The Rock still counts as a celebrity...right?

You probably already know what Creme de la Mer is; the first widely-recognised, ‘super skincare’ brand on the market. A 60ml jar will set you back £163.00 and it boasts an impressive list of celebrity followers and magazine endorsements.

We all know that celebrity endorsements are as easy to acquire as signing a check or even popping a jar in a gift bag but you can’t help but be suckered in. I mean if Alfie’s using it…

I’ve been using this stuff for a while now so here’s a review! Sorry it took so long, had to wait til the winter to break this one out.

So firstly, the price is a bit ridiculous. However i’d be willing to part with a significant amount of cash if a line works well. Case in point? Skinceuticals: expensive products, proven to work and based on a lot of science. But y’know what I won’t be spending £163 on?

Well, do you believe in miracles?

‘Miracles‘. The quotes above are lifted from the la Mer website. When a skincare company tells you to use your imagination and believe in miracles – it’s probably wise not to listen. Why would you pay hundreds of pounds for something that even the manufacturer can’t fully explain? To be honest i’d rather trust my skin to those people who are ‘schooled in logic’.

What is it? La Mer Cream is essentially a mineral oil based moisturiser with a few vitamins thrown in. The real draw of the product is the fermented algae in this. Algae is a really good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, a generally nice skincare ingredient although it can be quite irritating if you have acne prone skin. As for the fermentation? There are no studies to suggest that fermenting the stuff makes it work any better. It’s a nice formulation, definitely, but it’s nothing amazing (or miraculous).

You can apply any moisturiser like this, the warmth helps the product to absorb.

How does it work? A small amount rubbed between your palms and applied to the skin will deeply moisturise any dry patches. The intense hydration fills in superficial wrinkles since the skin is so well nourished. It also helps that it’s quite thick which is great for night, not so good during the day unless you have incredibly dry skin. Creme de la Mer doesn’t really do much apart from moisturise dry skin, there are no actives in there to brighten to de-wrinkle your skin. In fact, the base ingredients in la Mer are quite similar to the ones in Nivea cream you can buy in Europe. Take a jar of Nivea, add some seaweed extract and vitamins and you have – more or less – the same thing. I’ve tried both for a few months, couldn’t really tell much of a difference between the two apart from la Mer being slightly more moisturising. It absorbs a little easier too. That’s a difference of around £160, by the way.

Overall, Creme de la Mer is a nice moisturiser but there is nothing to prove – either in formula or in action – that it’s worth the price tag. I’ll say that they have a nice sunscreen and a brilliant makeup range though. However, when it comes to the cream, save yourself some cash and buy Nivea instead. If you’re feeling flush, the slightly pricier (but still comparatively cheaper) Dr. Hauschka Rose and Quince day creams are nice alternatives. Very moisturising, great for dry skin.