Versus

La Mer The Treatment Lotion Versus La Prairie Cellular Refining Lotion

Facial Treatment
Toner
American Brand United States
Swiss Brand Switzerland

Updated on February 12, 2025

Overview

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any silicones

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
The Treatment Lotion

Water

Skin Conditioning

Algae Extract

Emollient
May worsen Oily Skin Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Methyl Gluceth-20

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Emollient

Sucrose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Yeast Extract

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Emollient
1-3 / 0 Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Medicago Sativa Seed Powder

Skin Conditioning

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Perfuming
Fragrance IconOil IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Sodium Gluconate

Skin Conditioning

Copper Gluconate

Skin Conditioning
Good for Scar Healing Icon

Calcium Gluconate

Humectant

Magnesium Gluconate

Skin Conditioning

Zinc Gluconate

Skin Conditioning
Helps fight Acne Icon

Tocopheryl Succinate

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Niacin

Smoothing
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder

Skin Conditioning

Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract

Cleansing
Fragrance Icon

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Skin Protecting
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Skin Protecting

Plankton Extract

Skin Conditioning

Palmaria Palmata Extract

Skin Protecting

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Humectant
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Glycereth-26

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alcaligenes Polysaccharides

Emollient

Trehalose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Lactobacillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Maris Sal

Skin Conditioning

Tourmaline

Urea

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Glycine Soja Protein

Emulsifying

Glycosaminoglycans

Emollient

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

PEG-8

Humectant

Magnesium Chloride

Calcium Chloride

Astringent

Sodium Sulfate

Sulfate Icon

Potassium Phosphate

Buffering

Potassium Nitrate

Soothing

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Triacetin

Antimicrobial
0 / 0

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

PPG-5-Ceteth-20

Emulsifying

Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters

Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polyquaternium-51

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Linalool

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Hydroxycitronellal

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citronellol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Geraniol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

BHT

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Disodium EDTA

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Chlorphenesin

Antimicrobial
Preservative Icon

Sorbic Acid

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon
Cellular Refining Lotion

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Emollient, Humectant, Masking

Algae Extract is a confusing name. This is because algae is an informal term for a group of 30,000 aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize.

The term 'algae extract' can refer to any one, or a blend of, the 30,000 types.

Algae is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Algae can also help with soothing and hydrating skin.

Many different types of algae have different benefits.

Learn more about Algae Extract
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning

Lactobacillus Ferment is created by fermenting the Lactobacillus bacteria. It helps keep our skin's natural barrier and microbiome healthy.

Studies show lactobacillus ferment to be effective at repairing the skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier helps keep your skin healthy and hydrated. It also protects against bad bacteria.

As a probiotic/prebiotic/postbiotic, Lactobacillus ferment can help regular our natural biome. In fact, one study found a lack of diversity in our natural skin biome can trigger acne.

Learn more about Lactobacillus Ferment
Buffering, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.

As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.

Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.

In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.

Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.

Learn more about Urea
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum
Perfuming

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Learn more about Citronellol
Perfuming, Tonic

Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.

Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.

Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.

Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.

Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.

Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.

2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-

Learn more about Geraniol
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

When to use

87 Routines
52% use in am
48% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

La Mer The Treatment Lotion 70 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Expensive (1) Sticky (1) Strong Scent (1)
moon01's avatar

Meena D

1 month ago
Review

This is so expensive and for what 😐 sure it's hydrating, but there are other much better toners out there that do the job. This has heavy fragrance, so it's not pleasing to the skin. Also it stings when I apply it and leaves my skin feeling sticky after some time. Not for me

#expensive
#sticky
#strong scent

La Prairie Cellular Refining Lotion 36 ingredients

Cellular Refining Lotion hasn't been rated yet.
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