Creamus Maximus

I love it when a product has a back-story steeped in history, such as the one behind Crème Ancienne by Fresh (from $167, fresh.com). When I met with co-founder Lev Glazman last week, he told me that when LVMH bought his company in 2000, one of the appealing things was that it gave him access to their labs, allowing him to expand on his ideas for products, such as the “ultimate” moisturizer.

While poring through ancient cosmetic formulations, Glazman stumbled upon a recipe for the first known cold cream. Created as a treatment for the wounds of gladiators (!!) so that they could get back into the arena quickly—I can’t help but envision Russell Crowe applying a thick paste to a gaping gash—Glazman modified the recipe by replacing certain ingredients with a modern equivalent like meadownfoam seed oil and chamomile floral wax, but kept the proportions intact. And thus, the buttery unguent was born. But the crème’s historical roots don’t end there. Because the formulation is so antiquated (temperatures must be precise, mixing must happen concurrently with pouring) it can only be made by hand so it’s done so in a monastery in the Czech Republic! And since there’s only a few monks trained to mix and pour, it’s made in small amounts and therefore not available everywhere the brand is sold. So if you manage to get your hands on a jar, use it sparingly, just for those times when, you know, your sword and shield let you down.

Photography by Julia Campisi

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