Welcome to our annual skincare awards, guys! It was a lengthy, at-times difficult process, but we managed to whittle all the best skincare products we’ve been using this year down year to five. These are the true desert-island skincare products. The ones we keep re-purchasing, find ourselves gushing to our best friends about, and wouldn’t be afraid to take back home to meet the parents.

The Little Mermaid has said it before, and I will say it again: Everything’s better down where it’s wetter. The first (and potentially only) necessary piece of evidence I have to corroborate this claim is the beautiful  range of products from skincare royalty, La Mer. It’s only natural then, that one of their cult products would qualify for our skincare awards.

Translating simply to “The Sea,” La Mer is dedicated to bringing an entire ocean’s worth of benefits to your face. I’m no mathematician, but the ocean comprises 70% of Earth’s surface, so that sure seems like an incomprehensible amount of benefits. Why am I telling you this, though? Even if you lived inside a clam, wedged under a rock, 1000 metres below sea level, you still would have read about La Mer at least once in your life. You’ve probably opened at least sixty tabs singing the praises of, critiquing, and examining the worthiness of one La Mer product in particular: The inimitable Crème de la Mer.

Today, we’re delving a little deeper into why it’s worth your clams, and why it takes pride of place in our annual skincare awards. Investing in your skin is all sorts of chic. Unlike other products, Crème de la Mer acts as your sacred morning ritual, and should be approached with the same amount of reverence you would usually reserve for your morning yoga, coffee, or sunrise walk. Take this time to honour yo’ self, girl. Be present. Unlike other moisturisers, Crème de la Mer was made to be warmed and gently pressed into the skin. It’s of no surprise, then, that it lines the shelves of all the cool girls, from Bambi to Zoe Foster Blake.

Like a perfect winged eyeliner, it’s all in the application (and the ritual) when it comes to Crème de la Mer. As the saying goes, “A good carpenter never blames his tools.” In this scenario, Crème de la Mer is the tool, and the carpenter is all of us. A bit lost? Me too! Let’s push on, shall we? Below is a very comprehensive guide to correctly applying one of (if not the) best moisturiser in the business. Some clues: The ingredient Miracle Broth is as legit as it sounds, and Crème de la Mer responds well to warmth. In case you missed the backstory on Miracle Broth, Dr. Max Huber hand-harvested and fermented kelp with other pure ingredients, then infused them with light and sound until they became the Miracle Broth. Only La Mer can procure this miraculous ingredient. Find me a cooler story, I dare you. Happy application, guys!

Buy a tub for yourself here.

Step One

Whisper “La Mer-Man, Mer-Man!” out loud to your reflection while you twirl around in your imaginary merman tail. Just once. Then, clear your throat, and repeat after me: Less is more. Less being the size of a pea, scooped out of the jar with the tiny spatula included in each tub. While the price point is higher than what you may be used to, a tub will see you through the better part of a year if you subscribe to this mantra. In our experience, when applied correctly, Crème de la Mer lasts for three times your average moisturiser.

Step Two

Use your God-given incubators of heat, AKA your hands, to gently warm up the cream. The key ingredient, Miracle Broth, only works miracles when activated (much like your mid-afternoon handful of almonds), so roll it around your fingertips until it’s nice and toasty. Despite its rich texture, by the time you apply it to your face, the cream should be translucent.

Step Three

Time to apply it to your cheeks! Instead of haphazardly slapping it on (like you’re accustomed to doing with your other products), approach the application with the same lovingness and benignity you would your PMSing friend. Hug your cheeks ~lovingly~ with your hands. Feel the feels. Move on to Step Four.

Step Four

Now that you’ve showed your cheeks a necessary amount of TLC, give the same courtesy to your nose by gently swiping the cream across it. Then, make your way to your chinny chin chin and forehead simultaneously, making sure to stick to today’s theme of being gentle AF.

Step Five

Bet you nearly forgot about your neck, huh? Well, listen up, because your future self has something to say: “Don’t forget about your neck — you will regret it!!!” *Cue dramatic music* Heed your future self’s advice by pressing the cream into your neck with the same level of tenderness you normally reserve for your S/O.

All Together Now

Now, here it is— your moment of ~self appreciation~ in full sequence:

Smile at yourself in the mirror, and feel slightly unhinged because you’re smiling at yourself in the mirror, alone. But mainly feel aahhh-mazing, because you’ve finally unlocked the secret to plump, dewy skin.

Words, Madeleine Woon. Photography, Blair Gauld. Model, Sian Henderson at IMG.