A few weeks ago, Gwyneth Paltrow was named the new face of a skincare company called Restorsea. I kept meaning to mention it in a Gwyneth post, but I guess I forgot. I don’t really associate Gwyneth with great skin – it’s not like her skin is bad or anything, but I’ve never looked at her and thought, “Wow, she’s glowing!” (Some of my favorite women for their skin: Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Lucy Liu, Blake Lively…) When Gwyneth was first named as the face, she told media outlets: “I was ecstatic when I learned that Restorsea is natural. Over time, I saw a real difference—a kind of freshness and dewiness.” Hustle for that paycheck, Goop.
But there’s a minor controversy with Restorsea. Apparently, Restorsea IS all-natural. It’s made of very natural BABY SALMON. Haha, no not really, that was my attempt at salmon abortion humor. From what I gather, Restorsea uses “the precious enzyme found in the waters of just-hatched baby salmon.” So, like… salmon afterbirth? Salmon placenta?
Gwyneth Paltrow claims that she owes her fresh, dewy skin to a precious enzyme found in the waters of just-hatched baby salmon. (Seriously.) Now, the skincare company she represents is caught up in a $6 million lawsuit over claims that their distributor is marketing the fishy liquid to other beauty lines.
Paltrow was named brand ambassador for Restorsea in early March, just weeks after they filed a lawsuit against Aqua Bio Technology, ASA in a New York court.
In court documents obtained by Radar, Restorsea claims that ABT has breached a $5.9 million 2012 exclusivity contract in which they “promised to provide Restorsea with exclusive worldwide rights to salmon hatching fluid from hatcheries in Norway” by selling the enzyme-rich liquid under other names to other companies.
As such, Restorsea has asked a court to convene a trial, at which they hope to get at least $5.9 million, which they paid for the exclusivity rights. According to the court documents, Restorsea believe they are owed even more, since they have “suffered and will continue to suffer irreplaceable harm to its business, reputation and goodwill.”
So, basically, this has nothing to do with Gwyneth and her thirst for salmon placenta. Restorsea just wants to be the only skincare line that has access to this super-amazeballs salmon placenta and the salmon hatcheries are selling it to other companies.
I wonder how much Goop is making off this contract? Restorsea is more expensive than Oil of Olay (which is what I use) but not as expensive as La Mer (which a lot of rich women use). So… I would say Goop probably got a mid to low seven figure payday. She’s been doing more and more advertising these days. Huh.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Restorsea.
Oh, good lord. First of all, that is not her skin in that ad. Her skin is sun damaged and tells the tale of more than one cigarette a week. Second, after a certain age, you really only need a high quality oil like coconut oil or sweet almond oil as a moisturizer. Also, any cleanser with the barest hint of a chemical in it is stripping your skin cells’ natural moisture retainers. Leave the poor fish alone.
Preach. Also, the fastest way for so called fans of basic ishes like Paltrow and Aniston to see just how overrated they are, is to see a pic of them standing directly next to Chelsea Handler, as they’ll see very clearly they don’t even look THAT much better, if at all, than that ol’ haggard boozer. Yet I’m supposed to want to buy beauty/skin creams from them? Hahaha. Right. Yeesh. What’s next? Teeth whitener ads from the pirate in Captain Phillips? Shampoo ads from Donald Trump? Birkenstock sandal ads from Courtney Stodden?
This “restorsea” brand is the same that Emmy Rossum is shilling for on her Instagram for months now.
She puts it in her “beauty bags” (http://instagram.com/p/h6qQ8co9ap/), posts some bullsh*t like ‘a moisturized neck can hydrate your face by sucking it up’ (http://instagram.com/p/hKSESqo9Rf/), posts some ‘lying seductively in bed’ baity pictures (http://instagram.com/p/hTqtWqo9ae/), oh and it’s also rather clumsily placed in front of her in all her ‘get ready’ pictures (http://instagram.com/p/i9Kh86I9Rf/).
Ugh. I guess they upgraded to Gwyneth who at least has some brand game and is speaking to the right, mature audience for such a pricey product ($150.00 for a damn moisturizer in a tub! $195.00 for a serum that basically consists of glycerin and shea butter! – yeah, I researched the heck out of it after I noticed it to appear in Emmy’s Instagram so often, lol).
Oh, and there is also no comprehensive body of studies that checked for the effectiveness of that ‘salmon hatching’ fluid claim. It’s more anecdotal and a new claim the restorsea CEO came across ‘accidentally’ (http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/02/13/65346.htm). Proven thing, my butt.
//skincare rant off
You don’t even have to be over a certain age. I switched to pure oils (coconut, jojoba, olive) for my face in my mid-twenties and it never looked better. Much, much cheaper too than buying all these overpriced pots of crap to put on your face.
For sure, I actually ‘wash’ my face with coconut oil and combine it with himalayan sea salt for exfoliation twice a week. I always had issues with dry patches/random spots before I switched!
Coconut oil is highly comodegenic and olive oil is also mildly so. A lot of people who attempt oil cleanses with these will end up with a sad case of cystic acne. Sunflower oil or mineral oil are shown to be safer. Also most skins benefit from chemical exfoliation (AHAs and BHAs) that are found in cleanser, toners and sometimes moisturisers.
In other words if this routine is working for you, thats great. But thats down to a lot of luck and good genes. I wouldnt recommend this across the board, far from it actually.
Yeah I got hooked on cold pressed rosehip about ten years ago, it really is pretty powerful stuff, as well as being chemical free. Pushing 40, fair skin, red hair and grew up in Australia, and I’m still relatively wrinkle free lol. She used to shill that nuxe range on goop, which seems great, but it’s sooo expensive.
