La Mer Review

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Overview

It is common knowledge that La Mer set the benchmark for luxury skin care creams. And it is difficult to look at La Mer without discussing the origins of its signature skin product, Crème de la Mer. The cream's creator was an aerospace scientist named Dr. Max Hubber. Dr. Hubber was severely burned by chemicals while performing a routine experiment. When he could find nothing available to sooth his skin, he did what a true scientist would do-he performed over 6,000 experiments during a 12-year period until he came up with a formula that did the trick. Not only did Crème de la Mer help Dr. Hubber's severely injured skin, it was discovered that it also helped smooth and revive skin that that had suffered from photodamage, pollutants and other day-to-day afflictions.

So why "Crème de la Mer?" The successful formula that Dr. Hubber eventually came up with uses essence of sea kelp, as well as sea salts and vitamin B12 (an oil associated with fish.) Along with many other active ingredients, these ingredients "from the sea" are blended into La Mer's patented "miracle broth," which forms the basis for their Crème de la Mer. Purportedly, the method used to blend the ingredients is as important to the finished product as the ingredients themselves. With this philosophy in mind, La Mer has also developed a unique technology that they claim allows their labs to break down water used in their cream, then restructure it to carry ingredient-loaded molecular clusters.

Today, La Mer is actually a luxury branch of Estee Lauder cosmetics. However, they have branched out widely from Dr. Hubber's original therapeutic skin cream, and now produce a line of body treatments and toners. How much they are trading on the cache of Dr. Hubber's miracle discovery and how effective the product really is could be a difficult question. That said, La Mer's reputation as an all natural, high end skin care treatment is still high in the world of beauty treatments.

Product Details

La Mer bases their skin cream philosophy on their patented and heavily hyped "miracle broth" formula. Since Dr. Hubber's original formula was based on fairly simple and common active ingredients, La Mer stresses the importance of correctly blending these ingredients in order to come up with more than the sum of their parts. The "blending process" is still a closely guarded secret. Crème de la Mer is water based, and their "deconstructed water" technology is also claimed to be essential to produce the cream.

The other natural ingredients in Crème de la Mer are: calcium, magnesium, potassium, lecithin, iron, Vitamins, C, E and B12, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa and sunflower.

The Good

  • Official website features a FAQ and an "ask La Mer" page where customers can write in with questions or comments.
  • Ordering direct from the website gives free standard shipping.
  • Ordering direct from the website also gives you the opportunity to receive a free sample along with your full price order.

The Bad

  • There's no escaping the price. La Mer typically retails for about $110.00/ounce.
  • It's not rocket science, but application instructions for Crème de la Mer are different from many other skin care products. Recommended to purchase at first from an authorized retailer who will instruct you on application.
  • If you read the ad copy close enough, it turns out that Creme de La Mer as produced today actually has little or nothing to do with Dr. Hubber's original formula, which it seems has been lost.
  • More of a general skin health product than a targeted wrinkle fighter.

The Bottom Line

So how much of La Mer is brand name hype and how much is a miracle? The answer is probably somewhere in between. Legions of devotes swear by Crème de la Mer, but the price can be a real sticking point. While it does not claim to rid your face of wrinkles, the overall effect is to give you generally rejuvenated, healthy skin. Try La Mer if you have a big occasion (wedding, birthday) coming up that you want to look great for. This way, you can justify the big spending and also see if the product is effective for your skin. However, if you're looking for a wrinkle fighting regimen, La Mer probably won't be the choice that you settle on.

Our Top Pick For 2009:  Dermapril-SP

Dermapril-SP was rated the best-in-class performer, with a cutting-edge formula and results visible immediately after use. Matrixyl 3000™, the primary active ingredient in Dermapril-SP, is backed by clinical research that showed reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles of as much as 33% after two months of use. Additionally, the formula contains the European miracle ingredient Argatensyl™, which creates an immediate tightening effect on applied areas, making results visible within minutes of use.

The treatment helps the skin regain a more youthful biochemical makeup by supporting the natural production of three building blocks – Collagen, Fibronectin and Hyaluronic Acid. The result is a rapid rejuvenation, diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and other cosmetic signs of age caused by sun exposure, smoking, stress, and other common factors.

In clinical trials, Matrixyl 3000™ decreased the appearance of wrinkles by as much as 33% over a six week period. With the immediate tightening benefits of Argatensyl™, this formula has a completely unique combination of short-term cosmetic results as well as sustained, cumulative benefits to the skin. Common reported results include smoothing and firming; softer skin; diminished appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and healthier looking, glowing skin. Based on the high cost and quality of the ingredients, Dermapril-SP is reasonably priced. Customer satisfaction seems high and Dermapril-SP offers a risk-free trial, so users can evaluate the product prior to paying the full retail price.

>>Read more about Dermapril