I have an expensive addiction. It's one I can't break. Like most addicts, though, I don't really want to break it. I want to savor it, every last drop of it.La Mer's The Concentrate ($350) is my addiction. It's a part of my life now. I attribute many good things about my appearance to The Concentrate. And whether my younger-than-I-really-am skin is a result of La Mer, my genes, or the other products I use, I won't take the chance to find out.
Billed as "a revolutionary treatment that complements skin's natural healing process," The Concentrate is a serum that envelopes the skin in moisture. From everything I read, it's intended for skin that needs to heal - from something like cosmetic surgery, sunburn, scarring, or other assault.
To complement skin's natural healing process and improve the appearance of scars, thoroughly massage onto affected area at least twice per day.
Even if I stray from The Concentrate during the summer, using a lighter product, I return in the fall, when the air turns crisp and dry. My skin tells me it's time to pull out the heavy-duty treatment, and it works every time.
La Mer reps want me to use The Lifting Face Serum ($315), whether I need "lifting" or not. That's the much-loved La Mer firming serum, targeted at people over 40. I have friends (men and women who aren't sagging) who swear by it. I've tried the silky lifting elixir, and I like it. No complaints! But I don't need two serums each morning, and I'm addicted - so I stick with my first love.
The Concentrate is a thick liquid. It comes with an applicator that stays dipped into the bottle so that users can "withdraw" just the right amount for the face and neck. A little of the liquid goes a long way, spreading comfortably over my skin. Once I have applied The Concentrate, I need less Crème de la Mer ($230) or other moisturizer. My thirsty skin slurps the first product that goes on, so The Concentrate is its first drink of the morning after a light cleansing in the shower.
Many will say that La Mer isn't the most advanced, up-to-date product on the market. I've heard it all - no hyaluronic acid, no peptides, and so on. Perhaps, but I use a multi-layered cocktail twice a day to get all the cosmeceuticals I need, while staying true to The Concentrate most mornings. I've tried to go without it, but after a few weeks, my skin shouts, "Get me some help, I'm dry!"
Right now, I am finishing up a bottle. The applicator no longer reaches the product. That's OK. I'm adept at reaching my finger into the bottle to get the last remaining product out before the bottle is recycled. I have my next full bottle ready to go. I try to purchase The Concentrate when Saks is having Friends & Family or at some other fabulous event with a discount. Every dollar saved allows me to continue my addiction!
You can purchase The Concentrate at La Mer's Web site, Saks, Neiman Marcus, and other sources. There is usually a freebie or two with purchase at La Mer online, and Saks and Neiman Marcus sometimes have gifts with purchase. You can usually talk a friendly La Mer rep out of a sample of something when you buy. They know how addictive their products are.
Photo courtesy of La Mer