I wouldn’t call myself incredibly extravagant when it comes to my purchases, but I do have a weakness for the odd luxury. Currently, these consist of weekly blow drys at the Drybar, buying one too many Reformation dresses, and $19 Martinis at Sunset Tower Hotel. But I’ve noticed a grand portion of my paycheck disappears on luxury skincare. What can I say? I have a soft spot for $325 La Mer Soft Cream, $215 La Mer Eye Cream, $80 Eve Lom Cleanser, and $160 Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Masks. All of which strip my wallet of approximately $275 a month when I calculate how often I replenish them. (That’s $3300 a year—a business class ticket to Paris when you think of it that way.) Insert shocked face emoji here.
Curious to see if I could curb my luxury skincare kick for at least a few months (and save some major dollars for that getaway to Paris), I put Versed, our new sister skincare brand, to the test. The whole skincare range at Versed clocks in at under $20, is available to buy at Target, and prides itself on its clean, uncomplicated ingredients, and sustainably sourced, nontoxic, results-driven items—including cleansers, moisturizers, eyes creams, and oils to serums, peels, masks, and spot treatments. The cool packaging looks way more expensive than its price tag and is practically made for Instagram.
I tried and tested a selection of products catered to my dry skin. Scroll below for my thoughts and my favorites that I’m now using on repeat. (Perhaps that business class trip to Paris is closer than I think.)