Embryolisse is a French pharmacy – sorry, pharmacie – brand I've been meaning to have a go of for a while so I thought I'd make a start with their star product, Lait-Crème Concentré, which has something of a devoted cult following among make-up artists - the Pixiewoo sisters seem to swear by the stuff for example.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré has been around since the 1950s when it was formulated by a dermatologist in Paris and is billed as a bland, non-reactive nourishing moisturiser suitable for all ages and skin types, including sensitive skins. The enclosed product information leaflet informs me that it can also be used as a cleanser, make-up remover, and as a mask. In terms of ingredients, it's heavy on mineral oil, which my skin loves but of course it doesn't agree with everyone (read about the mineral oil debate here) and also contains aloe vera, shea butter, beeswax, and soy proteins.
Personally I'm not sure I'd rate it as a moisturiser – I feel that it just isn't hydrating enough to sort out dry, dehydrated patches – but at least it didn't overwhelm my fussy pores and I've found a use for it as a calming primer-slash-moisturiser in the vein of La Roche-Posay Cicaplast.
My foundation glides on to my skin when prepped with a small amount of Lait-Crème Concentré and in addition to sitting pretty much perfectly, even long-wear make-up looks naturally glowy and dewy – but crucially, not greasy.
Alone, I find it to be a slightly “meh” product, a rich but easily spreadable white cream that's inclined to sit on skin and leave a satin sheen; it's when I put my slap on that the magic happens.
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My skin looks noticeably fresher beneath foundation and while it's unable resolve my dry or dehydrated areas, paradoxically it does smooth out flakiness and negate foundation cling in those areas to provide a cosmetically uniform complexion.
It doesn't fill pores and I haven't been able to discern either a positive or negative effect on foundation wear time when using Embryolisse as a primer, so anyone seeking some proper heavy duty Pollyfilla action or to up their make-up's lasting power should probably look elsewhere (here are six of Emma's current favourites.)
I'm not yet convinced that it's a must-have and I'm not entirely certain what skin types would adore it as a moisturiser, but at least my foundation can look lovely while I wonder about it.
If you're hanging to try it yourself and your French is up to scratch, I've heard that it's possible to get Embryolisse directly from French pharmacy – sorry, sorry, pharmacie! – websites for about 10 Eurobux and minimal shipping costs. However, my horrible/non-existant French meant that I'd to rely heavily on Google Translate when I was trying to buy mine; I gave up when the cheapest estimated shipping and handling fees I could find clocked in at €65. Guru Make Up Emporium's steep £9.50 European P&P rate seems like a steal by comparison - I bought mine from them without any issues and they sell both the 30ml (£10) and 75ml (£17.50) sizes of Lait-Crème Concentré.
