Editor's Pick: An ode to essences and La Mer The Treatment Lotion
New York Times recently published an article about why essences may be more important than moisturizer. I beg to differ - I think that if you had to choose one, a good moisturizer for your skin type will serve you far well - but I do agree that essences are important to our skin. A serum, toner, and moisturizer in one, essences (or sometimes called lotions) can help moisturize and plump up the skin without adding extra texture underneath your moisturizer. Good ones typically contain actives for better results. You can use them alone if you layer them several times (read here about the Korean 7-Skin Method), but I find them most effective as a booster for my regular moisturizer.
I've been using essences/lotions for years now because I love how light they are and how they soften my skin almost instantly. I agree the analogy in the NYT's article by cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson, "If you water loose soil, it’s able to flow to the bottom, but if it’s tight and compact, whatever you put on top is just going to sit there...in order for ingredients to easily flow through the bilayers of the skin, you need moisture, you need your skin to be primed."
Remember, when it comes to skincare, it's important to have its active ingredients penetrate the skin as deeply as possible. This is why exfoliation is key to healthy skin and why essences/lotions are a good priming step after cleansing and before you proceed to the rest of your routine.
Recently, La Mer kindly sent me a new addition to my essence/lotion collection. La Mer The Treatment Lotion (P8,000+ for 150ml) is a hydrating product that contains their patented Miracle Broth (seaweed extract) as well as something they call Revitalizing Ferment (yeast extract blend). It is designed to be instantly absorbed by the skin to help hydrate, soften, nourish, and improve skin texture.
So does it work? As far as the product promise is concerned, yes it does! I love how my skin feels smooth straightaway and how it plays well with the rest of my admittedly pared-down skincare routine. It boosts the serum moisturizer I use afterwards as it plumps up and moisturizes my skin nicely. My skin loves whatever is in La Mer's Miracle Broth so I always get good results with most of their products.
I was a bit hesitant to find out that it has fermented ingredients as I typically break out because of these, but I'm happy to report that I did not get pimples! The Treatment Lotion is probably the only fermented skincare product that I did not break out from. I've been using this for about three or four weeks now and I'm pretty happy with how my skin is responding to it.
The scent has that mild La Mer powdery scent while the watery texture is slightly tacky at first, but dries down smoothly.
Overall, if you're into luxury skincare, then I find La Mer's The Treatment Lotion worthy of the precious space in your shelf. It enhances my skincare routine so I always keep it on hand and within my line of vision! Of course if you don't like spending as much on your skincare, there are certainly other essence/lotion options in the market for different budgets. We'll make sure to feature an updated list for you soon.
Let me know what you think, as always! What are your favorite essences?
INGREDIENTS OF LA MER THE TREATMENT LOTION
Key Ingredients: Miracle Broth™, Revitalizing Ferment, Softening Waters
Formulated Without Parabens, Phthalates, Sulfates
Ingredient Listing: Declustered Water (+)\Aqua\Eau De-Structuree (+) , Declustered Water (-)\Aqua\Eau De-Structuree (-) , Algae (Seaweed) Extract , Glycerin , Methyl Gluceth-20 , Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane , Yeast Extract\Faex\Extrait De Levure , Sucrose , Glycereth-26 , Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil , Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Seed Powder , Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Meal , Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil , Sodium Gluconate , Copper Gluconate , Calcium Gluconate , Magnesium Gluconate , Zinc Gluconate , Tocopheryl Succinate , Niacin , Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Powder , Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Peel Extract , Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract , Laminaria Digitata Extract , Palmaria Palmata Extract , Codium Tomentosum Extract , Laminaria Saccharina Extract , Sea Salt\Maris Sal\Sel Marin , Plankton Extract , Caffeine , Polyquaternium-51 , Lecithin , Butylene Glycol , Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate , Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein , Tourmaline , Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 , Glycosaminoglycans , Peg-8 , Sodium Hyaluronate , Alcaligenes Polysaccharides , Sodium Pca , Urea , Ppg-5-Ceteth-20 , Jojoba Wax Peg-120 Esters , Polysorbate 20 , Hexylene Glycol , Pentylene Glycol , Potassium Sorbate , Trehalose , Caprylyl Glycol , Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin , Fragrance (Parfum) , Disodium Edta , Limonene , Geraniol , Linalool , Hydroxycitronellal , Citronellol , Phenoxyethanol
