I Tried a $375 Moisturizer and It Kind of Blew My Mind

They say that not all skin-care products are created equal — but when it comes to moisturizers, I’ve always felt that I could get by with saving instead of splurging. After all, do most moisturizers, regardless of their price tag, feel hydrating? Check. Do most seem to pair well under my makeup? Usually yes, so check. And finally, do they avoid breaking me out for the most part? Check. But it wasn’t until the YSL Beauty Or Rouge Crème Riche, with an MSRP of $375, was sent to me by the brand to try and review, that I started second-guessing my stance. I decided to give it a whirl, and needless to say, it kind of blew my mind.

 

My curiosity with this moisturizer all started with one unique ingredient in its formula: saffron pistil. The Or Rouge line by YSL Beauty is built on this decadent floral ingredient that works to revive the skin’s surface cells and help combat signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. In addition to the saffron blend, the Crème Riche formula delivers a luxurious, ultra-soothing hydration every time that works to uphold elasticity and firmness with continued use. Sounds almost too good to be true — but it somehow wasn’t.

 

When opening up the chic glass pod that Crème Riche comes in, I first noticed how delicate, buoyant and opulent the texture of this moisturizer is. It’s buttery soft, non-greasy and seriously lives up to its luxe name. Applying this onto my face felt even better than testing it on my hand — it literally melts into the skin upon application, making it not only feel hydrating I could not stop staring in the mirror bare-faced after I put it on. I simply couldn’t believe how smooth my skin appeared.

 

Crème Riche also stands out for its ability to wear well under makeup.In fact, this moisturizer made me want to skip primer all together, because it left such a nice canvas behind,

 

The scent of this moisturizer is also super pleasant with notes of citrus. It’s subtle though not-overpowering, and even though I’m usually careful about fragranced products I use,

 

Final Thoughts

Crème Riche is a really expensive moisturizer. Like, way more expensive than any other skin-care product I use on the daily, and if I hadn’t been gifted it for the purpose of this review, I probably would never have tried it. But as crazy as it sounds, it’s completely worth it. It checks off all the boxes of what I look for in a moisturizer and more. And while saving on your moisturizer seems to make the most sense most of the time — splurging on this one might just change your routine for the better. I’m already saving up for my next jar.

 

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