Darling, Delicate, and Expensive-Looking—These "Rich Grandma" Beauty Staples Double as Heirlooms
Elegant antique jewelry, but make them beauty items.


"It's giving grandma—but, like, in the best way," a fellow beauty editor muses at a recent event. We're both swatching Les Filles en Rouje's Face Palette, a gorgeous, six-pan tortoiseshell compact featuring ethereal, multitasking highlighters and blushes. I nod, instantly understanding what she means. Creamy, highly pigmented formulas aside, the compact itself just exudes elegance, like something you might have spotted on your grandmother's vanity (and perhaps used a few sneaky times, just to feel like the chic lady she is).
Since the event, I've been casually compiling other beauty products I adore for their heirloom energy, beautifully packaged staples that not only put in the work but also look incredible on display. This list below has them all (and, no, they aren't all investment pieces). Trust, each of these 16 pretty picks gives grandma—rich Upper East Side grandma who regularly lunches in pillbox hats and opera gloves and never leaves her sun-drenched apartment without fastening an antique-style brooch to the lapel of her coat. You feel me?
I of course have to start with the palette that kicked off the conversation. The versatile compact contains three pearly highlighter shades and three cream blushes you can mix and match as you please. Finger painting is recommended here so the warmth from your skin can help the product melt into a dewy, flushed finish. A bonus: Use the shades on your lips and lids as well for a minimal, monochromatic beat—very French, don't you think?
Okay, I understand that $95 Swarovski-encrusted tweezers are not a very practical purchase. But, wow, they sure are stunning. I imagine a very rich grandma would have the special sapphire tool sitting on her vanity—both for easy access and as an objet d'art.
I'd be remiss not to include my Parfums de Marly favorite, an elegant blend of Turkish rose, lily of the valley, peony, lychee, rhubarb, bergamot, and nutmeg. It's a fruity-floral with some subtle spice, and it's gorgeous. The bottle, with its tasseled, baroque-inspired design, only adds to its shelf appeal.
There's nothing like rummaging through your grandma's skincare cabinet and ooh'ing and aah'ing over her pretty potions. (No? Just me?) I imagine the chicest ladies stock theirs with this French face cream; the silky, velvety formula practically begs to be worn before bed.
Kindred Black creates the most stunning potions, be it a perfume elixir, face scrub, or pot of rouge. I suggest snagging one of the brand's multipurpose products, such as this cold-pressed argan oil you can lather on your limbs, hair, face, and nails. You'll want to reuse the hand-blown glass bottle long after the oil runs out.
In terms of aesthetically pleasing nail polishes, it doesn't get prettier than Pleasing. I love the subtle shimmer of Pearly Tops, which feels very Palm Beach grandma.

Jamie Schneider isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing ’s senior beauty editor based in New York City. With over seven years in the industry, she specializes in trend forecasting, covering everything from innovative fragrance launches to need-to-know makeup tutorials to celebrity profiles. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English before moving to NYC, and her work has appeared in MindBodyGreen, Coveteur, and more. When she’s not writing or testing Wholesale Replica Bag beauty finds, Jamie loves scouting vintage boutiques and reading thrillers, and she’s always down for a park picnic in Brooklyn.
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