Some beauty products – think Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz and Alpha-H Liquid Gold – are so good, they practically have celebrity status, with devoted, loyal followings. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentre is up there in the hall of fame – before it was sold in the UK, beauty editors would trek to Calais simply to stock up on it. Now, it has a fan base so loyal that one is sold every 23 seconds across the country. That’s right, one every 23 seconds.
Invented in 1950, for years Lait-Crème Concentre was the best-kept backstage beauty secret – makeup artists such as Pat McGrath and Lisa Eldridge rate it as the best antidote to models’ stressed out skin, and celebrities such as Jane Birkin and Karlie Kloss have confessed to being addicted to this little white tube.
So, what makes it so incredible? Essentially, its simplicity and versatility – this is a no-frills, fuss-free, does-what-it-says-on-the-tube, multipurpose lotion that can be used as everything from a makeup remover, primer, cleanser, treatment mask, mixing agent – hell, even a hair texturiser – but which truly excels as a moisturiser.
My skin coasts between being a super shiny oil slick in the summer to a dry, flaky mess in the winter months – for years I struggled to find a good perennial moisturiser that would provide my skin with the necessary dose of hydration and nourishment, without making it greasy. Light as silk, never oily, and never sticky, Lait-Crème Concentre gives me dewy, fresh skin that retains its moisture without a trace of oiliness. What’s more, it’s fast-absorbing, and layers beautifully under makeup without interfering with anything applied on top – no additional primer required. The second way I use it? It somehow also doubles up as a cleanser and makeup remover – I use it with a cotton bud to resolve winged eyeliner and smudged lipstick mishaps.
Formula-wise, it ticks some important boxes for me: paraben-free, unscented, and packed with the good stuff – aloe vera, shea butter, beeswax, soy proteins, and essential fatty acids. Use it on your face, hands, lips, and body – it’ll treat everything from psoriasis and eczema to chapped skin, dry elbows, and cracked heels. And the best thing, it’s now just an ‘add to basket’ click away. No need for pilgrimages to Paris.
