Is quiet luxury skincare worth investing in?

SISLEY

Credit: Sisley

1/5

This French beauty brand uses premium botanical ingredients to craft innovative formulas that deliver results. Their commitment to biodiversity and local communities is evident in their selection of organic and sustainably cultivated plants.

Bucking skincare trends like sheet masks, Sisley offers a range of cream, gel and clays masks that addresses the unique needs of one's skin. For instance, the Black Rose collection taps on the extracts of antioxidant polyphenols and astringent tannins from the petals of black roses, harvested during the early flowering stage to preserve its potency against UV damage.

We love:

Ecological Compound, $190 for 60ml

A universal fluid for all skin types that balances skin’s microbiome, provides lasting hydration and improves skin’s resilience.



Black Rose Cream Mask, $205 for 60ml

This rich anti-ageing blend restores skin’s luminosity, density, and hydration in just 10 to 15 minutes.



L'integral Anti-Age, $635 for 50ml

Targets the three dimensions of ageing with stimulating, regenerating, and restructuring botanical ingredients for youthful, glowing, and revitalised skin.

AESOP

Credit: Aesop

2/5

With sleek-looking products that are synonymous with minimalist design, the Melbourne-born brand has established a reputation that commits to providing top-shelf products that are created with safe, simple and effective ingredients. It shuns the lure of celebrity endorsements and fancy scientific jargon through an uncomplicated approach to skincare.

For example, the Parsley Seed Skin Care range, rich in antioxidants, caters to the needs of urban-dwellers facing daily environmental stressors. The brand encourages a generous application and blending of their hydrating products, allowing customers to create a personalised and optimal routine.

We love:

Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum, $119 for 60ml

An antioxidant serum with three main benefits for the skin – fortifying, hydrating and offering a breathable film to guard skin against airborne pollutants.

NOBLE PANACEA

Credit: Noble Panacea

3/5

Established in 2019 by Nobel Prize Laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart, who spent more than 50 years researching organic chemistry, Noble Panacea combines Nobel Prize-winning research with organic molecular technology to create anti-ageing skincare formulas.

What sets Noble Panacea apart is that it is formulated in some of the most notable chemistry labs in the world, combining both organic chemistry and organic molecular technology in its formulations. For example, the brand's patented technology, called the Organic Super Molecular Vessel (OSMV) Technology, is able to extend the release time of active skincare ingredients in the skin up to tenfold.

In addition, the brand’s scientists are conducting studies on the effectiveness of the ingredients at a resolution level of 10,000 times smaller than the human skin cell, allowing Noble Panacea to develop skincare products with unprecedented precision in performance and efficacy.

We love:

The Exceptional Mask, $515

A high-performance treatment sleeping mask that is carefully synchronised to release key ingredients into the skin to enhance the skin’s natural overnight biorhythm of regeneration and self-repair.



The Brilliant Prime Radiance Serum, $421

A clarifying, brightening and protecting concentrate to give skin a luminous glow, offering protection against free radicals and environmental aggressors.

CLE DE PEAU BEAUTE

Credit: Cle De Peau Beaute

4/5

Embodying the essence of quiet luxury skincare, Cle de Peau Beaute is dedicated to unlocking the natural skin radiance that Japanese women are known for. Its groundbreaking research pushes the concept of Skin Intelligence, which is the skin's innate ability to distinguish between beneficial and harmful stimuli, ensuring optimal condition at the epidermis level.

The brand’s latest innovation, the Skin-Empowering Illuminator which can be found in its Radiant Care range, combines exceptional ingredients like Platinum Golden Silk Essence – made from theanine and extracts from Japanese pearl shell, angelica acutiloba and perilla – to enhance the skin's natural ability to repair and defend itself.

We love:

Cle de Peau Beaute Le Serum, $290 for 30ml

This serum awakens Skin Intelligence to activate its natural vitality and radiance and leaves skin soft, smooth, supple and vibrant with energy.

AUGUSTINUS BADER

Credit: Augustinus Bader

5/5

Founded by Professor Augustinus Bader, a renowned scientist in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering with over 30 years of expertise in stem cell science.

The brand's journey began with Professor Bader’s groundbreaking development of medical-grade Wound Gel, which could heal severe burn injuries to an extent that was previously only possible through skin grafts. He was then encouraged to translate the principles of his Wound Gel into skincare. And so backed by over 30 years of research in cellular repair and a deep understanding of stem cell biology, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the brand’s patented technology, TFC8, was born.

Made of a complex of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and synthesised molecules naturally found in skin, the ingredient is able to guide key nutrients and powerful natural ingredients to cells, creating an optimal environment for renewal. SImply put, the brand’s skincare works to train skin for the long term, promoting skin that looks and feels healthier, firmer and more resilient.

We love:

Augustinus Bader The Cream, from $140

Made to encourage regeneration and healing, this rich, nourishing cream repairs fine lines, eliminates dark spots and visible pores and leaves skin looking and feeling more youthful.



Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum, $530 for 30ml

Formulated to reduce signs of ageing, blemishes and pigmentation while protecting against future breakouts.