There are few beauty brands more polarizing than La Mer. Mention it in a room full of beauty editors, dermatologists, or skincare gurus, and you’ll usually get one of two reactions: complete devotion or immediate sticker shock. I’ve always fallen somewhere in the middle. As someone who tests beauty products for a living, I’ve never fully bought into the idea that expensive automatically means better—but I also don’t think every luxury produc t is a scam wrapped in prettier packaging. Sometimes, the formulas genuinely are more elegant, or the ingredient sourcing is more meticulous. And when it comes to La Mer , that’s exactly why the brand has managed to hold onto its cult status for decades.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the price tag. A jar of Crème de la Mer costs significantly more than most moisturizers on the market, which naturally raises the question: What exactly am I paying for?…