La Roche Posay / A Review

I started developing acne in my early twenties, and before I started treatment, I honestly can’t remember what type of cleanser I would have been using on my face (if I was using anything at all). I was likely using makeup remover wipes and that was it. I went off birth control pills and my skin exploded. In the midst of my worst acne in my early twenties, I started Epiduo (a retinoid) early on as my treatment and it was rough on my skin. I tried various cleansers and moisturizers and everything burned or hurt me during the purging process. Through a lot of online research and subreddits, I decided to try La Roche Posay as so many people were wow’d by how great it worked for sensitive skin.

This was over 2 years ago, and I can’t stop my obsession with the brand. I’m not #sponsored by the brand now owned by L’oreal. It is my constant, a brand I can always rely on through any skin woes. I’ll dive into what makes this brand special below, but I can’t say it will work for everyone. What I can say, however, are products that work for your skin type exist. You just have to find them.

The Brand

As you can imagine, La Roche Posay is a leader in French skincare. The products are from a town in France that is home to a skincare treatment facility focused on treating patients with thermal spring water from the region. A prebiotic found in the thermal water was revealed to help the skin’s natural moisture barrier repair itself. Retinoids compromise this barrier, which I didn’t really understand until I was researching the medication. Once I matched a potential side effect of the Epiduo with the benefits of LRP, I knew it was worth a shot.

The brand has been dermatologist recommended for years due to its healing properties. It certainly feels more like a treatment or prescription over a playful skincare brand. LRP also has multiple lines for various skin types, which is so important (in my opinion) when it comes to products. Sure, a new serum might be all the rage, but if your skin type can’t handle it, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I found refuge in Toleraine for sensitive skin when I started the brand, and now I’m looking to investigate the Effaclar for my current oily skin. There are also lines for dry skin and eczema as well as for uneven skin tones.

The Products

For my sensitive skin, I can’t live without the Toleraine hydrating gentle facial cleanser. It doesn’t foam or exfoliate; it’s just gentle, milky and preserves the moisture in my skin. My face never feels stripped or tight after I use it. Ingredients include ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin and prebiotic thermal water. Ceramides are lipids (fats) that help aid in the skin’s moisture barrier and give the skin a supple feel. Niacinamide (throwback to The Ordinary’s best selling product) is a vitamin (B3 specifically) that helps decrease the appearance of pores and fine lines. Glycerin is a humectant (meaning it attracts water) which helps in moisture retention, obviously. Glycerin is primarily plant-based, but some brands might derive it from animals or petroleum. LRP does not claim to be vegan, and doesn’t state where their glycerin is from. This product is also paraben, fragrance and oil free. I can even use this (though I don’t often) around my eyes without any burning or stinging. For $14.99 for a large bottle (13 oz), I’m a huge fan.

I also fell in love with the Toleraine double repair face moisturizer as the only moisturizer that also didn’t burn my skin and already compromised barrier. The moisturizer contains the same ingredients as the cleanser and comes in a version with SPF 30 as well. While this moisturizer is for dry skin, it’s very light and not at all balmy (not thick or creamy). It feels light on the skin and sits well under my makeup. I love this moisturizer in all situations and it’s the only moisturizer with sunscreen that I’ll use (the SPF version does have a slight sunscreen smell, as a caution). Each bottle costs $19.99 but lasts quite a while.

In my worst times with peeling and dry skin, I always reach for the LRP Cicaplast Baume 5. This is the thick overnight cream you won’t get from the double repair moisturizer, but I have used them on top of each other. This cream also has thermal spring water and glycerin, but also includes shea butter and panthenol. Panthenol is a type of vitamin B5 that is primarily used as an emollient and moisturizer in skincare and cosmetics as it easily absorbs into the skin. Despite this cream being super rich, LRP claims it to be allergy tested and non-comedogenic. It’s fragrance and paraben free, but not oil free. While oil free products are best for acne, I still find great results from using this in tandem with other treatments. It’s $14.99 for a small bottle, but a little bit goes a long way.

I hate sunscreen but need it the most. Or, rather, I hated sunscreen. My dermatologist gave me a tester of the LRP Anthelios ultra light fluid facial sunscreen in SPF 60. Past sunscreen made my wince as it felt like I was putting something objectively bad for my skin on my face. Pretty much a breakout waiting to happen. Their fluid suncreen feels like a milky moisturizer that makes my skin actually feel smoother and hydrated over greasy. I don’t break out from it and reapply frequently. This sunscreen isn’t cheap at $29.99 for 50ml, but to me, it’s worth it. The facial fluid is both non-comedogenic and oil free.

I’ve tried various other LRP products that I had randomly decided to pick up, like the hyaluronic acid mask that you just wipe off as opposed to wash off, and a scrub that I don’t believe they make anymore. These aren’t holy grail products for me, but I didn’t have adverse reactions to them.

Sustainability

I was blown away by the amount of details LRP has on their website about sustainability and health initiatives. Perhaps it’s a European thing. The company is committed to using post-consumer recycled materials for packaging and has reduced the amount of plastic per item for a lot of the product packaging. Products also don’t include leaflets and prints all information on the packaging itself. You can read a ton on their safety commitment page. While I’m hesitant to say this is any type of clean beauty brand, I think the transparency gives the consumer a lot to think about prior to purchasing. It’s a personal choice, and one that I’m happy to make as I have found products that work for my skin. I just remain mindful and aware of what I’m contributing to.