Welcome to Worth It! Every other week, I'll introduce you to a new product that I've tested and loved: the kind of love I'm talking about, the kind that drains you to the bottom and tells your friends, "I found The-One." Think of it as permission to splurge on anything featured here. Read on to learn more about the products you don't want to part with. And for the latest Worth It breakdown, click here (opens in a new tab).

4 bottles, 4 weeks, twice a day. Commit to Sisley's precisely measured complexion reboot system and you'll come out the other side with smoother, softer, bouncier, more radiant, radically less tired-looking skin. (The brand believes that its botanically rich blend of ginkgo biloba, Persian acacia, mariposa blanca rhizome, peony extract, vitamin E acetate, and "longevity sugar complex" will improve and protect cellular mitochondrial function and ultimately help skin behave as it did in its youth The company believes that the product is a "longevity glycoconjugate. The formula is viscous, like a serum, but also lightly moisturizing. All other active ingredients (e.g., retinol, vitamin C) are ditched, and you simply remove makeup, cleanse, tone, and apply eye cream before bathing your face and neck with La Cure. Easy, right?

First, let me get this straight: at $1,200, sticker shock is hard to beat. Sisley sent me this product to test a few months ago, and it looked promising, felt great on my hands, and smelled as gorgeous as a French garden at its peak. Then I thought about the math. There are only a few options for a serious skincare upgrade (e.g., in the weeks leading up to a wedding or big event, or re-entry into society after a lockdown), most of which require multiple trips to a specialist. You could make an appointment with a dermatologist for a series of facials (about $1,000 for four facials at $250 or more per facial) or for laser or injectable treatments (at least $1,500). Of course, you can also self-cocktail a number of skin-rejuvenating medications on your own. At your discretion.

With this in mind, La Cure began to sound like a smart, low-risk, low-lift investment, especially for those of us who have not been near a great cosmetic doctor or facialist for a while. (I had been living like a hermit in rural upstate New York for all of nine months, so I was more than ready to enjoy a little self-care.) Then, in early 2021, I officially opened my first bottle.

To my delight, La Cure became my daily routine. From the depths of a long winter, from little children clinging lovingly to me, from life. Every morning and evening, after washing my face for three minutes, I closed my eyes, inhaled the scent of a French garden at its peak, and smeared the serum, eight pumps exactly as directed, all over my face, neck, and décolleté.

The first use was at night. And as expected, the product was cool and very comfortable to use, so I decided to massage it with Joanna Czech's face roller. Since it was January in New York City, I put a little of my common winter moisturizer - Augustinus Bader the Rich Cream - on the dry areas to compensate for the freezing temperatures and the radiator-style heating in our house. The next morning, my skin was calm. The angry red spots on my cheeks had disappeared. Overall, my complexion was remarkably brighter and noticeably softer to the touch. (I have always admired the soft, resilient skin of a two year old. This felt pretty close. ) The second day went just as well, and I was ready to go completely makeup-free (even on its own, with a little foundation mixed in with the glowing primer moisturizer during the day.)

By the second week, I became accustomed to my improved texture and began to notice a new clarity and brightness. I had just a few breakouts (probably a byproduct of the skin's renewal cycle), but the mild eczema that appeared annually in January was nowhere to be seen.

By the end of the third week, friends and colleagues began to compliment Zoom. But they were people who were used to seeing me on Zoom every day, even before La Cure, so I gladly accepted their compliments.

I completed the entire four-week period and continued to avoid any makeup on my complexion, even when I wanted to look a little more "finished." In a word, my skin was refreshed, even and bright, my pores tightened and cleared. Miraculously, I looked less tired. And in the process, my skin did not feel flaky, blotchy, or uncomfortably taught, as is often the case with exfoliating treatments and lasers. Having just finished the course, I already miss my three minutes of healing at La Cure. But there is some good news. It turns out that three small bottles of La Cure can be used for the entire month.