Why do we pay so much for the «new suite»

Indeed, we are ready to pay exorbitant prices for the hope of looking younger: in the first two weeks after the launch of the Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale cream (300 euros), it was sold in a jar every 15 minutes. And initially expensive brands: La Prairie, Sisley, Valmont, Kanebo, Cle de peau beaute — are building up an army of their admirers and offering more and more expensive products. The appearance (and demand) of creams that claim to be the highest elitism can be considered a kind of trend. We decided to find out what cosmetic concerns can offer us for the defiant price of ten minimum wages.

Money for demand

First of all, who buys all these luxurious novelties? We conducted a survey and found that these were by no means only owners of fortunes, but also modest employees with ordinary salaries. “I can spend almost my entire salary on such a cream,” 32-year-old Anna argues her addictions. “I could buy a bag of some well-known brand, but I prefer cream: it’s really a luxury, designed exclusively for me, and others won’t even know about it.” These are perfectionists who do not recognize any compromises regarding their own skin. Beautiful skin is the best clothes, they say. And the purchase of an unthinkably expensive cream is considered the best investment — an investment in youth and beauty. Dr. Daniel Maes, Este-e Lauder Vice President for Research and Development, comments on this state of affairs: “We found that there is a special category of consumers who want the best that is the best ingredients, the latest technology and the highest efficiency.” And demand, according to the laws of the market, gives rise to supply.

whole science

Cosmetic corporations allocate huge funds for scientific research — and each does it in its own way. For example, in Este-e Lauder, a special group of scientists is engaged in continuous monitoring of scientific discoveries in all fields of knowledge. In this ocean of information, they are looking for those few pearls that can be used in one way or another when creating cosmetics. Chanel equips entire expeditions to remote corners of the earth in the hope of finding new ingredients to create even more effective new products. In Kanebo laboratories, not only the most sophisticated equipment is used for research, but also a bioinformatic approach that allows you to track bioenergetic processes at the cellular level.

Caviar extract, 24 carat gold, reishi (the Japanese equivalent of truffles) are all very rare and expensive ingredients. High-tech components of creams are sometimes even more expensive. Thus, the Valmont brand uses peptides (substances that stimulate the restoration of cellular functions) at 780 euros per gram, that is, 780 euros per kilogram. “The more affordable component, salmon DNA, which is present in all of our products, costs about 000 euros per kilogram,” says Sophie Guillon, marketing director of Valmont. — It promotes intensive skin regeneration. For comparison: a kilogram of glycerine costs 960 euros.” Some of the ingredients that make up Este-e Lauder’s Re-Creation creams cost more than $50 per kilo. “But that’s not even the point,” explains Dr. Maes, “but the fact that they are extremely fragile and the amount that we can produce is limited. This is the main reason we only created 16 packs of Re-Creation at launch – it is truly exclusive.”

The wonders of technology

The high cost of active ingredients is often associated with the fact that they require an expensive extraction procedure or restructuring in order for the skin to absorb them. Nanotechnologies are especially actively used in cosmetology: nanoemulsions consist of particles of a substance that are a thousand times smaller than particles of classical emulsions, which allows active ingredients to penetrate the skin more deeply. It takes six months to complete the bio-fermentation process — the key to Creme de la Mer’s highest potency.

The polyfractionation of active ingredients used in the production of Chanel’s Sublimage cream results in purer and more concentrated extracts. In general, it takes 6 to 10 years to develop and research a care product of this level. Five years of research has allowed Kanebo to get to the heart of the aging process, which is the reduction in the regenerative ability of DNA, a discovery that was used to create The Cream Sensai Premier. The principle of «open formula» in the means of La Prairie, Cle de peau beaute allows the product to constantly be at the peak of effectiveness, as the formula is processed and supplemented with the latest scientific research. Produced in very small quantities, these creams have not only a high price, but also a really high cost.

Charity by Dior

Profits from the sale of «high beauty» products do not only go to the accounts of the companies that create them. Sharon Stone, famous Hollywood actress and face of the Dior brand, founder of Planet Hope, a fund to help homeless and disadvantaged children, received a check for 100 euros from the President of Parfumes Christian Dior — for charitable purposes. The star decided to transfer these funds to the Russian organizations Samyu Sosial Moscow and the Center for Curative Pedagogics. Her initiative received support: part of the funds from the sale of Dior Capture Totale products in L’Etoile stores (more than $ 000) was transferred to Our Family, an organization that helps homeless children find a family. Is there any hope that this will also become a trend?

We thank Maria Taranenko, beauty director of ELLE magazine, for her help in preparing the material.