What's in Creme De La Mer
You have to hand it to Creme De La Mer ($130), it has maintained cult status for a decade (it celebrates its tenth birthday this year). I (sheepishly) admit that I was one of the first people to fall for the hype and bought (what was then one of the expensive face creams on the planet) a pot from Harrods. I also bought La Mer's eye cream. Even La Mer claims that it doesn't know how its miracle cream works. Perhaps that's because it doesn't. At least not for me.
La Mer's birthday prompted me to try to find out more about La Mer's secret sauce (another thing that the company does very well is to keep Creme De La Mer's ingredients off the internet). A few months ago, I found the ingredients for La Mer Fluide and the only thing impressive about it was the number of silicones, 11 at my count. For the past decade, La Mer has been remarkably consistent about messaging the "Miracle Broth", a scientist devised concoction of seaweed and minerals that have been fermented for three months.
The fermentation process had better be good because there is nothing remarkable about the ingredients. After seaweed extract, there is glycerin from mineral oil (not vegetable) and probably the reason why I recall finding La Mer really drying. Other petroleum-derived ingredients are the emollient isohexadecane and microcrystaline wax. I am not quite sure what to make of alfalfa. I looked at in L'Oreal's Dermo-Expertise Collagen Remodeler and I couldn't find much more about this common fodder for cows than it may be a milder (non-irritating) alternative to retinol exfoliants.
The most impressive ingredients are an array of soluble minerals including copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Calcium and zinc are critical to the health of skin. Magnesium stimulates the skin to ensure that healthy elasticity is maintained and moisture levels remain normal and copper is a potent wound healer. In fact, all of these are in the, much superior (in my view) Dermophisiologique range called Mineral, which also packs in other antiagers such as glucosaminoglycans and gingko biloba. Both La Mer and Dermophisiologique stock up on vitamins, although La Mer has added cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).
Some folks report breakouts when using Creme De La Mer. This may be due to the lanolin alcohol, which is highly comedogenic. Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone are also irritants.
Ingredients in Creme De La Mer
Seaweed (Algae) Extract, Mineral oil Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Extract, Microcrystalline Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Sesame Seed Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Magnesium Sulfate, Sesame Seed, Medicago sativa (alfalfa) seed powder, Helianthus Annuus (sunflower) Seedcake, Prunus amygdulus dulcis (sweet almond) seed meal, Sodium Gluconate, Potassium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Paraffin, Tocopheryl succinate, Niacin, Beta-carotene, Decyl oleate, Aluminium distearate, Octyldodecanol, Citric acid, Cyanocobalamin, Magnesium stearate, Panthenol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Benzyl salicylate, Citral, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Alcohol Denat., Fragrance (Parfum).
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Marta,
This reminds of the story of Estee Lauder. When she first started her cosmetics line it didn't sell well, so she simply raised the prices thereby making women believe it was better than it was, because, of course, high price = value. That appears to be the case with La Mer. It amazes me that this marketing ploy still works considering all the information that we, as consumers, now have at our disposal.
Thanks for bringing to light the worthlessness of so many high-end products as well as introducing me to some wonderful products I might not have found on my own.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 8:28 am
. . . and I forgot to add that I would love to try Dermaphisiologique's Mineral Sructura Cream and write a review. I'm still on the prowl for something to strengthen the skin on my sagging neck. I'm excited about this line and ordered the Optyma Eye Cream which should be arriving any day.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 11:16 am
I would love to give the Dermophisiologique (I'm not going to even try to pronounce that out loud!) Mineral Defensive Cream a try. About a year ago I started to see a few fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead and have been actively looking for something to erase them - or at least to keep them from multiplying. I've greatly expanded on my regimen of only cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen, but have yet to find anything that really works on those fine lines.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 11:21 am
I'd love to give the Mineral Defensive Cream a try. I've been having excellent results with the Cellbone products, but my neck seems to be sensitive to just about every product I try. I'd love to see if this would be milder on my neck and help to get rid of the few lines that are creeping in!
