I will go to bat for luxury beauty products that perform as promised. Skin care is incredibly personal, so spend whatever you like if it works for you.

One such product line I’ve been a fan of for a long time is Biologique Recherche. This French beauty brand uses all-natural ingredients and no dyes or fragrances. Their products have truly changed my skin since I started using them, and you can see my favorites here, here and here.

But a recent discovery from another iconic French brand, Caudalie (previously featured here), has taken Biologique’s signature cleanser out of my daily rotation. While I certainly don’t regret using the pricier product, I gotta be honest, this one hurts a bit.

Let my financial loss be your skin (and wallet’s) gain.

If you love this …

I was introduced to BR's Lait U at my favorite beauty spot in NYC, Rescue Spa (previously featured here). All of their facials start with one of BR’s cleansing milks, which contain hazelnut and sweet almond oils, along with wheat germ extract to gently remove makeup, sunscreen and grime. You can also use it as a moisturizing mask or mix it with a powder cleanser to exfoliate. Despite its rich texture, it’s never broken me out and I used it both in the morning and as the first step in my nighttime double cleanse. Even buying just two large bottles a year, £81 is still a lot.

Buy this instead …

I switched to cleansing milks because balms and oils always left behind a residue or caused milia. But cleansers don’t need to be expensive if they’re made with quality ingredients. Caudalie’s Vinoclean Gentle Cleansing Almond Milk (first featured here) is also made with sweet almond oil along with jojoba and castor oils, organic shea butter, cornflower extract and French grape seed extracts. It smells delicious and feels just like Lait U on the skin, breaking down products beautifully without irritating my eyes and rinsing away cleanly (I like to use a muslin cloth). And it starts at just £11.

Something to read …

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MIDDI is a weekly roundup of mid-priced beauty, fashion and home buys released every Monday. Have a product you’re searching for? Leave your suggestions in the comments.