Skincare Brand Review: La Roche-Posay

French brand, La Roche-Posay, is now widely available in the UK and in many countries around the world. French skincare is well-renowned for being superior to our 'chemist' or drugstore brands due to the expertise behind it and the ingredients used.


My first experience with La Roche-Posay was with the Physiological Micellar Solution (not pictured here). It is a pleasant water cleanser that removes dirt and make-up when applied with cotton wool. I have since tried many other micellar waters including: Nivea, L'oreal, Bioderma, Vichy and Nuxe. Compared to other brands, it is definitely up there with the best I have tried.

Last year I had a terrible allergic reaction to Murad's Clarifying Cleanser. In hindsight, it was a bad choice for my skin type, but I definitely paid the price. My face suffered from chemical burn and swelled up painfully, even after just one use- it was dreadful. Murad were less than helpful when I contacted them and as a matter of principal, I will never buy from them again.

I tried so many products, from Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream (good for burns) to E45, but nothing would give me any relief for days on end; I even had to take time off work and go to the doctors because the reaction was so severe. My skin could tolerate nothing. That was until I discovered La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 in Boots, a soothing and repairing balm designed for skin damage. This amazing product now has a place in my heart as it helped me so much when I was in a lot of pain. I use this product after I use chemical exfoliants (funnily enough, none of these burn my skin like Murad did!). I will always keep this in stock because it is the most wonderful, caring product.

Redermeric R Intensive is another product that I have tried which contains 0.3% retinol. Retinol is known for its efficiancy in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and uneven pigmentation and I have some concerns in both of these areas. It is a gel consistency and applies nicely, however it is a potent formula and must be used with sunscreen. I need to use it more regularly to be able to give a more accurate review, and this is definitely a product that needs to work over time. 

Speaking of sun protection for the face, La Roche-Posay are known for their wide range of SPF products, known as the Anthelios line. I have the Melt-in Cream in SPF50, which is an ok product, however it is not my favourite sunscreen. It is a trustworthy sunscreen, but does take a while to settle in and for the white caste to disappear. Since purchasing this cream, a new anti-shine formula has been released which I think I would like more. Despite having dry skin, I have an ample forehead, which can shine like a beacon given half the chance! 

Wearing Dior Nude BB cream only

Now on to the Effaclar range. This range is targeted at those with oily and spot-prone skin, however I have found it works great for my dry and somewhat sensitive skin too. I purchased the Effaclar A.I. Targeted Break-Out Corrector some time ago and although I don't use it too often, it is a gentle product that is handy to have when my pores become a little decongested. My latest L R-P purchase is the Effaclar Duo+ and in my opinion this is a must-have. It is different to the original Effaclar Duo in that it also helps to prevent post-spot marks, and this is an issue I suffer from.

I received a sample of this with a beauty order from Feelunique, and I really liked how it felt very fresh on my skin and quickly got to work on small blemishes, fading them to nothing in a few days. I liked the sample so much that I purchased the full 40ml size at Boots and I am so happy to have a product that I know will keep my skin looking as clear as possible on a day-to-day basis.

My skin is not perfect; I am not in my twenties anymore and, for me, I want to look after my skin as much as I can. La Roche-Posay is not the only brand I use, but it is a brand I've come to trust and enjoy using very much.

I recommend escentual.com as your first port of call for La Roche-Posay. Not only do they ship to many places around the world, but French skincare is often on offer.

What products do you use to keep your skin looking its best?