Unfortunately for most of us, we don’t have a secret bank account full of cash that we can blow on all the newest beauty products (though we wish we did, of course). There are constantly new, innovative products coming out that we beauty lovers would love to have. Whether it’s a $300 wrinkle-reducing device or a foundation that will make your skin look airbrushed, beauty-philes seem to always be willing to dish out cash—even if it seems like a ridiculous price—to get something great.
This is a summary of me to a T. I am constantly spending all my extra money (even though, no, there’s not much of it at all) on the newest beauty innovations and luxury beauty products, but only on one condition—it needs to be raved about in every magazine, tested by all my favorite beauty bloggers and have a five-star rating to drop a ridiculous amount of money on.
Instead of researching hundreds of blogs, magazines, and YouTube channels, you have me. Someone who has whored their way around beauty retailers and has tried basically every product you can imagine—and I’m honest. If it sucks, I’ll give it to you straight. If you’re stuck in a rut looking for your new favorite dry shampoo or serum and are willing to dish out a few extra bucks, check out this list of some of the best luxury beauty products that I think are totally worth dishing out on.
Hair
Sultra The Bombshell 1.5 Inch Curling Wand
It seems that ever since the Kardashians made their way onto our TV screens, everyone is obsessed with long, wavy hair. For most of us, a 1-1.5 inch curling iron will do the trick. To go even further and get hair that is super healthy looking and not have to hold that stupid clamp back the entire time you’re curling, I’ve been using this Sultra Curling Wand. From end to end, this baby generates 380 degrees heat, smoothes the cuticle, and locks in your look. It also has a super-fast heat-up time and shuts off automatically if you forget to unplug or turn it off (which we’re all guilty of, I’m sure).
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
If you’re anything like me, your hair is about 50% dry shampoo by the end of the week. How many times has your hairdresser told you how terrible it is when you wash your hair daily? In order to “train” your hair to not get oily and gross, you’ll need to “clean” it without really cleaning it, and that’s where this lovely dry shampoo comes into play. Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo instantly absorbs excess oil and impurities, making your hair appear freshly washed and full of volume and texture. The reason we’re really digging this dry shampoo over all the others on the market is because amika used no aluminum and no talc. Instead, they opted for natural rice starch, meaning a healthier head of hair and scalp.
Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Oil Miracle Mist
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of hair products. To me, it’s almost the most boring part of the beauty world. I basically am very simple when it comes to hair: shampoo, conditioner, some dry shampoo, and maybe some styling here and there, but other than that, I’m all set. It wasn’t until this oil mist came across my desk that I found one hair product that I absolutely need in my life. This mist sprays right into your hair (wet or dry) and is the scent equivalent to eating your favorite meal when you haven’t eaten all day (read: it’s literally the best). It makes my hair feel incredibly soft and silky, but it also feels (and looks!) a lot healthier and stronger. This is one hair product that is now a complete necessity in my almost non-existent hair regimen.
Oribe Signature Shampoo and Conditioner
For soft, healthy locks, a great shampoo and conditioner are key, and that’s exactly what this Oribe Signature Shampoo and Conditioner delivers. Starting with the shampoo, lather this luxurious cleanser containing Edelweiss Flower Extract, Watermelon Extract, Lychee Extract, and Coconut, Corn, and Oat all over your locks to hydrate, revive and protect. Then, move onto the Signature Conditioner that uses tons of hydrating polymers to revive youthful shine delivering super healthy and shiny locks instantly. The best part is both products are paraben and sodium chloride-free, and they’re safe for color-treated hair.
Paul Mitchell Limited Edition Neuro Style Unplugged
Probably one of the smartest and most innovative products mentioned today, this Paul Mitchell styling iron is a dream come true for the girl who travels. It’s a small, cordless device that uses Premium IsoTerm titanium plates to provide you with seriously fast, even heat. Heating up anywhere from 360 to 410 degrees Fahrenheit, this styling iron even includes a wall and car charger and has a battery that can last anywhere from 30-60 minutes, so you can get the perfect hairdo no matter where you are.
Nails
Lauren B Nail Growth Serum
After trying out Lauren B Beauty’s nail polishes, I became more and more interested in other products that the brand’s offered since the polishes were so amazing. I was a terrible nail-biter, so when I stopped, I needed something that would really help keep my nails healthy and make them grow a bit quicker. This nail growth serum was the salvation that my brittle nails needed. It’s the perfect blend of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, peptides, and biotin that boosts your nail’s growth rate and strength. All you have to do is brush it on before you apply polish, or 1-2 times per day if you aren’t wearing a polish, and you can watch how quickly your nails respond.
Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer
Possibly my favorite nail brand ever, Smith & Cult has some of the best nail products on the market without a doubt. Aside from their incredibly unique and modern packaging, this polish brand delivers one great nail color. Since Smith & Cult’s nail colors are “lacquers” and not “polishes”, they actually dry a bit quicker and last a bit longer. I find that with most of the Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquers (depending on the color), you really only need one layer of polish to get your desired shade. This means that there is a thinner layer of polish, and it won’t be so easy to peel right off like you can when you have to layer 3-4 layers of a polish on. Quick-drying and incredible pigment = a perfect at-home manicure.
