Creme de la Mer – Review
I noticed that Creme de la Mer was used on 10 Years Younger last night. ( A UK programme: people are given a makeover with the aim of making them look 10 years younger.) After a chemical peel to remove some badly sun damaged skin they needed a very good moisturiser. Money being no object, the one they used was Crème de la Mer.
I have only briefly tried Creme de la Mer. I remember it as a rich and probably very effective moisturiser. I also know some people who use it who say that it is so effective that they can make a single jar last 18 months. This puts the high price into perspective a bit – and if it really does work that well maybe it is in fact cheap.
This is a product with a mystique around it as well as a high price tag. There is the story about it having been developed by a Nasa scientist to clear up burns he suffered during an accident. So this really is rocket science.
So as a cosmetic scientist, what can I learn about it. I trawled the net and found an ingredient list. It isn’t from their own website so I hope it is reasonably accurate. Creme de la Mer don’t give out free samples! My first thought was that considering it is supposed to have been formulated by a physicist it is remarkably similar to formulations done by myself and my colleagues.
The basic formulation is that of a water in oil cream. These are the heaviest and most effective creams. Nivea Creme is a classic example. Attrixo is another that has a cult following. These kinds of creams are very good for very dry skin. I could easily imagine that someone who had dry skin who had previously used a standard cream might would find one like Creme de la Mer very effective in comparison.
But the story is not just of a very effective moisturiser. This cream is supposed to be an exceptional one. Is there anything out of the ordinary that might explain its remarkable popularity? The Crème de la Mer website admits: “There is nothing miraculous about its ingredients – sea kelp, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, lecithin, Vitamins C, E and B12, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa, and sunflower.”
I agree. These are all ingredients that other people have used. The sea kelp is the one that attracted my interest.
Is there anything in seaweed that gives benefits to the skin? Yes there is. Plants maintain their shape using long thin but very strong molecules called polymers. These are used to give the plants structure. The best example is cellulose, the main ingredient in wood. Reduce the polymer size a bit by heating wood in alkali and you can make paper. Reduce it still further and it makes a good wallpaper paste. Even smaller cellulose molecules applied to the skin have a tendency to shrink as they dry out. This has a tightening effect which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This neat trick has been used for years.
Cosmetic scientists have long been seeking the best polymer to combat wrinkles. It seems that polymers derived from seaweed are particularly good. And you can change the behaviour of polymers by the way you treat them. Crème de la Mer has a long treatment process for the seaweed which might well affect the way it works. I don’t have any proof of any of this, but it is believable.
A couple of other comments from the ingredient list. I notice a lot of allergens from fragrances are mentioned. This suggests to me that they are using high levels of an expensive fragrance. Well, the price they are charging I would hope so! There are also a lot of mineral salts: these are the ones called sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate etc. I am not yet sure whether minerals are beneficial to the skin or not. I will keep my opinions to myself on that one until I have done more research. But the minerals are there – if you like the idea then that is another positive.
I was a bit disappointed that the preservative used is a combination of Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone. This is an effective, legal and reasonably safe alternative to parabens. But I would have been happier if they had used something a bit more natural.
All in all – I have to say that Crème de la Mer might well be a very good product and might justify the high price charged for it. What I would really like to see would be a trial comparing it with Nivea Crème over a reasonably long period of time. It would be particularly interesting to see how much you need to use to get a benefit. If it lasts a long time because you don’t have to use so much of it, it might even be a cheaper option than some of the alternatives.
Ingredient List
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)
If you want to read a review of a product from the other end of the price spectrum have a look at my aldi anti-wrinkle cream review.
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Good Morning Colin
Thank-you for all the information you have shared here on your site! I am addicted already… I found you through beautyswapshop. I really wanted to reply to your message regarding suncreams for children. I hope you will comment on the ingredient list for this one? I would love to know your comments…
Water/Aqua/Eau Solvent
Zinc Oxide science Sunscreen
Octyl Methoxycinnamate science Sunscreen
2-Ethylhexyl Salicylate (Octyl Salicylate) science Sunscreen
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate science Skin Conditioning Agent,
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate science Thickener, Emulsifier, Stabiliser
Cetyl Dimethicone science Thickener
Oxybenzone science Sunscreen
Butylene Glycol science Solvent
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone science Thickener, Emulsifier, Stabiliser
Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane science Skin Conditioning Agent
Ceresin plant/science Gellant
Hexyl Laurate science Skin Conditioning Agent,
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane science Skin Conditioning Agent
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract plant Moisturiser, Skin Protectant
Plantago Major Leaf Extract plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract plant Antioxidant
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil plant Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil plant Emollient, Moisturiser,
Conditioner
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil plant Emulsifier
Retinyl Palmitate science Skin Conditioning Agent
Ascorbyl Palmitate science Emulsifier, Thickener, Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate science Emollient, Thickener, Stabiliser
Phospholipids science Suspending Agent, Thickener
Citric Acid science Neutraliser, Emulsifier,
Solubiliser
Panthenol science Humectant, Moisturiser
Sodium Chloride science Carrier, Thickener
Triethoxycaprylylsilane science Thickener
Phenoxyethanol science Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol science Skin Conditioning Agent,
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin science Skin Conditioning Agent
Hexylene Glycol science Solvent
Potassium Sorbate science Preservative
Sodium Benzoate science Preservative
Sorbic Acid science Preservative
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract science Skin Conditioning Agent
Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Leaf Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil plant Skin Conditioning Agent
Limonene plant Solvent
Geraniol science Skin Conditioning Agent
Thanks Karen, it is always nice to hear that someone appreciates what one has done. That is quite a list you have asked me to comment on. I did see your question on Beauty Swap Shop and was wondering how to go about answering it. My first comment is that it looks like the formulation for a fairly high SPF sunscreen, probably quite a thick greasy one. There isn’t anything particularly out of the ordinary about it, but whoever formulated it has put some probably non-functional natural sounding raw materials. They might have wanted to make it sound natural. I don’t personally like very complicated formulations like this and I am suspicious of UV absorbes like the methoxycinnamate and the oxybenzone. But I don’t have any strong misgivings about it.
Hello and thank-you for commenting. Had trouble finding this thread again! and my apologies for putting it in the wrong place…I seem to have some trouble finding my way about. I’m a little concerned now that you say the may have wanted to ‘make it sound natural’
It is a sunscreen for babies (or sensitive) SPF 30+. It is quite runny and not particuarly greasy feeling. I am a novice with ingredients and I apologise for the long list! Thank-you for taking the time to comment, I do appreciate it. Best Regards…Karen
Quick question!
I am allgeric to SPF!
What can I use to protect myself from the sun?
and bismuth oxychlorided Titantium Dioxide makes me allgeric
Ingredients in the Bare Escentuals line!
I also tried Lancome SPF and broke out with little bumps under my eye -_-!
I am combo skin and sensitive! Nationality Vietnamese and Irish
Please reply I’m concern b.c I’m 21 with light brown spots -_-
Hi Christy,
Mmmm, tricky. For a start, don’t worry too much about the numbers on SPF products. Even a low number like 2 is still going to give you quite a bit of protection. And also remember that simply keeping your skin well moisturised will also help your skins built in defences against photo damage to work well.
A product that might be worth a try is E45 Sun Reflective Sunscreen. This does include titanium dioxide but the particle size will be very different to what you would have in the Bare Escentuals product. The thing that puts a lot of people off these products is that if you use a lot they tend to make you look a bit pale and ghostly. This is because they reflect light – that is how they work. I suggest using a very low level and see how you get on with it.