This one is for all of my LaMer lovers out there. I consistently have patients who tell me that they are loyal LaMer users because of its cult celebrity following, and others who inquire about it for the same reason.
But, what is really in LaMer?
In my personal opinion, save yourself $300 and buy yourself a tube of Aquaphor… that is essentially what you are putting on your face if you are using LaMer.
There is a big misconception about hydration. Most people think that the heavier the cream, the more hydrating. I cannot say this enough…this is NOT true. Most heavy creams act as “barriers.”
In other words, they act as protectants but do not hydrate your skin or help your cells retain water. For example, products containing hyaluronic acid bind to the water in your cells and attract water from the environment, hydrating your skin.
But don’t be fooled… if this ingredient is way at the bottom of the ingredient list, there most likely isn’t enough to penetrate the top skin layer.
I thought for fun I would break down the first several ingredients in LaMer moisturizing cream. As you may or may not know, ingredients in a product are always listed in order from the highest concentration of an ingredient to the lowest.
I have posted the entire list of ingredients at the bottom of this blog.
Here is a breakdown of the first several ingredients:
Algae extract: a botanical soothing, thickening agent
Cyclopentasiloxane: silicone, toxic
Petrolatum: (Aquaphor,Vaseline) or petroleum jelly, is a semisolid mixture derived from refining crude oil.
Glyceryl Distearate: wax like thickening agent
Phenyl Trimethicone: silicone-based emollient- used in a lot of cosmetics to give a “sheen”
Butylene Glycol: alcohol-based preservative
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil: fatty acid- think margarine
I have also listed the ingredients contained in a tube of Aquaphor at the bottom for comparison. In the list of ingredients in LaMer they do list sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) at the bottom.
However, hyaluronic acid cannot penetrate through a fat or an oil so this is not even penetrating through the skin to hydrate.
In conclusion, I tell my patients who must have their LaMer, if you are going to use it make sure you use it as the last product you are putting on your skin.
For example, put it on top of your vitamin c in the morning and put it on top of your retinoid at night. This way you are getting your actives on your skin first and this emollient cream will act as your barrier.
Feel free to email me with any questions regarding products or ingredients. I am always happy to help! Even if you don’t buy your products from us, my goal is to educate you on what is effective.
Algae (Seaweed) Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Distearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cholesterol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Steareth-10, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Polysilicone-11, 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, Water, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Peel Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Plankton Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Glycerin, Caffeine, Sea Salt, Micrococcus Lysate, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Adenosine Phosphate, Creatine, Hydrolyzed Algin, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glucose Oxidase, Polyacrylamide, Acetyl Carnitine HCL, Glucose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopheryl Acetate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium PCA, Glycosaminoglycans, Urea, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laureth-7, Lecithin, Trehalose, Polyquaternium-51, Lactoperoxidase, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Cyanocobalamin, Pentylene Glycol, Fragrance (Parfum), Disodium EDTA, BHT, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Aquaphor:
- Petrolatum. …
- Mineral oil. …
- Ceresin. …
- Lanolin Alcohol. …
- Glycerin. …
- Panthenol. …
- Bisabolol.