Expensive But Worth It

The product that built the brand. A deeply nourishing daily moisturiser carried by the TFC8 complex and high-potency botanicals, formulated for normal-to-dry skin and beloved for the soft, dewy, plumped finish it leaves behind. It is the one editors and celebrities are forever caught pulling out of their bags — and the rare splurge with the kind of loyal, repeat-purchase following that money alone cannot buy. The brand suggests around 27 days of daily use to see it fully, roughly one skin-cell cycle.

Bader's take on the most over-promised category in beauty — and a far more elegant one. It pairs stable vitamin C with the signature TFC8 complex to brighten, even tone and support firmness, without the sting or oxidisation that lesser vitamin C formulas are prone to. For anyone who has been burned by harsh brightening serums, this is the considered, skin-respecting version.

The moisturiser of all moisturisers, as more than one dermatologist has called it. Rich and balm-like, it is warmed between the fingertips until translucent — the signature ritual — then pressed into skin, where the Miracle Broth goes to work healing dryness and softening the look of fine lines. It feels intensely cushioning without sitting heavy, and for dry or mature skin it has earned its status the honest way: by working, consistently, for over fifty years.

The step most people skip, and the one that makes everything after it work harder. Applied after cleansing, this watery essence floods the skin with Miracle Broth and prepares it to absorb whatever follows — serum, oil, the Crème itself. Think of it as the foundation beneath the foundation: not glamorous, but quietly responsible for how good the rest of the routine looks.

Quite possibly the most cult product in all of skincare — a liquid exfoliating toner that resurfaces, rebalances pH and refines texture in one step, all while respecting the skin barrier rather than stripping it. The "P" is for peeling, the "50" for the roughly fifty-day epidermal renewal cycle it works with. It does not smell pretty, and that is rather the point: this is a formula built to work, not to charm, and its devotees will tell you it is the single best thing they have ever put on their face.

For skin that runs reactive, red or sensitised, this is the calming counterpoint to P50's intensity. A gentle, hydrating serum designed to soothe and rebalance, it is the formula that lets more sensitive complexions still enjoy the Biologique Recherche method without overwhelm. Quietly essential.

The most concentrated expression of everything Chanel knows. This serum combines the regenerating power of polyfractioned Vanilla Planifolia with restorative Swertia extract in a single, oil-rich drop that behaves like an intensive serum and a sumptuous oil at once. Chanel cites skin appearing markedly more radiant, smoother and more nourished from first use. It is an extravagance, unapologetically — and for a milestone birthday or a once-in-a-while indulgence, a genuinely exceptional one.

The most accessible way into the Sublimage world, and a beautiful one. This ultimate lotion regenerates and soothes, prepping the skin to receive everything that follows and delivering that signature Sublimage softness from the very first step. If the L'Extrait is the destination, La Lotion is the gracious beginning of the ritual.

The brand's most opulent treatment, and a true investment serum. Infused with hyaluronic acid and the line's reparative technology, it hydrates, firms and visibly energises tired skin — the formula the founder himself reaches for when his complexion needs lifting. Yes, the diamond dust is theatre; the lasting plumpness and glow are not.

The cult pre-makeup step that explains a hundred red-carpet complexions. A luminising oil-serum suspended with rose gold that you press in before makeup for an instant, lit-from-within radiance — the closest thing to a filter you can apply with your fingertips. A little goes a long way, which softens the price considerably.

The product that made the brand a household name among the beauty-literate. It combines short- and long-chain hyaluronic acid molecules to flood the skin with deep, multi-level moisture, leaving it instantly plumper and the look of fine lines softened. Worn under moisturiser, it is the quiet reason so many devotees describe their skin simply as "bouncy."

Sturm's answer to brightening, built the way you would expect from a doctor — effective but kind. It pairs vitamin C with hyaluronic acid to fade the look of pigmentation, support collagen and lend a daily glow, without the irritation that derails so many vitamin C routines. A genuinely wearable everyday brightener.

The brand's flagship, and a masterclass in delivery technology. Each dose releases a precisely measured payload of actives — peptides, antioxidants, retinaldehyde — exactly where and when the skin can use them, sealed until the moment of application so nothing degrades. The result is renewal without the irritation that usually accompanies it, and the satisfying ritual of a fresh, perfect dose each night.

