I switched up my skincare basics for La Prairie products—including a £1385 face mask—to see if they’re *actually* worth the money

It’s a niche first world problem but, as a beauty editor, I have a bit of a complicated relationship with expensive beauty products. I grew up in the kind of family where you wouldn’t even consider buying a big name cereal brand over the supermarket own one—frugality was the name of the day. And it’s understandable. Money was not in abundance, so my parents worked hard to prioritise essential purchases and more frivolous items, especially things for themselves, went to the bottom of the list.

While I’d love to say that I adopted the same pared-back approach to consumption when I started earning my own money, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a spender who embraces the mantra of “I deserve a little treat” on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean, however, that I often spend big. Tiny purchases like overpriced flat whites and pastries, cute stationery, or a new tinted lip balm tend to be where my money goes. Investing in something that I actually need like a new winter coat, however? I will um and ah for weeks and months over anything with a big price tag, often missing the cold season entirely only for the whole conundrum to roll around again next winter.

So, it’s safe to say that whenever I’m lucky enough in my job to receive products with eye-wateringly large price tags, I feel slightly confused about it. On the one hand, I’ve always been obsessed with beauty products. As soon as I got my first job at 16 in Boots, I would plough almost all of my earnings straight back into the tills stocking up on new make-up, skincare and body treats that I’d read about in the pages of my favourite magazines. The chance, therefore, to try expert-approved formulations from the best brands in the industry is a dream come true. However, I know that bar a couple of products that I absolutely swear by (my favourite fragrance and a particularly brilliant face serum) I would never drop over £100 on a beauty product. Over a grand? Not in a million years.

Yet these are exactly the kinds of prices that we’re talking about when it comes to luxury skincare brand La Prairie. In fact, the brand’s best-selling product in the UK last year was a rejuvenating treatment mask costing £1385. I think my dad nearly passed out when I told him. There is one thing that I am passionate about though, and that’s the skincare that I use being based on scientific research and proven results—and if there’s one thing that La Prairie excels in it is efficacy.

Founded in 1931 by Dr Paul Niehans, Clinique La Prairie is a world-renowned health and wellness destination providing science-backed, holistic solutions and therapeutic treatments. It was there, in the heart of Montreux, Switzerland, that La Prairie was founded in 1978, after Dr Niehans—the pioneer of cellular therapy—formulated the brand’s proprietary Exclusive Cellular Complex. This trademark complex is the secret sauce in almost every La Prairie product since its creation. Its purpose? To energise cells and supercharge the skin’s natural ability to repair damage, to improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture, and to help restore skin’s clarity, texture and tone.

But does it actually work? I have been lucky enough to be testing some of the La Prairie lineup for the last few weeks and almost feel pained to say that these iconic blue and silver pots are far more than a status symbol—the formulas inside really do deliver on their promises. Does that mean I think that you should rush out with your credit card to invest in them? Absolutely not. These days, great skincare is available to suit every price point. But if you do have a big birthday or a special occasion coming up where you might really want to indulge then who am I to tell you how to splash your cash?

Ahead, the 5 best La Prairie products:

1. La Prairie Cellular 3-Minute Peel

There are a couple of key things that I look out for when it comes to my skincare treatments and that includes a potent ingredients list (if I’m going to use a face mask I want to notice an immediate difference) and how quick and easy it is to use. This mask ticks both things off my wishlist. It’s a fast-working, exfoliating face mask that uses a blend of acids to slough away dead skin cells, ease congestion, and leave skin looking brighter in tone and more refined in texture. Even better? You only need to leave it on for three minutes—it works that fast. For me, this is one of those perfect skincare products that you can whip out the day of a special event when you really want your skin to look glowy and luminous. Although, if I had more disposable income, there’s no doubt that I’d use this as a regular weekly treatment as the brand suggests.

2. La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift

This is one of La Prairie’s hero products and I instantly recognised the iconic blue and silver bottle with the window revealing the star ingredient—caviar beads nestled inside their airtight chamber. Just a quick read through some of the reviews of this serum reveal just how passionate people are about this product, and proving that a three-figure price tag isn’t necessarily a turn-off if the product inside performs. And this stuff really does. I’m 35 so I don’t yet have a huge amount of fine lines or wrinkles, but my forehead is definitely way more textured than it was five years ago and I’m starting to notice fine lines around my eyes settling more permanently into my skin. I hate to say it, but this serum is a little Botox in a bottle—it tightens, firms and plumps, and really does iron out some of the skin’s natural texture. I imagine that I’d get more use out of this in another 10 years or so, but I was really impressed with what a smooth canvas it helps to create and how well my makeup layered on afterwards.

3. La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream

First thing I have to mention about this cult moisturiser is the scent. It’s strong, so if you don’t like fragranced skincare then you really won’t like this. I, however, can get on board with the fragrance. It’s powdery, slightly floral and basically smells exactly how I’d expect an incredibly expensive face cream to smell—like money. As for the cream inside, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed using this. I’m always nervous about switching up my moisturiser as, if I use a formula that doesn’t agree with me, I’m almost guaranteed to break out in blemishes. I suffered no such fate with this luxurious cream despite its rich, buttery texture. It glides on and sinks in effortlessly, leaving skin plumped, hydrated and juicy. And a little goes a really long way—you really do need just a small dot of cream to do your entire face so I can imagine that this jar would last for a long time. However, while I think that dry skin or women over 50 would really reap the moisturising benefits of this product, for where I’m at now I know that there are better moisturisers more targeted towards things like acne scarring, and congestion that will make a more visible difference.

4. La Prairie Platinum Rare Haute-Rejuvenation Mask

It blew my mind to learn that this was La Prairie’s best-selling product in the UK last year, but when I really delved into the science behind the product I started to understand why. There has been an undeniable rise in the popularity of aesthetic treatments over the last few years, with injectables becoming far more commonplace in people’s skincare routines. This mask aims to recreate the plumping and rejuvenating results that you might get from a tweakment, but without the use of needles (obviously). Instead, it uses breakthrough macro-infusion technology to coat hyaluronic acid and collagen molecules and allow for a more effective delivery to the skin. Paired with the brand’s tried-and-tested Exclusive Cellular Complex, it acts a bit like a jumpstart for your skin’s natural renewal processes. It’s a two-step treatment starting with a potent gel that's encased in individually-portioned vials to preserve its efficacy, and then a rich cream for that plumped, hydrated finish. It really did leave my skin feeling so supple, more elasticised, and just generally healthier. But I can’t lie, I’ll be saving this for the most special of occasions to use it again.

5. La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Cream

I was lazy for many years about using an eye cream, but now that I’m in my mid-30s with two young children it’s become an essential part of my skincare routine. As someone that is perpetually sleep-deprived right now, I seek out eye creams that focus firstly on alleviating and brightening dark circles and secondly on de-puffing tired eyes. Any claims around fine lines and wrinkles are nice to have, but don’t feel essential—so I wasn’t sure that I’d get on well with this eye cream which is heralded as one of the best anti-ageing formulations. However, I was mistaken—this little pot of goodness is somewhat remarkable. Just a couple of light dabs beneath the eye has a pretty instantly transformative effect, smoothing texture, alleviating discolouration, and reducing the almost swollen tired eye look that I have most mornings. Can you get other eye creams that do the same thing? Yes, although in my experience, most seem to offer either luminosity or hydration, and very few I’ve tried have visibly de-puffed. So while I would never suggest that spending £350 on an eye cream is sensible, it’s good to know that it does deliver above and beyond on its promises.