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| Crème de la Mer - The Moisturizing Cream |
I have been using Crème de la Mer (hereinafter referred to as CDLM for brevity!) products for about the last ten years now; starting out with just the Crème (back when there was just THE CRÈME, or THE MOISTURIZING CREAM as it became known later) and then gradually moving on to more or less a full range of CDLM products up to this point. I have recommended this range to friends and family of mine who were cynical, but who are now also converts. I started using it in my early twenties, but I would say that I probably didn't need to start quite so early.
While writing a post on a recent Lancôme Visionnaire trial, I spent some time on the "back story", or the products that I've been using up until now, which included a lot of CDLM products. This information didn't make the cut on the other article as it was a irrelevant there, but rather than throw the information out, I decided to write a quick post here about these products and give a whistlestop impression of each.
The CDLM products I have used in the past, but no longer use, include:
THE HAND TREATMENT
This is a great product, but I have equally good hand creams from l'Occitane, Elemis, Clarins and even Lush.
THE OIL ABSORBING LOTION and THE MOISTURIZING GEL-CREAM
Neither of these worked for my skin. The Gel-Cream in particular made my skin a little dry.
THE MOISTURIZING LOTION
Although I sometimes still switch to using this in summer-time, this can be a little light for my skin.
THE CLEANSING GEL
This was fine for use as a cleanser, but I like to use a cleanser that doubles as a makeup remover for evening use, and this doesn't really do both, whereas either of my Elemis cleansers do the trick.
THE CLEANSING LOTION
I used this once, and the smell of fennel made me feel ill, so I gave it away to a friend. I don't know what she thought of it.
THE RADIANT SERUM and THE REGENERATING SERUM
Both of these are amazing, but for my skin, I find that the Infusions used as in place of a serum, underneath the Crème, are sufficient.
THE BODY REFINER
This is a rather expensive body exfoliator which certainly does what it is supposed to do, but I personally prefer the smell of my Clarins one.
THE EYE CONCENTRATE
This was far too rich for my eye area; it was contributing to millia in my eye area. I gave it to my mother who loved it and thought it was amazing.
THE TONIC
This is a nice toner. There are equally good toners out there which don't cost an arm and a leg however. My current favourite is the Elemis Apricot toner.
CDLM Products that I use
CDLM products I use, continue to use, recommend, and won't replace any time soon, include:
THE CRÈME aka THE MOISTURIZING CREAM
This is a brilliant skin moisturiser, but if you have oily skin you will probably find it too rich. If it's used 100% correctly, it actually (despite its price) works out cheaper than the products I had previously been using (mainly Clarins day and night creams)
THE LIP BALM
This is a totally amazing product, it is expensive for a lip balm, but it lasts forever and will completely get rid of any dryness in your lips.
THE RADIANT INFUSION AND THE HYDRATING INFUSION
I use these in place of a serum (the former in the morning and the latter in the evening); I don't find I need the "weight" of a serum, just yet.
THE EYE BALM INTENSE
This was just called The Eye Balm beforehand; I find this great for keeping under-eye wrinkles at bay.
Other Recommended CDLM Products
Some more CDLM products that I have, and use, and recommend, but tentatively*, include
THE CONCENTRATE
It's a wonderful product if you're trying, as I was, to heal surgery scars; it works amazingly well for this purpose (I've used Bio Oil and found it made zero difference to scars). I used it daily over a reasonably large area and each bottle lasted me approximately six months.
THE BODY CREAM
This is a brilliant body moisturiser but there are other good body creams out there; I used it together with The Concentrate to help reduce scars.
THE CLEANSING FOAM
For years I used this exclusively as my morning foaming cleanser in the shower, now I alternate between this and a Natura Bisse AHA foaming gel cleanser.
THE REFINING FACIAL
For years I used this exclusively as my weekly exfoliator. I have to be honest, it can be a little harsh; it has diamond and quartz powder as its mechanical exfoliating ingredients. I've recently discovered Dermological Multivitamin Thermafoliant which contains both chemical and physical exfoliants, and will probably use this for preference when my CDLM exfoliator runs out**
* tentatively, because these are not necessary products, but are amazing nonetheless
** however that's likely to take at least another year at my current rate of usage
CDLM Products I have not yet used
The CDLM products that I have never used, include the following items:
THE CLEANSING FLUID
THE MIST
THE OIL ABSORBING TONIC
THE LIFTING FACE INTENSIFIER
THE HYDRATING FACIAL
THE SPF 18 FLUID TINT
THE SPF 30 PROTECTING FLUID
THE TREATMENT POWDER
THE POWDER
THE RADIANT CONCEALER
Of these, I would like to try the THE SPF 30 PROTECTING FLUID when my current SPF runs out. But as most of the rest of the items on this list wouldn't necessarily work with my skin type, I am not too interested in trying them just yet. I have also swatched THE RADIANT CONCEALER in-store and wasn't particularly interested in the colours on offer. The FLUID TINT looks nice but is a little more sheer than I personally like as a foundation option.
Overall Impression of CDLM Products
CDLM is an expensive range, and to be honest I won't necessarily replace some of the items as I use them up. Similarly, there's absolutely no substitute for some CDLM products; THE CONCENTRATE is out on its own (it had want to be, it's extremely expensive) for reducing scars, stretch marks, helping blemishes heal, etc... but then again, that's what it was designed for in the first instance.
THE CRÈME and THE EYE BALM remain the best I've ever used. My skin is luminous and my under-eye wrinkles have been, up until now, non-existent, especially in comparison with my peers. THE CRÈME, while being an expensive outlay, actually works out less expensive than most of the other creams I was using up to then (mainly Clarins up until that point), especially if you buy a larger tub. The trick with THE CRÈME is to use it properly; using a tiny amount of it, warm it up and press it into your skin - if you do that, then it works out for both your skin and your wallet. For reference, one 100ml jar*** of THE CRÈME and one 10ml jar of THE EYE BALM lasts me approximately twelve months.
*** The 100ml jar is usually available at airport shopping. CDLM products work out appreciably cheaper (per ml) if you buy larger volume jars