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There’s affordable skincare, high-end skincare, and then there’s La Mer. With their skincare prices being hundreds (and thousands) of dollars for mere ounces, this brand is in a luxury league all of its own. With a price tag like that you’d think no one would buy it, right? Well, these products must do something as they have thousands of glowing positive reviews from women all over the world and are loved by celebrities such as Beyonce, Blake Lively, Kim Kardashian, and Chrissy Teigen. Formulated with “Miracle Broth”, some women have claimed these products have completely changed their skin. But are these products really a miracle? Or just overpriced products with really good marketing? Here’s my opinion in my La Mer skincare review!
Behind the brand
It all began with Dr. Max Huber, an aerospace physicist who suffered terrible burns from a lab accident. He set out to find and create a product that could heal his skin and this journey led him to the sea. After 12 years and thousands of experiments later, he created a fermentation process that used sea ingredients to create a cell-renewing elixir.
This fermentation process, which is why these products are so expensive (in addition to their high-quality ingredients), is a 3-4 month process that uses light and sound energy to turn sea kelp, wheat germ, vitamins, and minerals into something the skin can receive and absorb.
Their products are made by hand-harvesting Giant Sea Kelp off Vancouver Island. Sea kelp is said to have self-regenerating powers and it makes up the majority of their secret ingredient- La Mer’s Miracle Broth. Something that makes this Miracle Broth unique is that every time it’s created, it’s infused with drops from the batch that came before it. Almost like a sourdough starter that just gets better with time!
La Mer has since joined with Estée Lauder and they are arguably the most coveted skincare brand in the world.
Product claims
The “transformative powers” in their products, aka the miracle broth, aka the sea kelp, are meant to help with dryness and keeping your skin moisturized, all the while improving skin tone, protecting your skin’s natural barrier, and making your skin look vibrant and healthy. The antioxidants in these products neutralize free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can damage cells and cause aging.
La Mer products are meant to work for any skin type, whether you have sensitive skin or oily skin, but women with mature skin especially rave about this skincare line, as they’ve stated that the ingredients have helped dramatically improve the look of fine lines and have turned back the clock on their face, so to speak.
My products in this La Mer skincare review
When people think of La Mer they think of the Crème De La Mer cream that started this cult following. But in order to give a thorough review, I wanted to try out more than just 1 product and I found a set that would be perfect for that!
In The Mini Miracle Broth Introductory Glow Set, I received the Revitalizing Hydrating Serum, The Renewal Oil, The Eye Concentrate, and The Moisturizing Soft Cream.
Packaging
La Mer has a big following in the influencer world and I can see why. Their packaging is high-end and chic and the products just look so pretty sitting on your vanity or bathroom shelf. The lotion comes in a glass white bottle instead of your usual plastic and everything looks very well packaged. Opening up La Mer feels like you’re opening up an expensive present!
My La Mer Skincare Review
*I used all of these products for over a month before writing this review
Revitalizing Hydrating Serum
Product Claims: “A high-speed serum that creates a micro-cloud of moisture, a haven of healthy hydration where skin can thrive.”
Ingredients: Paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free. Some recognizable ingredients are algae, sesame oil, eucalyptus oil, lime extract, grape seed, tangerine peel, chestnut seed, rosemary leaf, and pomegranate.
Scent: Light and fresh. Reminds me of green tea…or celery haha.
How to Use: Sweep 1–2 pumps over your face and neck, morning and evening
My Thoughts: This serum absorbs quickly and makes my skin feel more hydrated. I like the fresh smell and my skin feels less tight. It feels more hydrated immediately, though I can’t say that it dramatically changed my skin tone over the past 4+ weeks. Though, to be fair, that is not the goal of this product.
What Women are Saying
Positive: “I promised myself I would try just one bottle. Just one, then I would see that this serum was no different than other, less expensive brands and I would never have to order it again. I was confident in my experiment. I was wrong. So, so wrong. My skin is amazing. This serum is amazing. I’m hooked.
Negative: “I tried this and expected a whole lot more hydration. BUT in addition, did not like the smell of this. The texture was great but needs more hyuralronic acid…to plump the skin.”
The Renewal Oil
Product Claims: “A multitasking, dual-phase oil that floods skin hydration so it’s soft, ultra-smooth and glowing with translucency and head-turning radiance.”
Ingredients: Paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free. Some key ingredients are meadowfoam seed oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, seaweed extract, sunflower oil, sesame seed oil, and olive fruit oil.
Scent: Very light floral scent…almost like a white gardenia.
How to Use: Gently shake to blend the formula, then sweep 3–5 drops over your face and neck morning and evening. You can also massage the oil into hair, cuticles and dry areas of the body as needed.
My Thoughts: I have oily skin and though it’s a misconception that you should avoid oils, this one, unfortunately, didn’t totally work for me. It does absorb quickly and feels nice on the skin, but it makes my face very shiny towards the end of the day and I think it made me break out a little. I switched to just spot treating some darker spots and that was better! I didn’t break out then and it made them fade a little faster. Almond and jojoba oil can clog pores, so if you have oily skin or are prone to breakouts, this might not be the best product for you.
