You’ll probably recognize the cobalt blue bottles from La Prairie’s skin caviar collection, and that is because they are among the most iconic skincare products that insiders swear by for super-radiant skin. As you might guess, the formulas are as luxurious and indulgent as the name suggests. The entire range of products contains caviar extract, which delivers a technology that infuses formulas that noticeably lift and firm the skin at the cellular level. Since the results can be dramatic, you’ll find price tags that match with product costs ranging from $200-$1000.
It isn’t just the skincare formulas that make the products iconic—La Prairie’s bottles make it instantly recognizable. The packaging has a rich history linked to the arts, and trailblazing artist Niki de Saint Phalle’s use of cobalt blue in her work inspired the beauty house’s bottles. After La Prairie’s team encountered the vivid color in a shared design studio in New York in the 1980s, the shade became an integral part of the skin caviar collection, leading to the development of the glossy cobalt blue packaging that encases every product from the skin caviar collection. It also marks a partnership that still exists nearly forty years later. To this day, La Prairie continues to support the legacy of Saint Phalle by partnering on exhibitions of her work with museums including MoMa PS1 and MCASD.
Artist Niki de Saint Phalle developed this perfume bottle in 1982 in her favorite hue, cobalt blue, which would go on to inspire the La Prairie team. Here, you can see the direct influence of the gleaming blue bottle and silver cap—a design reflected closely in the La Prairie’s packaging of the skin caviar collection.
I personally test-drove the La Prairie skin caviar collection, using the line’s eye lift serum, liquid lift serum, luxe eye cream, and luxe cream—all popular products that are top-sellers. Testing them for a period of a month, I was curious to see the results after using them as my primary skincare products.
When I apply skincare products, I always start with serums and build out from there. In this regimen, I started with the La Prairie skin caviar eye lift serum, which was like a drink of water for my eye area. I am very picky when it comes to eye products and there aren’t many that live up to the hype but I have nothing but great things to say about this serum. The dual-chambered bottle combines two formulas: one encapsulated in caviar beads and the other in a gel-cream. The pump combines them into a silky serum that instantly hydrates the eye area. Over the course of one month, my undereye area looked visibly lifted, smoother, and with softened lines. This is one of my top products from the collection that is now a forever favorite.
Similar to the liquid eye lift serum above, this is another lifting serum, but instead of a specific area, it’s intended for your entire face. The bottle contains caviar beads that turn into a silky serum once they’re pumped through. The lifting effect is instant—which you’ll notice activating with a slight tingling sensation upon application. Though subtle at first, over time there is a more pronounced overall lift.
After applying the eye serum and lift serum, the luxe eye cream was the next step of my routine. I’ve been more focused on my eye area recently as some fine lines have been appearing, but as I mentioned before I have been underwhelmed by many of the products I’ve tried. One thing I instantly noticed about this formula is how rich and hydrating it is while being relatively lightweight compared to other rich eye creams I’ve tried. Win win. Plus, the silky cream left my undereye feeling instantly hydrated and plumped up. One of my favorite parts? There is a small silver spatula included to grab the amount of product needed and it has a place you can secure it on the side of the bottle once you’re finished with the application.
The final product from my skincare routine is arguably the most famous and the most iconic: the luxe cream. A similar consistency to the luxe eye cream, it is likewise luxurious and rich, while somehow remaining lightweight. While there are plenty of other standouts, this is the true secret sauce to the skin caviar collection and has earned its reputation as an iconic moisturizer for good reason. Not only is it super hydrating, but it is also stocked with alpha hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate the skin and scientifically-engineered ingredients to target firmness and toning. If you’re going to splurge on a luxurious moisturizer, this should be at the top of your list.
The original skin caviar treatment that started it all.
If you’re looking for a lighter formulation of the luxe cream, this is it.
This product delivers retinol, so it the perfect product to apply at night.
Working while you sleep, this mask provides a restorative treatment so you’ll wake up with firm, glowing skin.
To further enhance the eye area, this essence targets the eyes with an instant firming effect.
If you’re looking to enhance volume, that is exactly what this product targets.
There are cult followers for this essence, which helps to minimize the appearance of pores.
