The alchemy of time: inside La Mer’s most precious ritual
La Mer hosted an exclusive experience at The Ritz-Carlton from January 26 to 30, inviting a select gathering to explore the Genaissance de la Mer collection through bespoke treatments overlooking Victoria Harbour. The five-day programme focused on The New Eye and Expression Ampoule, designed to focus on the areas of the face which are shaped by expressiveness and the passage of time.
Set high above the city, the experience unfolded as a sensorial journey rather than a conventional product presentation. The curated group of guests, including Charmaine Sheh, Caroline Fok, Ruby Fung, Alice Ma, Jolie Chan and Hilary Fan, were guided through personalised rituals that epitomised La Mer’s long-held belief that self-care, much like craftsmanship, is shaped by intention and patience.
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Rather than positioning skincare as a pursuit of instant change, the Genaissance de la Mer collection frames it as an ongoing ritual. Crystal Miracle Broth, the brand’s signature compound, is said to accelerate skin’s natural renewal process by repairing visible damage while supporting a sense of balance and harmony, a philosophy that extends across all products in the range: as well as The New Eye and Expression Ampoule, there is The Serum Essence, The Infused Lotion, The Eye and Expression Cream and The Concentrated Night Balm.
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Charmaine Sheh (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Canapés were served during the experience (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
The ingredient is delivered differently across the collection. In The New Eye and Expression Ampoule, Crystal Miracle Broth is crystallised into a concentrated form and encased within Micro-Melting Crystal Capsules. Upon contact with the skin, it transforms from a rich serum into a fluid, near-weightless veil that absorbs almost instantly. It then forms an invisible, second-skin ‘patch’ that allows the active ingredients to penetrate deeply. The Concentrated Night Balm, meanwhile, features Double Melt Balm technology, meaning the treatment melts once upon application and again as skin warms during sleep.
Genaissance de la Mer The New Eye and Expression Ampoule (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Genaissance de la Mer collection (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
During the Ritz-Carlton residency, therapists applied The Eye and Expression Ampoule to areas of the face that work the hardest to convey our emotions—forehead, eye contours and glabella zone, the area between the eyebrows—using slow, considered, mindful movements, the treatment works to rapidly improve both deep dynamic and static lines and wrinkles. This ritual reinforces the idea that luxury is defined as much by how something feels as by what it contains.
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Gift box for the Genaissance de la Mer collection (Photo by Wilfred Au )
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
The treatment works to rapidly improve both deep dynamic and static lines and wrinkles (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
Canapés were served during the experience (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
La Mer "Transcend Time" spa event at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
The event was set against the breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour (Photo: Courtesy of La Mer)
This measured philosophy traces back to founder Dr Max Huber, who, more than half a century ago, spent 12 years and more than 6,000 experiments investigating the natural healing qualities of the sea. His resulting Miracle Broth reflects a respect for process over instant results, and continues to shape the brand’s outlook.
In a culture increasingly driven by speed and immediacy, Genaissance de la Mer offers a different perspective—one that values refinement over urgency, experience over claims, and rituals that unfold gradually. Here, luxury is not about defying time, but about learning to move gracefully within it.