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 11:48 am
I am the ultimate miracle cream hunter. It wasn't so long ago that I discovered my first wrinkles on my forehead along with those dreaded squinting lines. Since this discovery, I’ve been nothing short of severely obsessed with finding a miracle to help fade or reverse the fine lines I currently have and ward off future character lines. I have at least 10 different creams and serums, all supposedly higher end. I’ve spent over $500 just in the last couple of months and to my disappointment, I have noticed no difference in my wrinkles but I do have a complexion that is much more clogged and congested. I would be delighted to sample and write a review for Dermophisiologique with high hopes of finding something that might actually do what it claims.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 11:54 am
I have been looking for a miracle cream for years. A friend told me about Creme De La Mer eye & face cream, so I set out on a mission to find samples of this miracle. I must admit it's all but impossible to find, but I did. I used it for 1 week and stopped, my eyes burned and my skin was very very dry. I went back to using Peter Thomas Roth. I would love to try Dermophisiologique a try and review it.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I would like to try the Dermophisiologique's Mineral Defensive Cream. I just turned 29 a month ago. I don't have deep wrinkles but do have fine lines and blotchy skintone. Would love to erase or lessen those lines so that turning 30 would not be so painful =) And of course, I'll write a review.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I'm so in need of this cream. I will be 53 in a few months and since I've returned to school I don't have a budget for my beloved luxury products any longer and I'm beginning to look like the crypt-keeper! Help!
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Diana ~ 53 & back to school....all I have to say is, you GO GIRL ! (in my opinion, you deserve the cream)
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I've always been a bit skeptical - yet interested - of all the hype (complete with breathless endorsement by Oprah..) surrounding La Mer. However, as curious as I've been, I could never see ponying up that much money to actually try it - especially since I heard that Estee Lauder changed the "secret" formula after they purchased the company. I'd really love to try Dermophisiologique's Mineral Defensive Cream and hereby, promise to write an unbiased review.
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Is seaweed extract a viable anti aging ingredient? How about algae extract? Just curious . I was reading an article about some celeb's anti aging " secrets' and some seem to be jumping on that train.
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 1:57 am
Even though I rarely fall for the marketing hype...I'd love to try this. I am so skeptical that I am dying to be proven wrong. I'd love something to ease the definition of my laugh lines!! I eat tons of seaweed, let's see if it helps topically as well!!
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 3:55 am
I started using La Mer when it was first invented and the creator was advertising in magazines. Was really disappointed when he sold to Lauder and didn't grandfather those of us who were using the product from the beginnning. Would love to try Mineral Defensive Cream to see how it compares.
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 4:05 am
I am anxious to give Dermophisiologique a try! I am a 44 year old product junkie and though I have managed to keep wrinkles mostly at bay, I've not been able to settle in on a product line that I am 100% happy with. (And yes, I've tried Creme de la Mer and was less than impressed!)
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 5:49 am
Aerwin, that's a great question. Marine extracts are this season's new black and we need to get past the hype. Give us a few days to do some sleuthing.
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 6:30 am
Hi Marta,
Thank you for shedding light on this subject. It baffles me why so many people drop so much money on this product, yet it's basically fancy Nivea with marine extracts. I've tried a sample and found it to be pretty worthless; my skin felt heavy and coated, and after I washed it off, my face felt really dry (due to the high amount of mineral oil, I'm sure!)
I would love to try Dermophisiologique’s Mineral Defensive Cream as a better alternative! I live in a dry, cold climate and am always looking for a good moisturizer with anti-aging and repairative properties. I've tried so many moisturizing products and am still having trouble finding one that I love. I definitely appreciate your interest in Mineral Defensive Cream, as you pay so much attention to using and recommending products that contain ingredients that are actually good for you (what a novel idea!). I would love to try this product and promise an in-depth review!
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 8:01 am
Thanks Marta! Can't wait to see what you find out!
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 8:59 am
Ah, I believe I deserve to sample the sample, as I seem to be the only person knowledgeable of the Creme de la Mer story. Max was the scientist responsible for the original Creme de la Mer. His creme truly was healing and regenerating. [I know this because he was alive and well when I first began working with another fine line (at the time), La Prairie, at I. Magnin in San Francisco.] The anecdotal stories of Max's creme were phenomenal, one of which included my friend, the parfumier at I. Magnin who wore clown make-up to a party for her toddler nephew. Poor Colleen had sensitive skin and the skin on her face was inflamed within two hours of putting on the clown make-up. Quickly she washed her face clean and then applied Creme de la Mer. Within an hour her skin eruption had subsided. She attributed this wonderful relief to the creme.