The daytime counterpart — a radiance-boosting serum that brightens and smooths while the delivery system protects the actives from the moment the sachet opens. It sits beautifully under makeup and gives skin a refined, even luminosity. For anyone seduced by the technology but not ready for the flagship, this is the elegant entry point.

The cornerstone of the line — a rich, restorative moisturiser that hydrates deeply and supports the skin barrier, leaving a smooth, healthy finish without heaviness. It is the sort of everyday cream that quietly becomes non-negotiable, the one you notice most when you run out.

The active heart of the routine — a concentrated serum that targets firmness, texture and radiance using the brand's signature regenerative complex. Worn beneath the moisturiser, it is where the longer-term work happens, the step that rewards consistency with visibly fresher skin.

The most luxurious sunscreen most people will ever own — and one that earns it. Sunleÿa is a global anti-ageing sun care that delivers high SPF 50+ protection alongside genuine treatment actives that target the signs of photo-ageing. It wears like a beautiful day cream, which is the secret to actually using sun protection every single day. The price buys protection you will not resent applying.

The product that blurs the line between the two halves of this edit. A skincare-led tinted veil with SPF 30, it evens and hydrates while protecting — sheer enough to read as bare skin, treatment-rich enough to count as skincare. The kind of single step that replaces three, for the days you want to do less but still look considered.

The product that launched a thousand imitations. A water-infused tint with micro-droplets of pigment suspended in a fresh, weightless base, applied with its own brush for the most natural, dewy, barely-there finish in beauty. It is the closest makeup comes to looking like very good skin — and the reason it sells out so reliably.

A concentrated, skin-like foundation in drop form — endlessly buildable from the sheerest veil to real coverage, with a finish that stays luminous rather than flat. Created by a woman famous for flawless, lit-from-within skin, it delivers exactly that, and the tortoiseshell packaging is some of the chicest on any vanity.

The product that started Gucci Westman's clean-beauty house, and still its hero. A buttery, silicone-free stick packed with squalane, camellia and coconut oils that melts into skin like a second layer — buildable, skin-caring, and adored by the makeup artist's A-list clients. Proof that "clean" and "luxurious" need not be a contradiction.

The Japanese cult foundation long whispered about among makeup artists and editors. Originally developed for high-definition film, Maifanshi gives a luminous, almost lit-from-within finish with skincare-grade botanicals built in. It is the quiet, knowing choice — the one that looks extraordinary on camera and even better in person.

Not a glittery highlighter but a tinted cream that gives skin a soft, wet-looking radiance — the kind that reads as a good night's sleep and great genes rather than makeup. Swept high on the cheekbones and down the nose, it is Gucci Westman's signature glow in a compact. The shade Peau de Soleil is pure sunlit warmth.

A liquid luminiser that can be worn under foundation for an all-over inner glow, mixed into it, or tapped on top of the high points. The finish is luminous rather than frosted — the difference between looking radiant and looking glittery. Endlessly versatile, and unmistakably Chanel.

A buildable cream blush stick with a weightless, velvet feel that melts into a dewy, soft-focus flush — and, unusually, holds its colour without the fading most cream blushes suffer. Stocked by the tastemakers at Violet Grey and beloved by editors as a lazy-girl multitasker for lips and cheeks both. The tortoiseshell packaging alone earns its place on the vanity.

From Chanel's red-camellia-powered N°1 line, a skincare-infused balm that enhances colour while it nourishes and plumps — equally at home on lips and cheeks. It is the elegant, do-everything piece for a slip in the bag: a wash of healthy colour that cares for skin while it wears.

An all-in-one mascara that delivers volume, length, curl and definition from a single tube — the Chanel standard, in a wand that does the work of several. The kind of dependable, beautiful basic that earns its place not through novelty but through never letting you down.

A clean-formula mascara in a flattering "Clean Black" that lengthens and defines without clumping or flaking — the natural, fluttery lash to the heavier drama of a classic formula. The entry point to the Westman world, and a genuinely lovely everyday lash.

The Chanel lipstick, in its most iconic form — intense, luminous colour in a single stroke, housed in the weighty black-and-gold case that has been a handbag status symbol for decades. The formula is comfortable, the payoff is rich, and the click of the cap is its own small pleasure.

From the celebrated makeup artist's own line, the glossy lip reimagined — a cushiony, non-sticky oil that glazes lips in glass-like shine while it plumps and conditions. The shade Tawny is the perfect your-lips-but-better wash. The grown-up, considered answer to the lip gloss.