Is This Viral Embyrolisse Multi-Purpose Skin Cream Really *That* Good?
Main image – Courtesy of writer
It’s the multi-tasking French skincare product that’s gone viral on TikTok for being the must-have item in every makeup artist’s kit, but is Embryolisse Lait Cream Concentre (£21.99 from Sephora UK /$32 from Embryolisse USA) really the secret weapon we all need in our lives? Or is it just another social media fad?
Well before we get all cynical, it’s worth reminding ourselves that top makeup artist Lisa Eldridge has been known to use it and it’s been compared to *that* Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream because it apparently works for most skin types.
As someone with a skincare obsession and an oily skin type, this kind of versatility and online traction was enough to make me sit up and listen. Plus I was suffering from a serious case of FOMO. So I decided to test out the product myself.
But what lasting impression did it have on me? Keep scrolling to read my honest review.
Ok, what actually is Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre?
Good question. Because when I first received it, I was confused. For a start, there are no clear instructions on how to use it apart from the box suggesting I apply it on clean, dry skin, morning and/or evening and to leave it to penetrate without applying too much pressure.
Apparently though, it has three main uses. They are: Moisturising cream, makeup primer, and makeup remover milk.
Image – Courtesy of writer
So if being used as a moisturiser, this means that the product should be able to hold its own, enough to go on top of a serum. If being applied as a primer, then it should be light enough to be used over another moisturiser.
And if it’s a makeup remover then it should be runny enough to move around the face and lift off dirt.
IMO, those are some very high expectations. But we will see!
The product details
The product comes in three sizes – the standard 75ml size, a 30ml (£13.99 from Sephora UK /$17 from Beautylish USA) and 15ml in the UK (£8.99 from Sephora UK), it is not tested on animals and is paraben free. A good start. There is also a fragrance-free version for those with sensitive skin.
According to boots.com it can also be used as a moisturising face mask, facial after-shave product and even a baby care product too.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The formula itself is surprisingly basic which splits online reviewers in two. Some love that it’s not packed too full of ingredients, while others say it’s too basic to be that good a product. This only makes my intrigue grow.
It contains a combination of natural origin ingredients like cera alba (beeswax) and is rich in essential fatty acids (stearic acid) and vitamins. So you see, nothing to write home about exactly, but nothing to be scared of either. How you feel about this depends on your skin type and what you want from your moisturiser/primer/makeup remover.
First impressions
I primarily wanted to use this as a makeup remover as I had just run out of mine. Is it just me or do the words ‘makeup remover milk’ scream runny and liquidy?
The reason I ask is because my first impression when squeezing some out onto a cotton pad was that it wasn’t a runny milk at all, it was a white, creamy blob of moisturiser. “Fair enough”, I thought. One of its main uses is a moisturiser after all. But I was a bit confused about how this would remove any of my makeup properly.
Image – Courtesy of writer
Anyway, I pressed the blob with my finger a little to see how it felt and the texture was super lightweight. It almost had a lightly whipped texture to it and was velvety smooth.
It also had a very light, fresh, clean scent. I like my skincare to be fragranced – something about it feels more luxurious, plus I don’t have sensitive skin – but perhaps choose the unscented version if you’re easily offended by scented skincare. It’s worth noting though that to me, the fragrance was completely unoffensive and not strong at all.
My results
As a makeup remover:
I persevered with first using it as a makeup remover ‘milk’. In my experience, you need to be able to move a cleansing milk around the face easily on the cotton pad, otherwise it just feels like you’re applying a moisturiser and nothing really gets removed. Unfortunately, this is exactly how it felt.
Don’t get me wrong, there was makeup on the cotton pad when I had a look at the halfway point so it was definitely taking off something.
But as I reached the other half of my face it was harder to ‘sweep’ as, whilst it is lightweight for a moisturiser, the cream is way too thick to be a milk and I had to keep helping myself to more in order to make it around my whole face.
I suppose what you could do is apply a thick layer to your whole face using your fingers and then use a cotton pad to remove it. But that isn’t how I like to cleanse my face – I find it a bit clumsy and not thorough enough.
Either way, my full coverage makeup base, bronzer, blusher, layers of mascara and bit of eyeliner still wasn’t going to come off quickly using this as a makeup remover.
Although I will say that it was very gentle around my eye area, and I didn’t experience any stinging, plus my face did feel super soft afterwards, despite half my makeup still being on.
So, not a huge fan of the makeup remover claim.