I’m in awe of Cate Blanchett’s skin. There was an HD close-up of her during one of the award shows and she look like a porcelain doll. Goop, not so much, but of course she’d endorse something weird like this.
I thought of her, too. She has lovely, porcelain skin.
One of the most beautiful photo shoots I have ever seen was one with Lupita and Cate. Both showed their flawless skin in the best ways. The photographer was able to show the skin tones for both women beautifully in the same shot (great individual lighting) and it was just lovely. Cate who probably wears the strongest sun block made to protect her skin and Lupita, well is Lupita–no bleaching of her magnificent tones. Two beautiful women.
Was that the Entertainment Weekly one? Because that was a gorgeous photoshoot, both women looked amazing. Lupita does have gorgeous skin too.
@lucy2. Yes that is the one. It was just the best–two Oscar winners.
Cate’s been a face of SK-II for years. In a battle between putting sake byproduct in your face or baby fish, I’m going with the sake….
What does this smell like? PunkyDaddy does not appreciate that fishy aroma on PunkyMomma. Anywhere. Ewww.
Yes sounds like something she would promote.
Well I know when I think of fish-y smells, I automatically think of Goop, so it seems like a natural fit.
lmao!!!!
Lol, it’s true, she’s been called ‘Fishyth,’ for years. Also, her skin is salmon colored in that pic and egads, is her hair damaged. Like I say you know you aren’t ish if Handler can buy better skin and hair than you. lol Why does she insist on frying all heck out of her hair. I wonder what kind of frizz/coarseness/curl/wave she’s trying to tame…it almost looks relaxed in that photo – and has terrible breakage, look at the ends – YIKES…her natural hair can’t be that bad.
LOL!
I knew she had this contract because that damn ad keeps popping up on my computer screen everytime I open up this site.
Handler looks like she’s two days from turning 50 in those pics.
In my twenties, I used something on my skin called “sea placenta.” It was amazing, and left your skin looking very dewy and fresh. I could never find it again when I moved from California. It had a neutral smell, for those of you who asked. I don’t think Goop has great skin, but I’m definitely trying this.
Update: I just looked on their website, and the day and night creams come as a set for $325 and the serum is $195. So maybe I’ll use up my other stuff first. Lol
UGH!! Its too early in the morning to have the big pic of Chelsea Handler looking at me…
Michael K from Dlisted calls her fishsticks, so this is fitting. And, PS, her skin is leathery crap. One of the last celebs I would associate with good skin.
I would never take skin advice from Gwyneth. Look at her skin….it’s terrible looking.
It’s always fried and dry looking just like her hair.
I’m with Micah. DEWINESS? You gotta be kidding.
Yes, probably because she doesn’t EAT right (caps for emphasis), she drinks and she smokes. And in some pictures she looks like she doesn’t use sunscreen.
And oh, the latest goop issue just came in, it’s tracy anderson plus spring detox. I am already scared
What is wrong with Gwyneth’s hands in that pic with Chelsea? Her red tipped claws look really short. I never noticed that about her so maybe that is just an odd photo.
I know that I can come off as a Gwyneth apologist because I don’t hate her like I used to (back in the 90’s when most people loved her, I just couldn’t stand her) but do people really think she has bad skin? She has clear skin – and other than some sun damage, I think her skin looks good. To me, it looks more like she has thin, oily skin and doesn’t wear too much foundation. But it’s clear, smooth, firm, and relatively line free. Just could use some more fat and moisture in her diet and on the skin.
Gross. Just gross.
Her skin looks worse then Chelsea’s here
First time I am saying this but the alcohol chugging Chelsea looked better than Gwyneth in that photo.
Whether it be Gywnie or Cindy Crawford, or any other celeb, it’s all a bit of snake oil salesmanship. Nothing you dab on your skin is going to make you young. There will be varying degrees of moisture and absorption, puffing up the cells, or shredding off of some dead cells, but that’s it. Science has proven this over and over.
Exactly. You are putting something on the surface of your skin. Most of it evaporates; it doesn’t work its way into your skin. No matter how true any of the silly claims are of this ingredient with that benefit, it doesn’t even penetrate through the upper layers of the dermis. Put your money elsewhere.
Yes you are dead right. The best thing you can really do for your skin is drink lots of water…
So Goop is shilling fish poop face cream? Honestly there’s a sucker born every minute.
I’d be curious to know what kind of hatchery it is. Like a hatchery that is part of a fish farm? Because fish farms are disgusting: talk about being stuck in your own poop. Gross.
Yes, That is a great question! We live on the west coast and hatcheries here are stinky without being the massive fish farms of other areas. Boy, someone really has a bridge to sell here. lol
Ick. Farmed fish live in such unnatural conditions. They are all diseased and there is mega use of antibiotics. Disgusting, I can’t imagine putting that on myself, and only a sick mind would think of selling it to put on people’s faces.
If the stores don’t specify wild salmon you know its farmed and avoid it, and you sure don’t want to spread it on your face.
If any of you have a juicer (an awesome awesome tool to have) use the pulp as a mask – it works amazingly well on dry skin and ‘erases’ lines. Witch Hazel is an amazing as well – use it in the morning instead of washing (apply with a cotton make up pad) and to clean the skin at night.
I noticed that the Celebitchy website was running an ad yesterday for Restorsea. That’s kind of a strange coincidence…
i wouldnt spend 10 to look like her let alone hundreds.