Is an expensive face cream better than a cheap one?

Price is not a reliable measure of quality. More expensive moisturisers do not demonstrably contain fewer allergens than cheaper ones. Products without known skin allergens cost an average of $0.83 per ounce; products with allergens cost $0.60. That difference was not statistically significant. The price tag therefore says nothing about how safe or effective a cream is.

The claim 'recommended by dermatologists' on the packaging does make a product more expensive, but not demonstrably better. Products carrying that claim had a median price of $0.79 per ounce, compared with $0.59 for those without it. There is no evidence that the higher price delivers any benefit for your skin.

The claim 'fragrance-free' also deserves a critical look. Of all products that made that promise, 45% were found to contain at least one fragrance-related substance or plant extract capable of triggering allergic reactions. If you have sensitive skin, you are better off checking the ingredient list yourself than relying on claims of this kind.

That moisturisers 'work' at all is, incidentally, less self-evident than commonly assumed. A large study (more than 1,300 babies) found that daily application in children at elevated risk of eczema did not prevent eczema. Moreover, those babies had significantly more skin infections, and there were indications of more food allergies in the moisturiser group. This concerns intensive daily use in babies, not occasional application in adults, but it does nuance the idea that more moisturising is always better.

One small study found, for a specific cream containing mandelic acid and a plant extract (Centella asiatica), an improvement in skin texture and firmness after 12 weeks in participants aged 40 to 75. However, that study had no control group, so you cannot conclude that the price or those specific ingredients made the difference.