The Only Thing More Luxe Than Eating Caviar Is Wearing It

While some beauty buys might be less than palatable, the new trend of caviar-infused products is being marketed as the ultimate expression of luxe. Let's face it, when you're paying through your (perfectly powdered) nose for a few ounces of roe, there's got to be more behind these little round gems than meets the eye…right?

Well, it turns out caviar has some pretty interesting benefits when it's infused into beauty products. In La Prairie's Cellular Luxe Lip Color, the round stuff is reported to plump and firm the lips, while Alterna's Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture Shampoo is said to keep your hair nourished, hydrated, and protected from damage. As for Thierry Mugler's Womanity perfume, the idea was to create a scent that's a blend of savory rather than sweet, using essences of caviar, fig, and fig wood as the key notes.

Now that you've got the skinny on the goods, let's talk about the downside: You'll be paying about as much to smear (or spray) caviar on your body as you would to eat it. The lipsticks retail for $55, the shampoo and conditioner cost $32 each, and 1.7 oz of the the perfume will run you $78. Some would argue that luxury is worth the cost, but would you pay more for caviar-infused products, or are there better fish in the sea (sorry, couldn't help it)?

Petrossian Beluga Caviar, available at Petrossian.