Are Luxury Beauty Products Worth the Splurge?

How much are you willing to spend on luxury beauty products?

I’ve read that the average American woman spends $15,000 on makeup in her lifetime. To give you some perspective, about $3,770 is spent on mascara alone.

As a beauty blogger and product junkie, I can easily understand that absurd amount. If the average American woman is spending $15K in her lifetime, then I will most likely spend even more in mine because I splurge on beauty products all too frequently.

My friends always say, “You’re so lucky! You don’t have to pay for beauty products so why are you on Sephora.com right now?”

Most recently, Sephora had their Beauty Insider event for members. The first item in my shopping cart: a luxurious night cream.

I am generously gifted with complimentary products throughout the year, but that doesn’t hold me back from scooping up beauty products at my local beauty department or luxe beauty boutique.

I was recently browsing in Bluemercury with my blogger friend Vici. We were swatching lip shades at Bluemercury—seriously, nothing like two beauty bloggers in their natural habitat! And then there we were, standing in the checkout line splurging on a couple of high-end body scrubs.

Am I crazy for dropping $48 on this One Love Organics Body Exfoliant (which smells absolutely amazing, by the way) and not have one ounce of buyer’s remorse? Yet when it comes to apparel, I’m not willing to drop that amount on a single top. #Priorities

I felt compelled to informally survey some of my girl friends on their biggest beauty splurges, in hopes I wasn’t alone. I wanted to know: what is the most expensive beauty product in their makeup bag and how often do they use it? Are luxury beauty products worth the splurge?

Here are the responses I received:

Crystal of Too Crafty Moms:
“I discovered these peels by Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. One year when I worked at Sephora as a seasonal holiday employee. I’ve always had normal skin, but my t-zone tends to need a little extra help. I use them about 2-3 times a week for a while and noticed a definite difference in my skin. It was brighter, smoother and overall clearer. I use them here and there. I always feel like they are a bit of a splurge, so I’m pretty selective when I use them.”

Amanda of Amanda Baker Design:
“I don’t have any one thing that is way more expensive than others but the two main things I can’t live without are NARS blush in Orgasm and Clinique Even Better Makeup. I’d say the blush is more irreplaceable than any other product in my bag. Even when I try other products I always come back to these.”

Vici of Vici Loves:
“I discovered Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Palette through watching other YouTube beauty gurus and it sounded like such a luxury product. I held off from buying it for a long time but ever since I got it last year, I use it on a weekly basis. The bronzer and highlighter are both perfect shades for my fair skin and truly give me a natural but glamorous glow. I know I’m going to be using this for many years to come and it’s accompanied me on every trip I take.”

Bottom line—doesn’t matter if it’s makeup or skincare, my friends and I seem to have found some little luxuries that we cherish (whether it’s used daily or sparingly)—and we love them because simply put—it makes us feel great. And that should be a good enough reason, right?

In your opinion, are luxury beauty products worth the splurge? If so, do you spend more on one product type versus another?