams, where ingredient quality changes how a product feels and how happily you use it. And the eye area, where you use so little that a pricier jar lasts a long time.
Where we would save: cleansers that sit on your face for a minute (with one exception below), basic moisturizers and sunscreen. The best sunscreen is the one you will wear every day, and plenty of excellent ones are drugstore-priced.
What we would actually buy
- SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. Still the vitamin C serum other formulas are measured against: 15% L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid, applied in the morning under sunscreen. It is a serious investment, and it is the one we would keep if we could keep only one.
- Tatcha Gold Camellia Beauty Oil. Tatcha’s camellia oil for face, body and hair, flecked with gold. A few drops pressed onto damp skin, or onto the ends of your hair. Ingredient quality is the point.
- La Mer The Eye Concentrate. La Mer’s rich eye cream, aimed at the look of dark circles and lines. An earlier version of this list named The Concentrate, which is La Mer’s barrier serum for the face; the eye cream is the one that belongs in this category.
- Eve Lom Cleanser. The balm cleanser that started the category, used with a hot muslin cloth. It is our one cleansing splurge, because the massage-and-press ritual works like a two-minute facial.
How to decide whether a splurge is worth it
- Buy for a concern, not a brand. Spend where you have a specific goal, like dark spots or fine lines, and save on the steps that only need to be gentle.
- Read the active and its concentration. A luxury label does not guarantee an effective dose. If the active is not named, or sits at the very bottom of the ingredient list, you are mostly paying for the jar.
- Work out the cost per use. A serum you use a few drops of every morning can cost less per month than a cream you go through quickly.
- Sample first. Ask for a sample or buy a travel size before committing to a full-size jar.
The verdict
Splurge on the things that touch your face every day and do real work; save where gentle is all you need. A splurge-worthy vitamin C serum and an everyday sunscreen you love will do more for your skin than a shelf of expensive basics.
Frequently asked questions
Which skincare products are worth splurging on?
Actives where formulation matters, such as vitamin C, retinoids and peptides; textures you use every day, such as oils and balms; and eye creams, where you use so little that a jar lasts a long time.
Where can you save on skincare?
Cleansers, basic moisturizers and sunscreen. There are plenty of excellent drugstore options, and the best sunscreen is simply the one you will wear every day.
Is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic worth it?
It is still the vitamin C serum many others are compared to, combining 15% L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid. If vitamin C is the one splurge in your routine, it is a strong choice.
How do you know if an expensive skincare product is worth it?
Check that the active ingredient is named and present at a meaningful concentration, work out the cost per use, and try a sample or travel size before you buy the full size.