They changed the formula and didn’t tell anyone. Classic.
The big deal? The new preservative system—phenoxyethanol instead of methylparaben—means the texture and how it plays with other products is totally different.
It’s still the iconic cream from La Mer. $400 for 2 oz. The claim is still “miracle broth” healing. I had to see if the magic was still there.
The Ritual
You still have to warm it between your fingers to “activate” it.
The Scent
Unchanged—that faint, clean, ocean-air smell.
The Jar
Same heavy, fingerprint-magnet jar. Feels luxe, is annoying.
Photo: Daniel Barnes / Unsplash
They added more “actives” to the famous broth. It’s a hydration-plus-anti-oxidant push. The hero is still the fermented algae—but now it’s got backup.
Texture is lighter—less of that dense, waxy balm feel. Absorbs in 90 seconds instead of 3 minutes. Leaves a satin finish, not a seal.
Week 3: My dry patches were gone. But it pills under silicone-based serums now—the old one never did. A real pain.
My skin was softer, more even. But was it $400-soft? The intense, overnight repair of the original formula is muted. This is a better daytime cream.
It’s a good cream. It’s not the same cult cream. They modernized it—and lost a bit of the original’s strange, heavy magic.