When it comes to cult beauty buys from various pockets of the world, one brand instantly comes to mind when mentioning France: Embryolisse. The pharmacy brand's Lait-Creme Concentre Multi-Purpose Moisturiser is the go-to desert island beauty product for millions.
With one selling every four seconds globally, this “holy grail” product has been described as everything from a cult classic to the one item makeup artists swear by. First launched over 70 years ago in 1950, the French pharmacy classic is beloved for its six uses in one product.
But how good can a moisturiser really be? Skeptical but ready to be convinced, I set about testing the Lait-Creme Concentre ($48) for the past few weeks, and I am one hundred per cent sold. Here’s why you need it to be your next investment.
Lait-Creme Concentre Put to the Test
Known as the ‘24-hour miracle cream’, the Lait-Creme Concentre isn’t just a moisturiser; it has six different uses. From hydrating dry skin to doubling as a makeup primer, cleanser, and even a mask, the Embryolisse moisturiser promises to do it all and leave your skin looking much better as a result.
It achieves this through an array of natural ingredients including Shea butter, Beeswax, Aloe vera, and Soy proteins, which work together to deliver hydration and protection to your skin’s natural barrier for up to 24 hours.
The first thing I noticed about this moisturiser upon trying it was its texture. Unlike many moisturisers that are either too aggressively thick or too liquid-y, this one has a perfect creamy consistency that soaks right into the skin and turns your complexion from dull to dewy in one application. I can see why makeup artists love it, as the way it swipes onto the skin makes it the perfect primer or base for makeup.
Not only this, but with sensitive skin that often reacts to new products when I haven’t tested them, this moisturiser was a dream to apply and leave on my skin. It made me look immediately as though I’d had eight hours of sleep, and for this, there is no price I wouldn’t pay.
The second thing I noticed about this moisturiser is that it lasts longer than you might expect. Typically, with moisturisers ranging in price from budget to high-end, they start out looking good and dewy, but by 3pm, my skin is back to looking sourdough dry, and even if I’ve drunk a solid 2L of water, I still look tired and drawn. Not with the Lait-Creme Concentre.
I found it the perfect non-oily base for my Hourglass foundation, and unlike most days, it didn’t leave concealer sitting in the cracks. I think it is my favourite when used as a makeup base. When trying the moisturiser at night, I did find it slightly more slippery than I might like, which leads me to think it’s best as a morning moisturiser, where it can grip onto your makeup.
But for just $48, it has been helping to solve my worst skin issues: dullness, dehydration, and fine lines.
The Verdict
If you’re looking for a solution to winter dryness, this $48 buy is definitely worth the hype. While there are six different uses for it, my favourite remains as a morning moisturiser and primer for the skin ahead of applying makeup. I find a decent layer helps my makeup to stay put and look better than it does without it. Plus, it eradicates the need for a primer — and who doesn’t love a single product that does two things at the same time?
I would whole-heartedly recommend this moisturiser to anyone with sensitive, dry, dehydrated, dull, or uneven skin that could do with a smoothing. In just three weeks, I’ve seen an improvement in my texture, appearance, and the feel of my skin — no mean feat when the weather is cooling down and sickness is wreaking havoc with the population.
