I Tried This Cult-Favorite Winter Skin Saver From Nordstrom, and Here's What Happened

Never have there been more choices when it comes to skin care. You can find face moisturizers with probiotics, serums chock-full of vitamins, and mists that boast of skin-renewing abilities. The excitement around new skincare brands is palpable.

But you'd be remiss to forget the cult classics of skin care. These are the brands and products that have been around for 10, 20, even 50+ years. Some have upgraded their formulas but more or less kept things status quo for one simple reason: the stuff just works.

Few would argue that the queen of said brands is La Mer, a luxury skincare brand founded by German scientist Max Huber in the '50s as a means to heal his own skin, which had been severely burned during a lab accident. How theatrical.

A reported 6,000 experiments and 12 years later, Dr. Huber discovered that by fermenting pure ingredients from the sea like kelp, a "Miracle Broth" could be created. This Miracle Broth became the solution to heal his skin and nearly 70 years later, can still be found in every La Mer product today.

Ranging in price from $25 for a 1 oz. cleansing foam to $2,160 for a 16.5 oz. bottle of moisturizer, the pièce de résistance of La Mer is the Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream ($85-$2,160). Starting at $85 for a half-ounce container, this legendary cream has all the deliciousness of the Miracle Broth plus.

Dr. Robert Anolik, a New York City-based dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology and laser skin surgery, told me a little bit more about the power of what's inside the Miracle Broth, specifically seaweed. "There is evidence to support the benefits of seaweed on the skin," Dr. Anolik tells me. "It's primarily been valued as a healing substance, even used on skin wounds. It's also been beneficial in reducing inflammation in the skin, such as in cases of eczema. Newer evidence is supporting its antioxidant properties."

The first time I used it, I put it on like I normally apply moisturizer: finger in tub, product in palm, palm on face. But that, my friends, is not the way to treat a $100+ moisturizer. The extremely rich consistency of the product is not to be smacked on like sunscreen but warmed between fingers until it becomes almost see-through and massaged into your face.

And while the price point is undoubtedly steep, I can tell you firsthand, a little bit goes a long way.

But, instead of waxing poetic about how the famed cream changed my chapped, Winter skin, I'll provide you with two easy to digest lists: one that dissects what Crème de la Mer did and one that dissects what Crème de la Mer did not do after one week of using it daily:

What Crème de la Mer Did

What Crème de la Mer Did NOT Do

The verdict? If you have the cash, this is a worthwhile investment, especially since the one ounce bottle will last you a long time. Since the product is so rich, you don't necessarily need to use it every day to see results. And it doesn't hurt that it looks très chic in a #shelfie.