What’s in this uber-moisturizer that makes it so special? The cream was created by Max Huber, a NASA aerospace physicist who suffered serious chemical burns on his face and eyes after working with rocket fuels. To minimize scarring and aid his recovery, Huber tried a number of medical treatments and creams before deciding to make his own wonder salve.
To find the most nourishing, healing ingredients, he turned to the sea. A keen environmentalist, Huber knew that sea kelp picked off the coast of California during certain times in the lunar cycle has excellent healing properties. Consequently, the star ingredient in Crème de la Mer is sea kelp, pumped up with other natural elements like magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, lecithin and Vitamins C, D, E and B12, as well as extracts from sunflower, alfalfa, wheatgerm and citrus.
Sea kelp hardly accounts for the $150 celebrities fork over for a single jar, you say. Well, Huber also invented a bio-fermentation process so precise that each batch of "Miracle Broth" takes three to four months to make. The cream also undergoes "sonic chemistry," a process that takes sound waves from the solar system and wires it into the cream as it ferments. Meanwhile, here on earth, each jar is hand-filled to keep Huber’s formula pure and unadulterated.
The chemistry behind the cream must go beyond mere science fiction if so many Hollywood lovelies have become La Mer junkies. Not only is it a heavy-duty moisturizer, they claim – it has anti-aging properties that make their skin smoother, firmer and younger.
Fans of the cream now have another reason to rejoice. La Mer has developed The Cleansing Fluid (P4,100), a new addition to its luxury line of skincare and makeup. In the vein of Crème de la Mer, The Cleansing Fluid uses precious marine oils and pearl powders to cleanse, energize and nourish the skin.
An iridescent emerald-green oil housed in a tall pump bottle, this mineral-rich brew can be used in two ways: you can saturate a cotton ball and use it as a gentle makeup remover for even the most stubborn waterproof and long-wearing makeup, or you can use it as a straightforward emollient cleanser. Massage it in to dissolve all your makeup, dirt and oil. Then, once you splash it with water, it turns milky and rinses clean, leaving your skin velvety and prepared to receive the benefits of Crème de la Mer.
The Cleansing Fluid boasts its own unique formula. Magnetized tourmaline, a gemstone, improves circulation and revitalizes skin, dissolving excess oil and deep-cleaning pores without disrupting the skin’s natural balance. Ionizing sea salts further detoxify, energize and remineralize, while pearl powders and sea-algae oils soften, nourish and condition. Finally, La Mer’s patented "Deconstructed Waters" help draw out dirt and impurities without your having to scrub your face, thereby lessening the chance of wrinkles. Like the rest of the line, The Cleansing Fluid is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, especially around the delicate eye area.
Whether you swear by Crème de la Mer or think its popularity is the result of clever marketing, you can’t deny the long waiting lists at exclusive department stores all over the world, including Rustan’s right here in Makati. It also doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that all women – no matter how low-maintenance they claim to be – need a little glamour along with hope in their jars of miracle cream.