What Women are Saying
Positive: “I am a cynical!!! But this oil Will awaken your skin complexion and gives it a healthy glow without being oily, heavy, or shiny. Very natural glow. Best of all it works on everything, lips, cuticles, hair, dry hands, it’s heals scars too.. This is all in one goodness, you will not regret having it.“
Negative: “Been using the oil, in week six of it and all I can say is I wish I had something else on my skin to use. I have seen no changes or anything happen. It smells great and that’s about it for effect. Really overpriced considering there is nothing to show for it.“
The Eye Concentrate
Product Claims: “A hydrating eye cream to help rapidly reduce the appearance of dark circles, smooth fine lines and wrinkles and prevent further damage.”
Ingredients: Paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free. Some recognizable ingredients are seaweed extract, sesame seed oil, alfalfa seed powder, sweet almond oil, and eucalyptus oil.
Scent: Another light smell that reminds me of green tea or celery.
How to Use: For best results, use twice daily, dab a small amount onto the eye area, massaging in for increased circulation
My Thoughts: It’s a small bottle but you only need to use a little bit. The texture is silky and it absorbs very quickly. To be honest, I’m unsure if I can notice my under eyes looking brighter or smoother. Maybe if I squint? But then I can’t see my eyes. Ha. Ha. 😉 Overall, it’s very cooling and the formula feels silky smooth under my eyes. But as far as long-term benefits? Well, I’m sure they are there…
What Women are Saying
Positive: “Absolutely love this. After one week of using as directed it started to show much smoother lines under my eyes and throughout the day there was great moisture. Will absolutely buy again, obsessed with it.”
Negative: “I don’t have sensitive skin. After using this for a few weeks I developed a horrible reaction. I woke up to red, swollen, dry and scaly skin all around my eyes. It was very tender to the touch. Not sure what caused the reaction. Maybe try a sample before purchasing.”
The Moisturizing Soft Cream
Product Claims: “An ultrasoft cream that deeply replenishes for glowing radiance, leaving skin naturally vibrant and restored to its healthiest center.”
Ingredients: Paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free. Some recognizable ingredients are seaweed extract, shea butter, sesame seed oil, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond oil, eucalyptus oil, lime peel, and alfalfa seed powder.
Scent: Smells like a mix of flowers and bubblegum. I like the scent and don’t find it to be overly sweet.
How to Use: Pat a small amount between your fingertips and press gently into cleansed skin morning and night
My Thoughts: This La Mer moisturizing cream is similar to the Crème de la Mer face, but instead of being thick and filled with mineral oil, it is lighter and more absorbent. It absorbs and sinks in quickly. It doesn’t make my skin feel greasy and instead, it feels smooth and hydrated. It has a nice silky texture and feels expensive!
What Women are Saying
Positive: “I have used lots of different high end creams and this is simply the best. Even my husband (who never notices anything) noticed that my skin looked great! It really is a miracle cream. It is expensive but goes a long way. Seriously I don’t know that it costs me any more to use this then the less priced high end products because of how it “travels” on the skin. Highly recommended.”
Negative: “The cream leaves my skin very soft and smooth. However, for the price I was hoping for a reduction in appearance of fine age lines. I’ve used the cream for about 3 months and do not notice any difference. There are many skincare products available for less that do more.”
Final Thoughts | La Mer Skincare Review
I won’t lie, their brand story sounds just like that, a story. The talk of miracle ingredients and healing powers is a little bit of a turn-off for me, and not only that, but some women have reported allergic reactions and since their ingredients contain a lot of oils, it’s possible that these products could break you out if you are acne-prone. And let’s not forget about the obvious- the jaw-dropping price.
Some of La Mer’s key ingredients (besides the sea kelp) are oils such as jojoba, almond oil, and eucalyptus oil which frankly, aren’t all that special and though they’re good ingredients, they’re nothing fancy and it makes you question the price tag. Is this so-called fermentation process really all that magical?
But there are a lot of good things about these products too. First off, a little goes a long way and these products should last you a long time. Not only is the packaging chic and beautiful, but most importantly, the products actually do work. I experienced it myself and La Mer wouldn’t be able to fetch such a high price and have so many devoted customers if they didn’t.
But are they worth the price? Well, that is simply up to you. Personally, I think they’re more expensive than they need to be and you could find a similar product for less, but if you don’t mind the price and just want to splurge, then you may love these products. I’d highly recommend trying out the set first however. This way, you get to experience some of the best of La Mer without having to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars. As you know, products work differently on everyone, so you really don’t know if this is your holy grail unless you try. But certainly don’t splurge on their $2,400 cream first!
Product Alternative | La Mer Skincare Review
Crème de la Mer is their best product. But if you don’t have the means right now, don’t worry. Nivea has many of the same ingredients and has been rumored to moisturize just as well- for a lot less!
What comes after skincare? Makeup. Check out my Glossier Stretch Concealer review to see if it’s worth the hype or not!