Why am I making such a hoopla over all of this? Because when Estee Lauder Co. purchased Creme de la Mer (early 1990s) after Max's death from his heirs, the formula was revamped. La Mer was removed from store shelves for 3-6 months and then reintroduced. I was on a waiting list to purchase the new cream. I plunked down my $150 (remember, 1990s)and took my boxed container home to examine the ingredients list (I think I might have been the only person on earth to do so). Suffice it to say, I still can recall my heart dropping to read the major ingredient to be mineral oil. Max never used mineral oil. I returned the creme the next day without having opened the box.
Who cares?....I do when I think of the exceedingly wonderful product Max the scientist created (Max used years of research to develop his cream and he poured his heart and knowledge into it) as compared to the gunk Estee Lauder Co. turned it into. (Every skincare/makeup line this company buys is turned into junky gunk.)
Please know this was the best product on the market available at the time....
In Max's memory.
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Barbara,
Max didn't sell his product to Estee Lauder. Max's heirs sold it to EL after Max's death.
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Are you certain the ingredients in La Mer Fluide are the same as the Creme? I have used La Mer and will tell you this: I had an outbreak of dermatitis the skin fold between my mouth and nose. None of the prescriptions my derm (who is a very esteemed doctor )gave me worked. A friend told me La Mer works on scars so I thought, why not? The dermatitis disappeared after a week. It did hydrate my skin and you have to pat it on, rather than rub it in. I don't know if it's all hyper or not, but it certainly helped me.
Posted on December 15, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Hi, I am always very scepticle when prices go extremely high, the best eye gel I have ever used and now for 15 years is the Arovita Eye and Lip Gel from DARPHIN - a french brand and I think the best way to keep the moistur inside the skin is to use products with essential oils. The oils penetrate the skin easily since their molicular size is so small and they are able to bind the moisturing chemicals with them and carry them inside the skin and slowly the skin becomes saturated.Different essentianl or aromatic oils have different effects on skin. Chamomile calming, Rose balancing, Niaouli purifying as they are all at some extent, etc.
Posted on December 19, 2009 at 8:52 am
Eh girls, there are no miracles of anykind if you are getting old and think you are ugly nothing will make you 20 and beautiful again!
But think this way you are not ugly even if you do have wrinkles, you do have more than girls who have 20, you have experience now and wisdom and impossible to get from the youngters!
Sorry! Some cream depending of your type of skin will work better but no need to bad mouth here of any brand! Companies spend lots of money on research and all companies are good for certain type of skin problems but none are miracles! You need to accept the fact that you are aging and the best thing is move, eat well and check this site I lost 10lbs easy and no diet at all just following some good senses they talk about and I even drink red wine! www.thefrenchweightloss.com
Posted on August 23, 2010 at 4:56 pm
i am not into simple product hype in any form and certainly do not want to be involved on any cult-ish movement but, creme de la mer has been truly the best product for me and my extremely sensitive skin. i was fearing i may be on prescription creams for the dryness and even cracking of my skin that occurs in the dry/cold months here in tokyo (i am originally from canada), forever, but now i am using the de la mer facial cleanser and creme. going on 6 mos. and i feel like i am living in a dream. i am super satisfied. at first the price bothered me, but wanting to buy de la mer keeps me from buying other junk, and i no longer waste money on trying to find a product that works for me. guess some products work for some, others for others - happy-hunting!
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 12:51 am
I'm an Aesthician and the second main ingriedient in La Mer Cream is mineral oil which is probably one of the worst things you could ever use! it blocks oxygen from entering the skin and coats of thin layer clogging your pores which doesn't let water obsorb. by to mention also the mineral oil is the distillation of crude oil or what's left over after making gasoline....so u might wanna re think that posh skin care cream! :)
Posted on March 6, 2012 at 9:26 pm