Makeup brands that are actually worth your money

When chatting with Byrdie, Patrick Ta, renowned celebrity makeup artist, said La Mer “is total luxury, from the moisturizers, to the lightweight makeup, to the lip balms.” But, they all cost a pretty penny. A half-ounce of La Mer’s Renewal Oil, for example, retails for $130. Nevertheless, Ta swears by the stuff. “It really moisturizes the skin for makeup and adds a radiant glow,” he told the publication. 

He even thinks the $65 lip balm is worth buying because it “leaves lips moisturized without looking too glossy.” For $325, you can purchase a 2-ounce jar of The Moisturizing Cool Gel Cream, which Ta said “soothes the skin for a flawless canvas and makeup application.” Or, if you’re looking for something more substantial, you can get a 16.5-ounce container of the brand’s original moisturizer — for a whopping $2,160.

The story behind the moisturizer, however, is even more shocking than the price. According to The Cut, La Mer creates its creams using a fermented liquid they call “Miracle Broth.” And, while it’s fermenting, the technicians play it a song of sorts: a digitized version of the sound of fermentation bubbles. What? You don’t play music for your lotion?