Debunking Beauty Myths: Crème De La Mer

For better or worse, the beauty world is rife with mystery. 

While transparency is the industry’s latest buzzword, for a number of years, brands played their cards very close to their chest indeed. And when information is hard to come by, overactive imaginations come into play. 

The most mysterious product of them all? Crème de la Mer. 

At $665 for 100Ml, this ultra-luxurious product is one of the more expensive moisturisers on the market. It’s the kind of price tag that attracts attention. As a result, the product is shrouded in mystery and the subject of more than one conspiracy theory – including the rumour that La Mer plays piano to all of its raw ingredients. 

So, why is this moisturiser so pricey? And is there any truth to this piano business? We’ve collated some of the weirdest and wackiest rumours and gone straight to the source – the brand itself – to help sort the fact from the fiction.

Rumour: Max Huber wasn’t a real man

True or False? False

A rumour has been circulating on the World Wide Web that Max Huber, the founder of La Mer and formulator of Crème de la Mer, was not a real person. The evidence? His apparent lack of an obituary. 

However, this conspiracy is unfounded. Both Estée and Leonard Lauder were fascinated by the very real story of the very real Dr. Max Huber. When production of La Mer slowed in 1994, Estée Lauder Companies set about acquiring the company and saving Huber’s famous Crème.

Rumour: Max Huber worked for NASA

True or False? True

We’ve established that Max Huber did, in fact, exist. But the conspiracy theories don’t stop there. Assorted sources across the Internet claim that previous to creating the famous Crème de la Mer, Huber worked for NASA. 

Funnily enough, this rumour isn’t a rumour at all – it is a fact. 

Dr. Max Huber began his aerospace career in the ’50s to help with America’s efforts in the ‘space race’. When creating the revolutionary and transformational formula of Crème de la Mer, he took inspiration from the power of physics and energy.

Rumour: Max Huber used astrology to help create the now-famous Miracle Broth

True or False? True

While it might sound a bit woo woo to some, Hubert looked to astrology to help create La Mer’s lauded Miracle Broth. As an aerospace physicist, he understood the lunar cycle and insisted that kelp – the hero ingredient of Miracle Broth – was only picked at the time it was most nutrient rich. 

Rumour: Crème de la Mer can help to heal burns and scars

True or False? True

If you find yourself with a sunburn or other skin irritation, may we suggest you dab a little Crème de la Mer on the area? It is true that this highly potent formula has both anti-ageing and skin-healing properties. 

Crème de la Mer is jam packed with highly potent ingredients: the brand’s signature Miracle Broth, sea kelp, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, lecithin, Vitamins C, E and B12, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa and sunflower. Separately, each of these ingredients is impressive; together, they can help to transform skin. Crème de la Mer has a soothing effect and nourishes skin by reducing redness, improving texture and adding moisture.

Rumour: You could get the same benefits from any old seaweed

True or False? False

The hero ingredient of La Mer’s famous Miracle Broth is a particular variety of sea kelp sourced from Canada’s Pacific Coast. Critics of the brand allege that your skin would reap the same benefits from any old variety of seaweed. However, this is not true.

In accordance with Hubert’s orders, La Mer follows a very specific process to pick, harvest and ferment its sea kelp. Twice a year, Macrosystis Pyrifera is sourced from the Pacific Coast at the time it is most nutrient rich. It is then transported to the lab within 24 hours to begin the fermentation process. 

From there, the kelp is combined with other specific natural nutrient-rich ingredients. Each batch is fermented for three to four months, enhanced by sound and light energies. 

Think of it this way: each day, grapes all over the world are picked and turned into wine. However, only grapes that are picked from the Bordeaux region in France can be used to create a bottle of Bordeaux wine. Similarly, this specific strain of sea kelp is required to create La Mer’s now-famous Miracle Broth.

Rumour: La Mer plays music to the raw ingredients

True or False? True

Perhaps our most favourite rumour of all, we have long heard whisperings that the brand plays the piano to its raw ingredients before they are combined to create Crème de la Mer. 

While it is true that La Mer does play music to its ingredients, unfortunately, there is no piano required. 

Sonochemistry is used during the bio fermentation process. When Max created what he believed to be the perfect fermentation, he recorded their sounds. He then pulsed those soundwaves, along with light, to mimic photosynthesis during the fermentation during this process. He discovered that by following this process, the benefits of Miracle Broth were dramatically enhanced.

Rumour: Estée Lauder consulted a medium to contact Max Huber after his death to help re-create his famous formula

True or False? False

As far as conspiracy theories go, this one is juicy. Multiple media sources – including more than one credible outlet – claim that Estée Lauder Companies paid a medium to contact Huber after his death to help re-create his very specific formulas. However, this is nothing but a rumour: no psychics were consulted in the making of Crème de la Mer after Huber’s passing.

Rumour: It took over 6,000 experiments and 12 years to find the perfect formula of Miracle Broth

True or False? True

A born perfectionist, Huber continued to tweak and reformulate Crème de la Mer until he was truly happy with the formula – a process that took 12 years and more than 6,000 experiments to complete.

Eventually, Huber did settle on both a fermentation process and combination of ingredients that would rejuvenate skin with almost miraculous results. Today, Crème de la Mer’s Miracle Broth is manufactured by the same slow, meticulous bio-fermentation technique created by Huber – a process that takes three to four months to complete.

Rumour: Every jar of Crème de la Mer is filled by hand

True or False? True

While time-consuming, this one is true. With Crème de la Mer, time truly is of the essence. Each jar is hand-filled within eight hours of formula completion.