La Mer The Cleansing Foam ingredients, decoded
What La Mer The Cleansing Foam is mostly made of, which ingredients do the work and what to watch for — based on the ingredient list the brand publishes.
La Mer
The Cleansing Foam
더 클렌징 폼
What the brand says it does
Gentle foaming cleanser with a seaweed ferment and tourmaline that lifts impurities and excess oil without stripping moisture, for a brighter, fresher-looking complexion.
54ingredients
2key ingredients
2worth knowing
What it targets
Based on which ingredients are in it, how high up the list they are, and whether they are key actives.
Key ingredients
Sodium Hyaluronate#30
소듐하이알루로네이트
Above the 1% line
The salt form of hyaluronic acid; the version most products actually use.
Ingredient guide →Urea#43
우레아
Above the 1% line
Humectant at low levels; softens rough, thick skin at higher levels.
Ingredient guide →Worth knowing
- Contains fragrance or essential oils (Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Fragrance). Skip it if fragrance irritates your skin.
- Fragrance allergens listed: Linalool, Limonene. In the EU these must be named when above 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off products.
What most of it is made of
- WaterBase
- Myristic AcidCleansing agent
- GlycerinHumectant
- Behenic AcidEmollient
- Palmitic AcidCleansing agent
1% line: from Phenoxyethanol (#48) onward, ingredients are probably at 1% or less. Phenoxyethanol is limited to 1% in the EU, and ingredients at 1% or less may be listed in any order. Products made only for other markets can use more.
Full ingredient list, decoded (54)
| 1 | Water정제수The base of most creams and toners; dissolves the water-loving ingredients. | Base |
| 2 | Myristic Acid미리스틱애씨드Fatty acid that forms foam in cleansers when combined with an alkali. | Cleansing agent |
| 3 | Glycerin글리세린A classic humectant that draws water into the outer skin layer. Well tolerated by almost everyone. | Humectant |
| 4 | Behenic Acid베헤닉애씨드Emollient that softens skin and helps the formula spread. | Emollient |
| 5 | Palmitic Acid팔미틱애씨드Fatty acid; part of the soap base in foaming cleansers. | Cleansing agent |
| 6 | Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate소듐메틸코코일타우레이트Cleansing agent. | Cleansing agent |
| 7 | Potassium Hydroxide포타슘하이드록사이드Strong alkali used in small amounts to adjust pH or to make soap in cleansers. | pH adjuster |
| 8 | Lauric Acid라우릭애씨드Fatty acid that gives cleansers a big, bubbly foam. | Cleansing agent |
| 9 | Stearic Acid스테아릭애씨드Fatty acid used as thickener and co-emulsifier. | Emulsifier |
| 10 | Algae Extract조류추출물Seaweed extract that adds moisture and conditioning. | Plant extract |
| 11 | Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil참깨오일Plant oil that softens and nourishes dry skin. | Plant oil |
| 12 | Medicago Sativa Seed Powder자주개자리씨가루Plant extract, usually present in small amounts for conditioning. | Plant extract |
| 13 | Helianthus Annuus Seedcake해바라기씨드케이크Plant extract, usually present in small amounts for conditioning. | Plant extract |
| 14 | Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal스위트아몬드씨드케이크Plant extract, usually present in small amounts for conditioning. | Plant extract |
| 15 | Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil유칼립투스잎오일Eucalyptus essential oil used for scent; can irritate sensitive skin. | Fragrance |
| 16 | Sodium Gluconate소듐글루코네이트Binds metal ions so the formula stays stable. | Chelating agent |
| 17 | Copper Gluconate카퍼글루코네이트Mineral salt used for skin conditioning or texture. | Mineral salt |
| 18 | Calcium Gluconate칼슘글루코네이트Mineral salt used for skin conditioning or texture. | Mineral salt |
| 19 | Magnesium Gluconate마그네슘글루코네이트Mineral salt used for skin conditioning or texture. | Mineral salt |
| 20 | Zinc Gluconate징크글루코네이트Mineral salt used for skin conditioning or texture. | Mineral salt |
| 21 | Tocopheryl Succinate토코페릴석시네이트Antioxidant that protects the formula from oxidation. | Antioxidant |