Skin
Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Serum
I’m a huge Drunk Elephant fan after trying their Juju Bar, so I knew that their newly released eye serum would be just as great. Drunk Elephant (another brand who gives a crap about what’s in their products. They even have an entire page on their website dedicated to the ingredients that you won’t find in their products) uses Copper Peptides, co-Q10, and Edelweiss Stem Cells to create this beautiful eye serum. What I really thought set this product apart from other eye serums was that it has such innovative packaging. Instead of pumping or squeezing from a tube, you actually push the button on the bottom, and a super small amount (which is exactly how much you need) comes up from its glass tip. I’ve been using this eye serum for about two weeks now, and I am nothing but impressed.
Eve Lom Cleanser
This was the first Eve Lom product that I had ever tried and is definitely still my favorite to date. Speaking of being a favorite, it’s definitely my preferred method of makeup removal and cleansing. For optimal results, you’ll want to grab a scoop of this cleanser, apply and massage it all over your skin and neck, then grab the Muslin Cloth soaked in hot water and gently press the cloth into your face and neck. This will allow the heat to open your pores and let the aromatic oils deeply cleanse your skin.
Foreo Luna
How many times have you “washed your face” before bed then woke up in the morning, and there’s still makeup under your eyes or on your pillow? After having this issue arise one too many times for me, I decided to look into a solution. I found the perfect solution in the Foreo Luna. This innovative beauty device is an all-in-one cleansing and anti-aging device that will surely erase all traces of makeup from the day. It uses T-Sonic pulsation technology channeled through it’s soft, silicone touchpoints that are directed across your skin’s surfacing, dislodging dirt and makeup from the pores in a super gentle manner. No matter how sensitive your skin is, you won’t have to rub or scrub your makeup off with this genius device.
Skin Inc Get Glowin’ Custom-Blended Serum Set
Even with all the products on the market, it’s really hard to find a serum that is literally made for you. Sometimes you want to fight more than one issue, but most serums only target one at a time. The fact that Skin Inc’s Custom-Blended Serum Set changes that is what made me fall in love with the brand. With this set, you get to take a quiz on Skin Inc’s site, and you’ll be matched with 3 serums that will help with your particular skin issues. Then, you’ll mix the three of them in the empty bottle that you receive in the set, or you can keep them separate to target different areas of the face with different products. It really is a genius idea since many of us have more than one issue that we need to diminish!
NuFACE Limited Edition White Rose Mini Facial Toning Device
You’ve probably seen this device, looked at its price, or read the how-to and put it back instantly. I’ll admit it’s definitely a bit intimidating and confusing at first, but once you learn how to work this magical device, you’ll never go back. The NuFACE mini contours large surfaces on the face, including the forehead, cheeks, jawline, and jowls in minutes, delivering immediate, visible results and long-term results as well. It uses soft wave microcurrent technology, which provides a five-minute facial lift by gently stimulating the underlying structure of the skin to tone facial muscles. It’s recommended that you use this device 5 times per week for about 60 days to see the full results.
Makeup
Marc Jacobs Re(marc)able Full Cover Foundation Concentrate
I’m definitely a full coverage type gal. I was excited when I heard about this foundation launching since it claimed to be full coverage that lasted for 24 hours (yes, an entire day). As soon as I got my hands on this baby, I remember swatching it on the back of my hand, seeing how thin and watery it was, and telling myself there was no way that it was going to be full coverage since it was so thin. I applied it with a foundation brush, and it covered literally everything on my face that I could ever want to be covered—and it stayed all day long. The best part is that you hardly needed any product at all, so the bottle will last you forever.
Tata Harper Luminous Definition Contour Kit
From Instagram to YouTube, you’ve seen all your favorite gurus go gaga over contouring and highlighting and, of course, getting that “lit from within” glow. You’ve probably bought all the same products as they did and used all the same techniques only to be left with a face that looks, well, nothing like the finished product in the video. If this sounds like you, it might be time to give something new a try: this Tata Harper Luminous Definition Contour Kit. Tata Harper is one of the only skincare brands sold in large retailers like Sephora or Birchbox that is actually 100% natural. You can actually feel good about putting this product on your skin, and it will definitely leave you with a luminous glow that will look like your actual skin rather than all the powders in your makeup drawer piled on top of each other.
Eve Lom Perfect Matte Primer
For me personally, I love a good matte complexion. Maybe it’s because I grew up with skin that you could see shining from a mile away (and not in the “lit from within” way that everyone’s actually trying to accomplish nowadays). Other than keeping your skin mattified, this primer instantly helps correct imperfections, visibly minimizes pores, and contains natural anti-inflammatories and natural astringents to actually help clear up your skin rather than clogging up your pores like most primers do.
TEMPTU Air
Meet the world’s first cordless airbrush device: the TEMPTU Air. TEMPTU has been famous for their amazing airbrush makeup machines since their inception, but they are truly taking their brand to the next level creating something so genius like this. It’s super easy to use, too: After inserting the pod of your choice (whether it be a foundation, blush, contour, bronzer, or highlighter), hold it about 3 inches from your face and spray lightly in small, circular motions. You’ll instantly be left with a beautifully airbrushed face that’ll have you looking like you have your own personal makeup artist (and who doesn’t want that?).
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
