If you had to survive on a deserted island, what skincare products would you bring? For me, it’s an easy answer. A luxury face moisturizer is at the top of the list. While there’s some debate on if serum is more important, I personally favor moisturizer. Sharing my five fav luxury face moisturizers in today’s post, scroll down for all the info!
The thing with moisturizers is that they’re all different. Take, for example, the five I’m sharing today. The texture (and ingredient list) of each of them is veryyyy different. One is thicker and deeply hydrates while another is a gel-based product that gives you an instant glow. They’re tough to rank because these are all my absolutely favorites. But, I’m stacking them against each other below.
Shop the Best Luxury Face Moisturizers:
Left to Right Below:
Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Moisturizer
Caudalie Vinosource SOS Intense Moisturizing Cream
Tata Harper Water-Lock Moisturizer
Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream
Full Review: 5 Best Luxury Face Moisturizers
So, to preface these reviews let me remind you that my skin is combination to oily. Also, it can be easy to read a review and think, “oh, this will be perfect for me!” But, if your skin is extremely dry then my favorites might not give you the same results. Try to pick your moisturizer based on what your skin needs. Do you have sensitive skin? Are you targeting fine lines (that’s me)? Or, are you trying to reduce dark spots? Each of these can help with your skin goals.
In terms of the amount of time I’ve been testing these, each of these moisturizers have been apart of my routine for a minimum of 8 weeks. And, in some cases it’s been much longer (like the one from Elemis you’ve heard me talk about before here). I’m sharing the way my skin feels from using each product, as well as their price tags (a major factor in most people’s purchase decision).
Lastly, I’m including most of these only in my nighttime skincare routine. As such, I can’t really speak to how they layer with makeup. For daytime, I’m currently using the moisturizer from this post.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Moisturizer
Rank: 1
Let me start by saying that Caudalie is one of the beauty brands I love most. I credit their products with balancing my skin and helping me reduce my acne scars and uneven skin tone.
This mid-weight moisturizer earned my #1 spot for a number of reasons, but most of all it’s the glow. I’m not the biggest fan of Vitamin C-based products (so you will rarely see me talk about things with that as the main ingredient). This one uses Viniferine instead which is 62 times more effective! It also has hyaluronic acid to hydrate. This moisurizer is also designed to help even your skin tone and treat dark spots, which is important when you’re in the sun. But, the kicker are the natural pealizers that light up your face. IMO, the price is more than fair for the quality of what you get and a little goes a long way. You’ll be glowing!
Price: $59
Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream
Rank: 2
If I’m being completely honest, this moisturizer might have earned the top spot if the price tag wasn’t so darn expensive! I’m always happy to invest in great skincare products. But… $215 is just over the top for me. Thankfully, I was gifted these products at an event last year and have slowly been using them so as to savor them. After trying a tester I got (in some other PR package), I shared my first impression in this post. Now that I’m near the bottom of the regular jar, I’m here to report my feelings are the same. When I wake up in the morning, my skin looks the best after using this luxury face moisturizer. The formula is anti-aging (see ya fine lines!) and anti-inflammatory. It just works wonders for my skin.
Price: $215
Tata Harper Water-Lock Moisturizer
Rank: 3
This is the first time I’ve tried the Tata Harper collection, but so far I’m a BIG fan. The Water-Lock moisturizer is the first of several items I’ll be reviewing. So, be sure to stay tuned for future posts.
When I mentioned texture earlier, this is actually what I was referring to. As a water-based product, it’s very lightweight. Because of that, the reviews were slightly mixed on if this works for dry skin. Actually, the first time I used it I was concerned it would be a flop for me a well. It feels noticeably different than other moisturizers you’ve probably used. But, a single pump of this was more than enough for me. It includes orange blossom peptides which support your natural skin barrier with hydration.
I reach for this several times a week when I want something light. It feels slightly pricey compared to Caudalie. But, it’s actually a primer-moisturizer. So, in theory you could skip that product since this is silicone free to help your makeup glide on. I’m only using it at night, but that multi-purpose element does help justify the price a bit.
You guys know sustainability has been a priority for me this year. Not only is this a clean product, but the packaging is also recyclable! That gets bonus points in my book!
Price: $68
Caudalie Vinosource SOS Intense Moisturizing Cream
If you’re a regular reader, you might remember that I shared the SOS Deep Hydration Serum in this post. It’s a longtime favorite for me and since this moisturizer is in the same collection I sort of knew immediately that my skin would love it.
The Vinosource line is known for being packed with grape seed polyphenols. Why is this good for your skin? Well, they’re a great anti-oxidant and calm your skin. Of all 5 products, this is the heaviest in terms of texture. You can tell it’s thicker just by looking at it which means a small amount goes a very long way. If your skin is very dry, I think this rich cream would be right up your alley. There are some days when I’ve been in the sun or when I’m just overall dehydrated that I can tell my skin needs this product. So, I find that I reach for it 1-2x a week.
Price: $42, a STEAL since this will last forever
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
Of all the luxury face moisturizers in this post, this one has been the most talked about on A Glam Lifestyle. Elemis is another brand that I absolutely love. They take years to perfect their formulas before releasing them and they’re a science-driven company. You’ll hear me raving about some other products that are must-haves soon, like their eye cream and new cleanser in upcoming posts.
So, this is the only moisturizer in this post that I use during the day. There are two versions – one with SPF 30 and another without. It’s lightweight, but not quite the same way as the Tata Harper product above. I’d say this is the second lightest of the ones I’m reviewing.
I’ll get right down to it – this is a cult fav for a reason.
This is like youth in a jar. It plumps your skin and has won countless awards. When I invest in products, I focus a lot on anti-aging (hellooooo almost 38!). This is proven to reduce fine lines in two weeks based on a clinical trial. Where I’m sure a lot of you will get stuck is on the price. At $128 it is an investment. But, like I said above – I think moisturizer is the most important thing you can have in your skincare routine. Moisturizer is designed to hydrate and protect. If you don’t do that, cleansers, exfoliators and serums just won’t matter. So, grab it on sale! It’s 25% OFF this weekend with code LABORDAY.
Price: $128
Well, that rounds out my review on my fav luxury face moisturizers. I would love feedback from you guys! Is this helpful? I’m planning to post each month on a different product. So, next month will be my top five eye creams. As always, you can follow along on Instagram too! Enjoy the long weekend!
