As someone that grew up in a coupon-clipping, sale-shopping, extra-frugal household, my relationship with the idea of luxury has been a complicated one. Purchases were all about practicality and purpose. As long as it got the job done, spending any more than the bare minimum was unnecessary. That being said, your girl has also always had expensive tastes. My father used to joke that if you took all the price tags off everything in a store, and asked me to pick one thing to buy, it would still end up being the priciest thing they had to offer.
What can I say? I've got an eye for quality.
It's never been about status or appearances, or wanting to impress people with designer labels. I'm just an incredibly sensory person, and have a strong appreciation for the experience of something. Catching a whiff of a beautiful perfume, indulging in the velvety texture of a lotion, being mesmerized by the sparkle of a glittery shadow. That to me is what luxury is really about.
And of course, a luxurious experience or product doesn't necessarily have to be ridiculously priced. I've found my fair share of budget-friendly indulgences over the years. But when you've always felt a pang of guilt when it comes to treating yourself, or never allowed yourself to believe that spending a little more on a certain product is worth it, there is a certain power in giving yourself permission to just enjoy something seemingly frivolous every once in a while.
That perspective is exactly what has lead me to a place of appreciation for the Emile Cordon Cashmere-On Lip Pots. 10 years ago I would have never been able to conceive how a $42 lip balm could possibly be worth it. And while I still wouldn't call something like this a necessity, I have way less judgment around the idea of wanting to pamper yourself with such a luxurious product. If these magical little pots have the potential to bring a moment of joy and self-care to your day, then maybe they're worth the splurge.
Each lip pot is formulated without Petrolatum, Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, or GMOs, and is available in five different delicious scents. While I honestly could have been happy with any of them, I think Emile Cordon read my mind when they picked Lisa (Rosé Champagne) and Coco (White Coconut Cake) to send me. They both smell like some kind of delicious confection without being overbearing or sickly sweet.
As I mentioned before, each Cashmere-On Lip Pot retails for $42, which is an undeniably luxury price point for this kind of product. That being said, Emile Cordon did pull out all the stops. The packaging of each jar, from the box it comes in, to the actual pot itself, is seriously stunning. I also greatly appreciate the fact that they include a spatula, because one of my gripes about lip balms in pots is that every time you stick your finger into them, you're introducing a whole slew of bacteria into your product. It also feels like an expensive lip balm. It's got an extremely soft texture that seems to melt into your lips without being greasy, sticky, or goopy. The scents are beautiful, and while there isn't any added flavor, it tastes pretty nice too.
Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil, Beeswax, Lauryl Laurate, Carnauba Wax, Fragrance, Vitamin E, Evening Primrose Flower extract (May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Silicae, Fluorphlogopite)
Something else to consider is that you get 16.5 grams of product in each pot, which is a substantial amount for a lip balm. This breaks down to a cost of about $2.50 per gram. Just to put things in to perspective, I decided to look up the cost per gram of some less expensive, but popular lip balms. The Fresh Sugar Lip Caramel Hydrating Balm is $18, but you only get 6 grams of product at a cost of $3.00 per gram. The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Intensive Lip Balm is $20 for 10 grams of product for a cost of $2.00 per gram. And just for ha has, because it is the only other super expensive, super popular lip balm I know, the ByTerry Baum de Rose is $60 (!!!) for 10 grams of product for a cost of $6 per gram (which, by the way, I've had a sample of in the past and didn't care for).
My point? Yes you're spending more money up front for this product, but you're also getting a lot more product. It has a stable shelf life of 24 months (and I can imagine if you use the included spatula it'll stay that much more fresh), so if you think of this as the only lip balm you're buying for the next year and then some, perhaps the $42 price tag doesn't seem so crazy.
Another awesome thing about this product is that it doesn't have to just be used on your lips. You can also apply it on dry cuticles, use it to tame crazy brows in a pinch, or to soften up any flaky, rough patches you may have. I personally wouldn't slather myself from head to toe with this, but I appreciate that I could use any excess product from my lips to soften up my cuticles.
At the end of the day, there's no denying that everything about this lip product is beautiful. The texture is insanely velvety and creamy on the lips and leaves them feeling supple and soft. The scents are heavenly. Plus it looks so darn pretty sitting on my vanity. If you're coming from a purely practical, value-based perspective, could you find a decent lip balm for a lot less money? Of course. But if you're wanting to add a little bit of luxury to your everyday life without spending hundreds (or thousands) on a designer handbag, a fancy pair of shoes, or an actual cashmere sweater maybe this is a perfect little compromise.
What's your favorite luxury product to splurge on?
