| Popular Products & Programs |
|
|
LaPrairie |
 |
Introduction & Overview |
LaPrairie is a line of skincare and cosmetic products that claims to be “the pioneer in anti-aging cellular therapy.” The company, which is based in Switzerland, is said to be “dedicated to the process of graceful aging” and claims that its Cellular Treatments “can make a serious difference in the way your skin looks today . . . and tomorrow.”
We could not help but observe that this company seems to charge unusually high prices for some of its skincare products. It seems to us that in the realm of skincare, any sort of affiliation with “Switzerland” or any type of luxury-spa European atmosphere becomes a justification for outrageously high prices. We believe that to the consumer, these fancy trappings are not as important as the end results of the products. We will assess this line of skincare products for their ability to simply do their job effectively.
|
| Products at a Glance |
LaPrairie seems to market a full line of skincare products, including body care, “Swiss Daily Essentials” cleansers, toners, eye creams, and several anti-aging and anti-wrinkle products. The company also sells various peels, masques, and sun-protection products, as well as the luxuriously named “Skin Caviar” line of firming and moisturizing products. Also available is a full collection of cosmetics, including foundation, concealer, lipstick, eyeliners and more.
|
| Products in Focus |
For the purpose of this review we will zero in on one particular product, the Cellular Intensive Anti-Wrinkle-Anti Spot Cream. This product is said to “relax expression lines and wrinkles, provide intensive brightening action, and provide continuous nighttime age spot management.” We were rather surprised by two discoveries regarding this product. The first is that the ingredients do not appear to be listed anywhere on this company’s Website. It is our belief that a solid, factual ingredient list is one way to separate true quality from “fluff.”
Consumers cannot be expected to make a purchase based solely on the manufacturer’s insistence that the product is good. We feel that consumers should be able to make an educated decision about a product based on its actual ingredients. The other surprise was this product’s price at around $175 for 1 ounce. We feel that there are several other excellent anti-aging products that are sold for a fraction of this amount. Particularly given this price tag, we think consumers should be able to know what they are getting for their money.
|
| Website |
Not surprisingly, we found this company’s Website to be stylish, upscale and “luxurious.” The information seems to be organized efficiently, and the site is easy to navigate. However, we were quite disappointed to discover that at the time of review, there were no consumer testimonials posted to the site. It is our belief that consumer testimonials are an objective means of learning about the effectiveness of a product.
We were also unpleasantly surprised to learn that an unsatisfied customer can apparently only obtain credit or an exchange for an ineffective product. We feel that consumers who take the risk of purchasing a product online should be protected by a money-back guarantee. Instead, consumers seem to be forced to transfer their money to another, most likely expensive, product from this company.
|
| Positives |
• Website is well-designed and pleasant
• Consumers can return products for credit or exchange
|
| Negatives |
• Anti-aging product seems expensive at around$175/ounce
• Website does not include testimonials
• Ingredient lists do not appear to be provided for these products
• Company does not seem to offer a true money-back guarantee
|
| Final Thoughts |
We believe that a “luxurious” Swiss image does not justify inflated prices, lack of ingredient information, and lack of a money-back guarantee. After all, an “attitude” is not ultimately what alleviates wrinkles – a quality skincare product does.
We believe there are currently more affordable, quality products skincare available, featuring known, scientifically-proven ingredients. Among these top-notch ingredients are Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen.
|
|
|
|
