The Key Ingredient In This Face Cream Is More Expensive Than Gold
First it was the $140 anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner. Then in was the I'm-too-embarrassed-to-reveal-the-cost skincare routine. And a $130 body oil. And a $400 masking device. And the silk pillowcases. And THEN I brought of bottle of Moët & Chandon to a house party on AFL Grand Final Day.
I thought my beauty routine couldn't get any more bougie than this. That is, until I discovered a face cream whose key ingredient is more expensive than gold.
Once you basically start slathering gold on your face, it's hard to return to the lifestyle you once knew. Regular showers? I don't think so. Once I install a solid gold bath in my bathroom, I'll be bathing in Alpha H's Liquid Gold with scattered rose petals and these Pinot Noir bath salts.
Now, if you're not a bougie bitch like me, I suggest you skip the next section because Yves Saint Laurent OR Rouge Creme Riche is $498. It's definitely not for those on a budget.
As our founder Kate Morris explained on our podcast, some people like the ritual of layering a hundred serums (me), some are more concerned with the percentage in their retinol (also me), and some just love a luxe face cream in the heavy glass jar with a beautiful smell (me too). Or, you might be like a certain man in our office who just washes his face with shampoo. You do you!
Except please use a proper cleanser.
The Skin Benefits Of Saffron
The key ingredient in YSL's Or Rouge Creme Riche is saffron, which is referred to as "red gold" because a gram of this ingredient costs more than gold. Despite studying French for six years in high school, I didn't quite make the connection until now that "or rouge" means "red gold" in French. But I digress...
What's so special about saffron aside from it being pretty much akin to slathering gold on your face?
- After years of research, and analysis of more than 100 plants, YSL discovered that Moroccan Saffron was a unique plant, containing a super sugar called crocin.
- Crocin is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radical damage and makes the skin more resilient to environmental aggressors
- It also has anti-inflammatory properties – inflammation being one of the primary triggers of lines, wrinkles and an uneven tone and texture
- The benefits to your skin include firming, lifting, brightening, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and smoother skin tone and texture
Why It's Great For Dry Skin
Yves Saint Laurent OR Rouge Creme Riche is a rich, silky moisturiser that is most suitable for ageing or dry skin. I can personally attest that it's the best moisturiser I've used to combat dullness and dryness. My skin can feel dry and tight in the mornings and this moisturiser instantly revives my skin like a big drink of water.
Except, in this analogy, it's very, very rare water that has been bottled from the natural springs of some exotic location far, far away.
I especially like to use this moisturiser before a big event - it leaves skin soft and luminous all day and night. You only need a small amount to cover the face and neck area. It comes with a spatula so you don't go overboard, which I tend to when it comes to my skincare. And if you're thinking, "Hey, I can't be spending $498 every time I run our of moisturiser," you can actually refill your glass jar with this refill cartridge.
If you've got to this point and you're thinking that saffron sounds pretty awesome, but you're more of a "drink-water-out-of-the-tap" kinda girl, you can check out our 10 best skincare products for dry skin.
Why Is Saffron So Expensive?
Firstly, saffron is a rare flower that has a small harvest window and needs to be extracted quickly to ensure it keeps it's efficacy. These particular saffron flowers are harvested by hand in the Atlas Mountains, and it takes 150,000 flowers to get just one kilo of dry saffron!
Let's take a little journey to Morocco together to learn more about the extraction process...
