Are Luxury & High End Products Really Better?

“An expensive moisturizer will usually have a higher concentration of the 'good' ingredients,” Dr. Jaliman says. “They are usually safer for all skin types. Many times they won't contain added fragrances that can cause allergic reactions for some.”

So you just heard about this incredible new age-defying skincare cream, and you can’t wait to try it. It comes from leading luxury skincare brands and costs a pretty penny. But then you notice another seemingly similar cream from a drugstore skincare brand; it makes a lot of the same promises as the luxury product, and it only costs $15. With such a stark price difference, it can make a gal wonder: What exactly is the difference between drugstore vs. luxury skincare brands?

There’s a big difference between an expensive skincare product and a luxury skincare product. An expensive skincare product costs more despite offering limited value. This means the company paid for top tier marketing, & packaging, but the ingridients are sub-par.A luxury skincare product costs more because it was expensive to develop, produce, and manufacture – and it typically offers superior value because it works?

If you’re unsure whether an essential skincare product is luxury-quality or just expensive, look at the ingredients. Ingredients are listed in order of prominence, so the first few ingredients will tell you if you’re dealing with a truly high-end product.

Drugstore skincare brands often use highly effective ingredients like vitamin C, retinol, and even hyaluronic acid. But to remain competitive and keep their prices down, these brands typically use premium ingredients in lower concentrations, which is why you’ll often see them lower on the ingredient lists (another reason to sift through it). Luxury Skin Care Brands often use higher concentrations of active ingredients to ensure greater effectiveness and longer-lasting results.

So even if your drugstore skincare brand offers similar ingredients, a luxury brand will usually give you more bang for your buck. Also, drugstore skincare brands often rely more heavily on cheaper synthetic ingredients. In contrast, luxury brands use natural, plant-derived extracts that work more effectively and cost more due to their scarcity and often complex extraction requirements. Sage Femme is a Luxury Brand because we use all natural & organic ingredients, high concentration of pure botanicals, and our products work and offer real long-term results!