Annabelle Hood reviews Caudalie Premier Cru: La Crème Riche

Every winter as I pinch my parched cheeks, I vow that this will be the year I find a more affordable replacement to Crème de la Mer… At a tenner a smear, I can’t justify the expense. So when Caudalie announced new La Crème Riche was about to headline their scrumptious Premier Cru line, I was first in the queue to try it.

First impressions? Full marks for the pot’s decadent gold and brown packaging, which befits its hefty £93 price tag and looks sensational alongside the rest of the range, which I’ve coveted since it launched.

I sweep a dollop of the thick unguent over my face. So far so good: The smell is subtle, in keeping with its plant-based ingredients and zero nasties like parabens, phtalates or mineral oils.

For a few seconds, my complexion feels soft, plump and looks smooth, not to mention curiously matt. After a minute, my skin feels tauter, which is frustrating if you need a hydrating cream to prevent this sensation! I add another layer on in the hope of more hydration. But a waxy layer, not unlike putty leaves it feeling drier than before. Baffled, I read its list of ingredients for clues: “Jojoba, Mimosa, Sunflower waxes.” Aha! Unfortunately these waxes in combo with firming peptides, dominate any benefits of the Grape Oil, Apricot Butter and hydrating Ceramide-2 also apparently present.

Verdict: If you’re naming a cream ‘Ultra Riche,’ then you need to make it so. But all is not lost: I’d say the cream’s strengths lie instead in smoothing, firming and mattefying the complexion. After 10 days of faithfully “giving it a go” both morning and night, I had to introduce moisture with the help of a rival brand’s oil-based serum beneath it. Alas, my holy grail for a rich, affordable Crème de le Crème replacement continues…