Journalists and content creators within the beauty community are some of the best sources to speak to about investment beauty products. We are lucky enough to be able to try a huge variety of products—from moisturisers and mascaras to perfumes and hair tools. It's safe to say, therefore, that we really do know which pricier items are worth the extra spend.
Let me just preface this by saying we all love our high street, affordable beauty buys; in fact, I recently wrote an ode to my go-to 15 under £15 products. However, sometimes you just deserve a beauty treat, particularly if you find something you can't replicate and that brings you joy like no other.
So let myself and my best beauty mates influence you: these products are worth it.
1. Rebecca Fearn, Freelance Beauty Editor
"I wax lyrical about this scent, but it's the special perfume I will always use and forever have in my collection. I know it's extortionately expensive, but in my defence, a bottle of this lasts me forever. I've been wearing Beige since my early twenties and it's a nostalgic comfort to me, as well as my number one fragrance of all time. Beige is anything but 'beige' in reality; it's sparkly with notes of smooth honey that wrap skin in warmth, and it feels super sexy. I wear it day and night, no matter the occasion. Just don't @ me about the price-tag—I'm sorry." – Rebecca Fearn
2. Shannon Lawlor, Marie Claire Executive Beauty Editor
"Anyone who knows me might be shocked that I haven't classed a perfume or a scented bath/body product as my most recommended investment beauty product. But while I personally find fragrance to be the most impactful part of my beauty routine (and it is, easily, the area that I invest in most—I buy Susanne Kaufmann's Mountain Pine Bath on repeat and don't bat an eyelid at spend £200+ on a perfume that makes me feel amazing), I want to make sure I'm being as unbiased as possible here. So, this LED mask from Dr. Dennis Gross is my chosen one. I use it every single day to help keep my skin glowing and in attempt to keep my acne in check.
"If I go a week without using this mask, I can see it straight away in my face. The only way you really reap the benefits is by being religious about using it daily—but that means the price tag soon works up a pretty impressive cost per use. With 25% off in the Black Friday sale, it now costs the same as a couple of in-salon LED treatments, so according to the rules of girl maths, I'd be making my money back after just a few months of use.
"I've used countless LED masks, and this is the one I always, always, always come back to—it's unbelievably good." – Shannon Lawlor
3. Olivia McCrea-Hedley, Freelance Writer & Editor
"I'm a big believer that great beauty products don't have to cost the earth, so if I'm willing to spend money on something, you know there's good reason for it. My investment beauty product is the Foreo Luna 4 facial cleanser: a chargeable silicon device that vibrates using patented T-Sonic™ pulsations to deeply cleanse skin while boosting skin circulation. At first, I thought an electronic device wasn't necessary—surely my nightly double cleanse was enough? And then I tried it.
"After a month of use, I had less breakouts and noticeably plumper, glowier skin. You can even connect it to an app on your phone to track that you've cleansed every part of your face, and utilise the pre-programmed settings to use it as a massage tool for lymphatic drainage. At £269, it's not cheap (although it is currently in the Black Friday sale), but I've used mine twice a day, every day, for the past year and my skin has never looked better. When you think of the cost per use, I'd say that's a pretty good investment." – Olivia McCrea-Hedley
4. Zeynab Mohamed, Freelance Beauty Journalist
"It may seem ludicrous to spend £65 on a facial mist but it’s the best £65 I’ve invested in my face. I’m obsessed with the BYROE New York Hibiscus Tea Glow Mist, formulated with clarifying hibiscus flower extract and plant-based retinol among other hydrating ingredients; it instantly transforms my skin. It’s so good, I carry it around with me everywhere I go because I’m constantly asked what’s on my face whenever I use it. It leaves your skin with the most gorgeous glow and is like health in a bottle. I use it in the morning as part of my skincare routine and then after make-up and throughout the day to refresh my face. It may not be your typical beauty investment product, but it has drastically improved the way my skin looks." – Zeynab Mohamed
5. Madeleine Spencer, Podcaster and Beauty & Wellness Writer at The Evening Standard
