I recently tried a $128 moisturizer to get rid of the fine lines I've developed in my 30s - and it was life-changing for my skin

• SkinCeuticals is a luxury skin-care brand that makes high-concentration formulas to treat everything from signs of aging to adult acne.
• I tried Skinceuticals' Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($128), a rich anti-aging moisturizer that's been life-changing for my skin (and my husband's, too).
• It improved the overall quality of my skin, removing fine lines, shrinking pores, and helping to restore fullness.
• It's expensive at $128 for 1.6 ounces, but it's had such an impact on my skin that I think it's worth the splurge.

First, we're going to get the confessions out of the way. I used to have bad, very bad skin. Like, Accutane-level bad. Fortunately I don't have acne anymore, but I went directly from pimples to fine lines in my 30s (it's hard being me).

In my search to treat these small wrinkles, I recently turned to the splurge-worthy, $128 Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 moisturizer by SkinCeuticals, a skin-care company that approaches its formulas as if they were medicine for the skin.

What makes this moisturizer worth $128?

Let's talk about SkinCeuticals' Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. It's a heavy jar of moisturizer that's made up of 2% pure ceramides, 4% natural cholesterol, and 2% fatty acids. The brand touts that this ratio of naturally-occurring lipids is ideal for helping skin to restore its natural moisture barrier. According to SkinCeuticals, lipid production declines with age, and "as a consequence, skin's natural functions may become impaired, impacting barrier function and skin's natural repair [process]." By restoring skin with the exact lipids it needs, the moisturizer should improve your skin's ability to self-repair over time.

In an eight-week clinical study, it had proven results: 66% smoother skin; 35% improvement in laxity; 20% improvement in evenness; 26% improvement in radiance; and 44% improvement in pore appearance.

The downside? It costs $128. Yes, it's pricey - but based on my experience with it, it's worth the splurge.

My review of the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

After hearing good things about the moisturizer, I tried it for myself.

Though it can be applied twice a day, I stuck with a nighttime application because it felt thick and heavy - and for the price ($128 on Dermstore), I wanted it to last a while.

Despite how thick the formula is, it soaks into my skin very quickly and feels very soothing. It feels so nice, in fact, that my 7-year-old begs to have a little smeared onto her face nightly, too.

After about a week of using SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, I was carded at age 39 at a restaurant for the first time in about a decade. And not just carded: the waiter refused to give me my drink even after I showed my license because she said I looked too young. Thanks SkinCeuticals, I guess!

I've now been using SkinCeuticals for about four months, and my face looks fuller and younger, as if I had Botox or fillers (I've had neither). My pores are non-existent, and my husband keeps telling me how nice I've been looking. After I told him about SkinCeuticals, he started using it too, and his pores are now tiny (they were huge prior to using this).

It's been totally on point when I travel, protecting my skin from weird, dry airplane air, the stress of making it to my flights and figuring out itineraries, and even handling my skin after swimming in pools that are overloaded with chlorine.

Since using the Triple Lipid Restore moisturizer, my fine lines that appeared post-baby have disappeared, and now that I finally have acne-free skin, I'm feeling great.

For what it's worth, I've only tried SkinCeuticals during the warmer months, but it hasn't made my skin the least bit oily. I'm also fully confident that it will be able to handle my skin when it becomes drier throughout a Chicago winter.

Bottom line

Is it worth the price? I say yes, based on my personal experience with the moisturizer. It has made my skin look fuller, younger, and healthier in the few months I've been using it.

What works for me may not work for everyone, but if the clinical studies combined with my own skin improvements say anything, it's that the splurge is justified.

Buy the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 for $128 at Dermstore and SkinCeuticals