If celery juice is the miracle broth for a detox, La Mer is the miracle broth for the skin. Created by Dr. Max Huber, an aerospace physicist, La Mer’s famous Crème de la Mer was invented to treat his burn wounds. After 12 years of research and 6,000 experiments, Huber established a fermentation process to transform sea kelp and other natural ingredients into their trademarked Miracle Broth — a cell-renewing elixir that is the center of La Mer’s products.
Crème de la Mer is a cult favorite cream that helps heal dryness and soothe redness and irritation. However, it comes at a high cost. “You’re paying for sustainable sourcing of sea kelp, a cutting-edge fermentation process, supreme ingredients and a high-touch experience,” said Sara Denny Roth, La Mer’s VP of Consumer Marketing, North America, in a Byrdie.com interview.
But if you can’t get yourself to drop $350 on two ounces of Creme de la Mer, here are some more affordable alternatives that carry similar ingredients and benefits — focused around algae and seaweed. Both ingredients are full of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that help hydrate and plump up your skin. They even have healing properties to reduce inflammation and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well.
1. OSEA Advanced Protection Cream
OSEA is a clean beauty brand backed by a simple, holistic philosophy that the ocean should be a part of everyone’s life. They create products without artificial colors, dyes or synthetic ingredients — every jar is a product of nature. It has 5/5 stars, and reviewers praise its ability to leave dry skin feeling balanced and not greasy.
Why It’s Like Creme de la Mer: The OSEA Advanced Protection cream incorporates natural ingredients like Gigartina seaweed, in addition to other vitamins and minerals to deeply hydrate and lock in moisture.
Benefits: The plant-derived DPHP, an amino acid compound, helps even skin tone and reduces hyperpigmentation.
Things To Consider: It has a very rich texture. So unless you truly need the hydration — very dry skin types — this may leave you feeling oily.
How To Use This Product: Massage cream into a clean, dry face until absorbed. Layer over preferred serum and oil. Use morning and night.
2. One Ocean Beauty Replenishing Deep Sea Moisturizer
The One Ocean Deep Sea Moisturizer is a clean and clinically-proven product that increases hydration, decreases transepidermal water loss, and also boosts three types of collagen into your skin. It is a lightweight formula full of marine actives that shield your skin against cold and dryness.
Why It’s Like Creme de la Mer: Algae is at the heart of all One Ocean Beauty’s products. You get the natural benefits of wakame extract, nutrient-rich algae found in the Sea of Japan. The moisturizer soothes irritation, reduces inflammation and brightens dark spots.
Benefits: This moisturizer’s ingredients help stimulate protein production that helps improve skin elasticity, boost regeneration and reduce wrinkles.
Things To Consider: The algae extract is further down the ingredient lists, which means it won’t be as potent as Creme de la Mer. (Algae Extract is the first ingredient in La Mer.)
How To Use This Product: Apply day and night to the face, throat and neck area after cleansing.
3. Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer
The Biossance Squalane + Probiotic gel moisturizer is weightless while being ultra-hydrating. It’s infused with squalane, an ingredient that mimics your skin’s natural oils and protects your skin from external stressors and carcinogens. The product has 4.5 out of 5 stars at Sephora, and reviewers like it as a moisturizer and LOVE it as a redness-reducer.
Why It’s Like Creme de la Mer: The Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer formula contains fermented ingredients and seaweed to help balance your skin’s complexion. They work with other natural ingredients like squalane, ginger extract and Swiss garden cress sprouts to decrease redness and calm down stressed skin.
Benefits: This is a great option for very sensitive skin as it is formulated without parabens, fragrance and polyethylene.
Things To Consider: The gel consistency will be a great option for those with oily skin or for the summer season, but as seasons get colder you may require an additional humectant like a facial oil to keep your skin hydrated.
How To Use This Product: Apply to a cleansed face morning and night.
4. Darphin Exquisage Beauty Revealing Cream
The Darphin cream is a great option for those starting their anti-aging journey, as the ingredients target the start of fine lines.
Why It’s Like Creme de la Mer: With 85% of the formula made up of natural ingredients, such as algae extract, it’s designed to boost collagen production to improve fine lines and wrinkles. It also has a similar non-greasy but thick texture to Creme de la Mer which is non-greasy for ultimate smooth and soft skin.
Benefits: More experienced skincare lovers looking for a product to help plump up their skin will find this product a good addition to their repertoire.
Things To Consider: This is at a higher price point compared to other alternatives on this list.
How To Use This Product: Apply a small amount to the face and neck day and night. Massage gently in upward motions.
5. Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion
The Dennis Gross Moisture Cushion features a unique, gel-cream formula made up of Japanese marine algae and hyaluronic acid that locks in moisture and keeps skin looking dewy. It includes sodium hyaluronate, a humectant that holds 1,000 times its weight to hydrate and plumps your skin. The added aloe extract also helps to soothe and moisturize irritated skin.
Why It’s Like Creme de la Mer: The Moisture Cushion is infused with unique Japanese marine algae that are referred to as green caviar. The marine algae complement the amino acids, vitamins and hyaluronic acid to increase your skin’s moisture content and ultimately its elasticity.
Benefits: If you have oily combination and or acne-prone skin, this may be just enough moisturization for you. However, it may not be enough to sustain you through dryer months in the winter.
Things To Consider: The texture is completely different than Creme de la Mer. This is a gel with a lightweight consistency.
How To Use This Product: Smooth over clean, dry skin. Use each morning and night.
6. SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture
The SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture cream is a lightweight moisturizer designed for normal to oily skin to hydrate, nourish and reduce the appearance of your pores. It combines a combination of nutrient-rich algae extracts, seven botanical extracts and vitamin E to create a moisturizer that leaves skin soft without any greasy shine.
Why Is It Like Creme de la Mer: Key ingredients like red and brown sea algae extracts bring hydration back to your skin. The ingredients work synergistically to balance the skin’s oil production while maintaining the proper amount of moisture for healthy-looking skin.
Benefits: The majority of the items on this list are designed for dry and sensitive skin, but the SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture is best for those with oily, combination and normal skin types.
Things To Consider: If you use too much, it will leave your skin a little tacky. Make sure to work it into your skin thoroughly.
How To Use This Product: Morning and evening, apply a dime-size amount of SkinCeuticals’ moisturizer to your face, neck and chest.
7. NIVEA Creme Body, Face and Hand Moisturizing Lotion
Known as one of the most affordable dupes of Creme de la Mer, the Nivea Cream has every ingredient found in Creme de la Mer. One glaring difference, however, is that Nivea does not have algae extract or any other natural ingredients.
Benefits: It mimics the same ingredients as the famous Creme de la Mer, which help to hydrate dry skin and strengthen your skin barrier.
Things to Consider: At most, this is the best for just hydrating your skin. You won’t see additional changes in your skin that you would with all the fermented ingredients found in La Mer’s Miracle Broth.
How to Use This Product: At the end of your skincare routine, warm up the product in your hand and use it in all areas that need moisturizing.
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