"My go-to investment is Mortar and Milk PHA Serum. My skin’s naturally very volatile and wants to get spotty, plus I’m 39 so my collagen and elastin are nosediving. On top of that, I don’t have much time for my skin routine so I need to be really targeted and clever about what I use, making sure it’s all brilliant and hardworking. This serum is my mainstay, making sure it’s hydrated, gently exfoliated, and as calm as possible. I use it morning and night and haven’t been without a bottle since it launched two years ago." – Madeleine Spencer
6. Humeara Mohamed, Freelance Beauty Journalist
"For me, Revitalash is non-negotiable. I can't go a single day without someone asking me if my lashes are real, and it's all down to this nifty little serum. It lasts an age so, according to the laws of girl maths, it doesn't work out as too expensive in the long run. I keep the tube in my toothpaste holder so that I'm reminded to brush the formula over my lash line every single night. It's so easy to use and the results (once you've used it daily for about three months) are really quite wild. My lashes bat my brows without even having to look up!" – Humeara Mohamed
7. Mica Rickets, Freelance Beauty Editor
"I'm a firm believer in affordable beauty products, so the products that I will invest serious cash in are few and far between, but I've repurchased Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform on more than one occasion because my skin can't get enough of it. At £82 a bottle, I wouldn't consider it a budget-friendly purchase, but the results are truly worth the cash. Shani Darden is a facialist who is renowned for looking after the skin of Hollywood set, so, to me, this is like enjoying a taste of the A-list lifestyle in the comfort of my own home.
"I've had many a bad experience with retinol in the past, but I always recommend this as a brilliant beginner product. It's gentle yet effective—combining retinol with lactic acid to refine skin texture, encourage cell turnover and boost brightness. Within a few days of use I always notice how much bouncier, juicer and smoother my skin looks, without any hint of redness or irritation. A true gem." – Mica Ricketts
8. Mollie Burdell, Freelance Beauty Editor & Presenter
"As much as I am a highstreet beauty girlie, there are certain luxury products that completely have me under their spell. This Clé de Peau eye cream is one of them. It is one of the silkiest, smoothest formulas to ever grace my face, and I take such pleasure in applying the pearlised, golden silk essence-infused cream every single evening. The texture aside, I also notice a real improvement in terms of fine lines, dark circles and puffiness when I continually use it so, for that reason, it just makes sense for it to stay with me." – Mollie Burdell
9. Aleesha Badkar, Digital Beauty Editor at Woman & Home
"As a beauty editor, I feel so fortunate that I'm able to not have to spend too much money on products, but one thing that I will always happily re-buy is Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540. I've spritzed this cult perfume ever since I first experienced its warm and woody but-slightly-sweet scent way back in 2017. For me, it's just a perfectly balanced meeting of subtle florals in the jasmine and touch of rich, with earthy sweetness from the saffron and balmy amberwood and ambergris that warms up the sharp and woody cedar and fir resin base. An utterly addictive opening, followed by a lingering elegant aroma, it's one for people who are drawn to sexy fragrances with a veil of woody sweetness. In short, it's an investment buy that I'm always happy to save my money for." – Aleesha Badkar
10. Lucy Abbersteen, Freelance Beauty Editor and Copywriter
"This didn't require much thought from me, as the priciest product I use regularly is Medik8's Crystal Retinal. Of all the vitamin A products I've tried over the years, this is the one I personally see the best results from. It's softened the look of lines and helps keep my easily-congested skin clearer; I currently use 6 in my skincare routine.
"There's no pretending the price is particularly accessible, however, the research that has gone into such a brilliant formulation is reflected in the price and the higher concentrations are very expensive, even when, like me, it's not used every single night. But I've thought a lot about what my skincare routine would look like if I didn't work in beauty and test products for a living, and I would scrimp on the other steps so I could still use this. That says a lot!" – Lucy Abbersteen