| 22 | Niacin나이아신Vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid) — not the same as niacinamide, and it can cause brief redness. | Skin conditioning |
| 23 | Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder검은깨가루Plant extract, usually present in small amounts for conditioning. | Plant extract |
| 24 | Quartz Powder석영가루Thickener, film-former or powder that sets the texture and finish. | Thickener / texture |
| 25 | Nephrite Powder연옥가루Thickener, film-former or powder that sets the texture and finish. | Thickener / texture |
| 26 | Pearl Powder진주가루Thickener, film-former or powder that sets the texture and finish. | Thickener / texture |
| 27 | Caffeine카페인Temporarily tightens and reduces puffiness, popular in eye creams. | Active ingredient |
| 28 | Sodium Chloride소듐클로라이드Salt; thickens cleansers and stabilises some emulsions. | Thickener / texture |
| 29 | Humic Acids휴믹애씨드Skin-conditioning ingredient. | Skin conditioning |
| 30 | Sodium Hyaluronate소듐하이알루로네이트The salt form of hyaluronic acid; the version most products actually use.Ingredient guide → | Humectant |
| 31 | Sucrose수크로오스Sugar; humectant, or a gentle scrub in sugar scrubs. | Humectant |
| 32 | Tourmaline토르말린Thickener, film-former or powder that sets the texture and finish. | Thickener / texture |
| 33 | Macrocystis Pyrifera (Kelp) Protein자이언트켈프단백질Skin-conditioning ingredient. | Skin conditioning |
| 34 | Polyquaternium-51폴리쿼터늄-51Skin-conditioning ingredient. | Skin conditioning |
| 35 | Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water알로에베라잎수Aloe leaf water; light, soothing base. | Soothing |
| 36 | Trehalose트레할로오스Sugar humectant that helps skin hold water. | Humectant |
| 37 | Cellulose셀룰로오스Thickener, film-former or powder that sets the texture and finish. | Thickener / texture |
| 38 | Butylene Glycol부틸렌글라이콜Light humectant and solvent that helps other ingredients spread and absorb. | Humectant |
| 39 | Sodium Coco Pg-dimonium Chloride Phosphate소듐코코피지-다이모늄클로라이드포스페이트Emulsifier or solubiliser that keeps oil and water mixed. | Emulsifier |
| 40 | Sodium Bicarbonate소듐바이카보네이트Adjusts or buffers the pH of the formula. | pH adjuster |
| 41 | Sodium PCA소듐피씨에이Part of the skin's own natural moisturizing factor; strong humectant. | Humectant |
| 42 | Peg-3 Distearate피이지-3다이스테아레이트Emulsifier or solubiliser that keeps oil and water mixed. | Emulsifier |
| 43 | Urea우레아Humectant at low levels; softens rough, thick skin at higher levels.Ingredient guide → | Humectant |
| 44 | Fragrance향료A blend of scent ingredients listed as one word. Brands do not have to name what is inside. | Fragrance |
| 45 | Disodium EDTA다이소듐이디티에이Binds metal ions so the formula stays stable. | Chelating agent |
| 46 | Linalool리날룰Fragrance component the EU requires brands to name on the label because it can trigger allergies in some people. | Fragrance allergen |
| 47 | Limonene리모넨Fragrance component the EU requires brands to name on the label because it can trigger allergies in some people. | Fragrance allergen |
| 1% line — probably 1% or less below this point | ||
| 48 | Phenoxyethanol페녹시에탄올The most common preservative. The EU caps it at 1%, so everything listed after it is at 1% or less. | Preservative |
| 49 | Methylchloroisothiazolinone메칠클로로이소치아졸리논Preservative or preservative booster. | Preservative |
| 50 | Methylisothiazolinone메칠이소치아졸리논Preservative or preservative booster. | Preservative |
| 51 | CI 19140Yellow colourant (FD&C Yellow 5, tartrazine). | Colourant |
| 52 | CI 15985Yellow-orange colourant (FD&C Yellow 6). | Colourant |
| 53 | Blue 1CI 42090Colourant. | Colourant |
| 54 | CI 61570Colourant. | Colourant |
Based on the ingredient list the brand publishes; formulas can change and differ by country. The order shows relative amounts, not exact percentages. General information, not medical advice.
Ingredient list as published on the brand’s official website. Formulas change and can differ by country, so check the list on your pack too. General information, not medical advice.