When it comes to luxury skincare brands, La Prairie is top of my list. Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Augustinus Bader and La Mer, but to me, La Prairie really stands out from the crowd thanks to the brand's impressive beginnings. Founded in 1931, it actually started as a wellness destination on the shores of Switzerland, under the scientific leadership of Dr Paul Niehans. Dr Niehans developed cellular therapy, which lead the brand to come up with its own exclusive cellular complex. This cellular complex enhances the skin's renewal process, and it is at the heart of almost every La Prairie skincare product today.
As innovative and impressive as that is, there's another ingredient that the brand uses that always catches my eye. That's right, I'm talking about caviar. Before trying La Prairie skincare, I always thought of caviar as a very expensive snack that I didn't really care to try. I don't know about you, but the texture alone was enough to put me off. However, it turns out that caviar can also help to moisturise, lift and firm the skin, and after learning this, I was so intrigued to give one of La Prairie's caviar skincare products a go.
Now, it's safe to say that these products don't come cheap. With the creams and serums ranging from £400 to over £600, it's definitely not something that you'd purchase on a regular basis—or at least, I wouldn't. That being said, as a beauty editor, I'm always up for putting these luxury products to the test to see if they're really worth the investment. It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it, right?
La Prairie recently brought out a new product as part of the Caviar range: White Caviar Pearl Infusion Serum. Retailing at a cool £615 for just 30ml, I decided it was time to give it a go to find out if it would make a noticeable difference to my skin. Keep on scrolling for my honest thoughts…
La Prairie White Caviar Pearl Infusion Serum Review
First things first, let's talk about the packaging. The serum comes housed in a stunning bottle with a silver lid and easy-to-use pump. The product itself looks like little pearls, which made me so excited to apply this to the skin.
What Ingredients Are in La Prairie's Caviar Serum?
The formula has been designed to reduce redness (something I experience) and dark spots, whilst also firming the skin and enhancing luminosity. It's enriched with Swiss golden caviar, alongside encapsulated lumidose (an illuminating molecule) and of course, the brand's exclusive cellular complex.
How Do You Use La Prairie's Caviar Serum?
La Prairie recommends applying it both morning and evening after cleansing the skin, so I decided to swap out my regular serum and test this product out every single day for a whole month.
On first use, I was surprised by how lightweight it felt on the skin. It felt so refreshing to apply, which made using it in the mornings even more enjoyable. However, because it was so lightweight, I was sceptical about how moisturising it would be, especially as my skin had started to get drier with the drop in temperature.
Little did I know that I needn't have worried, as this really is one of the most moisturising serums I have tried. Another thing I was nervous about was whether it would irritate my skin, because I have quite a sensitive complexion and so tend to stick to simple brands that I know my skin loves, such as Bioderma and Clinique. Again, I needn't have worried, as even after the first use my skin felt calm and soothed, and I barely had any breakouts whilst testing this product. So, did I actually see a difference in my skin? That's where it gets a little more tricky.
Junior beauty editor Grace Lindsay's skin without any makeup after testing the serum for four weeks.
There's no denying that my skin felt amazing every single time I used this, and one thing that I didn't expect was the clarity of my complexion. Not only was my skin clear, but I felt that it looked a lot less dull than it usually does around this time of year, and I definitely noticed I had more of a glow.
However, I was really hoping that the serum would improve the redness around my forehead and nose, but I'm yet to notice a huge difference. This could be down to the fact that I've only used the product for four weeks, and it might take a little longer to see those changes, but considering the price, I felt a little disheartened.
Grace's makeup after using the serum to prep her skin.
Redness aside, I must admit I've been blown away by how well the serum sits under makeup. I don't like anything too thick or heavy under my makeup, but I still want to keep my skin hydrated throughout the day, and this product did exactly that. My foundation practically glided on after using it, and my skin felt so soft, even after a long day at work and jumping on and of the tube.
Is La Prairie's Caviar Serum Worth It?
All in all, I am definitely impressed by this product, and will continue to use it every day in order to see if I notice any more results. In saying that, do I think you need to spend over £600 to get hydrated, luminous skin? Absolutely not. If it wasn't for my job, I don't think I'd ever be able to justify spending this much on a product when I know that there are so many brilliant, affordable skincare brands out there. But, if I did ever feel like splurging, this would be top of my list, and I know that my routine will feel a little less luxurious when I do eventually run out of this serum.
Shop La Prairie White Caviar Pearl Infusion Serum:
If you do want to treat yourself and help tackle dull skin this autumn and winter, then I can't recommend this enough.
Pros: Lightweight formula, hydrating on the skin and leaves you with a glowing complexion.
Cons: Very expensive and can take a while to see results.
Shop More of My Favourite Serums:
My sensitive skin can't get enough of this serum from Bioderma, and it's even just won a highly commended award for Best Serum in our inaugural Next in Beauty Awards.
L'Oréal does a great range of affordable serums, and this hyaluronic acid one would be my first choice.
If you don't mind spending a little bit more, this Templespa serum works to strengthen, restore and firm the skin.
Price shown is members' price.
This hydrating serum is a great option for the winter months.
Byoma skincare is loved on social media, and for good reason. It combines effective formulas with affordable prices, and you really can't ask for much more than that.
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