If you’re particularly keen to use it as a cleansing milk, think about how much makeup you wear. If you’re a sheer-base-and-not-much-else kind of girl, it might work wonders. But if you like a full face of makeup every day like me, it will probably barely touch the sides I’m afraid.
As a moisturiser:
The next day it was time to try it as a moisturiser. I cleansed my face in the morning as usual and skipped my serum as I didn’t want to overload my oily skin.
I applied a pea-sized blob of the Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre all over my face and immediately noticed how soft my skin felt. It wasn’t greasy at all, it actually looked quite matte but there was still a hint of a glow. I guess you could call my finish ‘balanced’.
I could definitely see why using it on babies’ skin would be a good idea as it felt lovely and light and didn’t make me worry about breakouts happening anytime soon.
It was just a really nice moisturiser, although probably just for daytime in my case as I like my night moisturiser to have a little more to it than this one’s basic ingredients. Since I’m nearing 42, a few anti-ageing ingredients are essential.
As the day went on, my skin didn’t grease up halfway through and it maintained its smooth feel although I wouldn’t say it was life-changing either. Just an all-round ‘nice’ moisturiser.
I didn’t apply a primer that day and my makeup stayed put until a slight touch up at around 4pm.
As a makeup primer:
But how would it fare used as a targeted primer, with a moisturiser underneath?
Well, it was a little heavy for my skin to be honest. But remember, mine’s oily. If your skin is dry then it might work nicely for you to layer this on as a primer, over the top of your moisturiser. I would suggest applying slightly less of each than you normally would to start off, in case it’s too thick.
The combination of my moisturiser (which is oil-free) and the Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre did indeed make my skin feel smooth and lovely at first.
But as soon as I applied makeup on top, I knew I needed to abort the mission. My makeup just wouldn’t absorb properly and I was already looking a little too shiny for my liking. Imagine how I might have looked by midday.
That said, it did work well as a moisturiser, without a primer on my skin and my makeup gripped for a large chunk of the day. So perhaps we can say it nicely doubles up?
What other users are saying
A lot of users have been complaining that the formula was changed when the packaging was updated. One user says, “I feel like it smells the same but I am noticing my pores are getting clogged with the new product look, nothing else in my routine has changed.”
Comment
by from discussion
inSkincareAddiction
We contacted the brand about this, and they confirmed that there has been no reformulation, even when the product was repackaged. So the confusion might be for those buying in the US and then again in the UK or Europe where there might be differences.
Other people seem to dislike the fragrance of the product. One person said, “I could do without the powdery scent but otherwise it’s quite nice on the skin.”
Comment
byu/rhizodyne from discussion
inSkincareAddiction
Another said, “too heavy for me, plus fragrance equals headache.” I definitely wouldn’t say this was a headache-inducing fragrance but I guess everyone reacts differently.
Comment
byu/rhizodyne from discussion
inSkincareAddiction
As a moisturiser though, it seems to be unsurprisingly popular. One person writes, “Great for mature skin. It looks light but my skin is moisturised and glowy.”
While another says, “I’ve been using it for quite a few years. I have extremely dry skin and this honestly does the job every time. I use this as a moisturiser and don’t even need to use primer for my makeup. My skin feels really soft when I use it!”
Overall value for money
With the largest size coming in at £21.99/$32, I’m pleasantly surprised by the mid-range price. That is, if you find more than one benefit for it. For simply a day moisturiser it’s a little pricey though and users online have mentioned that Cerave moisturisers have proved to be a cheaper alternative.
I probably wouldn’t buy the full size as I already love my regular moisturiser, although perhaps I would opt for the smallest size to travel with and use as my moisturiser while I’m away. But if all six purposes here work for you then it’s a steal.
The takeaway
Overall, I enjoyed using this as a moisturiser (without a primer) the most. However you use it, it really does feel beautifully light and soft. It smells clean and fresh, and it doesn’t make me break out.
However there’s a part of me that just wants brands to stop over-reaching. Why put pressure on a product by claiming it has anywhere between three and six uses? I had such high expectations of this product simply because it claims to do so much.
From my experience, this is simply a nice, lightweight moisturiser. It’s not even close to what I know a cleansing milk to be- although, since this is a MUA favourite, I could see how this could work for quick cleanses backstage- and while some skin types might enjoy using it as a primer over their usual moisturiser, my oily skin type was not a fan of this method.
I implore you to take the pressure off – use Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre first and foremost as a day cream, because it’s lovely, and then just see if there is anything else you can do with it. Don’t buy it for the hype and expect it to do six things because every skin type is different. Because, unfortunately, I just feel skincare is too personal for every person to get the benefit of every use here.
Get Glowing!
