La Roche Posay • Hydraphase XL SPF 15 UVA 12 • Sunscreen

Where To Buy?

pachalbel on 12/30/2011 5:57:00 PM more reviews by pachalbel

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I hate this moisturizer! It is not absorbed my skin and it is peeling while I'm doing my make up. Waste of money...

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Mandibulo on 10/18/2011 10:35:00 AM more reviews by Mandibulo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have this in the rich formulation for dry skin. This is the most lightweight moisturizer I've ever used, given my skin type. It's a nice white lotion with a very refreshing scent that doesn't linger, coming out of a convenient pump for maximum ease and comfort. I couldn't ask for anything more when it comes to consistency and packaging! My doom days, when I had to dip my fingers into jars filled with thick pastes, are over. Now for the product itself: First off, it's got SPF 15 - great for walking around in town when the sun isn't too strong. Then it's the whole feel of it; it goes on smooth and light, and it sinks in immediately and leaves absolutely no shine or grease behind. After each application I'm left with soft, supple skin that remains this way throughout the day, with or without makeup on. I even had my skin complimented for the first time in years, thanks to this. No complaints whatsoever, truly. The only reason I subtracted one lippie is because I started using this in summer when my skin was less dry, and now that winter's here I'm just waiting to see whether or not it will continue keeping it happy. I'll report back after this transitional period and let everyone know if this product can handle the harsh winter dryness - and if so, holy grail!
UPDATE: This moisturizer is not potent enough for me in winter. It soothes my dry skin just a little, meaning for a few hours, and then it goes back to flaking again. So I'll stick with my 4 lippies since this product appears to be a summer-only HG. Will keep repurchasing during the hotter months.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* jootje on 11/29/2010 12:15:00 PM more reviews by jootje

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

After a long search I have finally found a moisturizer that has everything I want.
First some information about me: very clog prone combination (normal cheeks, oily t-zone) skin that is slighty sensitive and slightly dehydrated.
What I want: daily moisturizer with SPF that hydrates my skin without clogging my pores or making my face oily.
What I like about this product:
- it sinks in fast and does not make my face any greasier than usual
- it has spf with decent UVA protection but does not leave a white cast
- it does not clog my pores! (This is very YMMV)
- quite moisturizing for the light texture
- the packaging (pump bottle) is very hygienic and travel friendly
- very nice fresh smell
I was afraid this product would ball up like some reviewers have described so I got a sample first. I was relieved that on me this product does not ball up whatsoever. I even rubbed my faced vigorously to test - nothing. In my experience products can ball up when layered over another product that has a different base (like an oil based product over a water based product). I do not layer anything over (or under) this. I am not sure if other reviewers layer this product, but if you don't then it should probably be fine and if you do I'd get a sample first to see if it works out in your routine.
I was a bit surprised that a pharmacy product designed for sensitive skin contains perfume. It is last on the ingredientlist but it's still there. If your skin is sensitive to perfume then definitely get a sample first. Luckily, my skin can handle it. And I must say I quite like the scent. It's cucumbery and fresh. Update: I now don't even notice the scent anymore.
The sunscreen in this has a SPF of 15 and a PPD of 12. It's a chemical sunscreen, so if your skin can't handle that stay away. I have no problems with this whatsoever.
This product is hydrating enough for me to use during winter, but my skin is only slightly dehydrated (I could get away with nothing on my face in summer if it were not for SPF). Moisturizing-wise one pump is enough to cover my face, but I usually apply more for SPF reasons.
I must say I can't use the recommended 1/4 teaspoon of product of this without looking shiney, but my skin is so oily that I can never get away with that with ANY product, even products without spf.
The price is reasonable. I think it cost me 18 euros, which is less than the moisturizer (without spf) that I had been using before. I think it's a decent price for such a good product and I will gladly pay it.
This is one of the few products I gave a 5 lippy rating for packaging. I love moisturizers that come in pumps, jars can be so unsanitary.
One last thing: I have the Euro version which only comes in one texture (not a light and rich version as in the US) and they have now changed the name of this from Hydraphase XL to Hydraphase UV (SPF 15 PPD 12). But it said on the packaging that the formula was not changed.
Update: I've used it up and repurchased. It now has HG status for me. :)
The only con I noticed is that you can't tell how much is left because the packaging is opaque. So I was quite unprepared when one morning just nothing came out anymore. This is easily fixed by buying a back-up though, which I have done now.
Update: This product is now impossible to obtain in the Netherlands. It has been replaced by LRP Hydraphase Intense UV Riche SPF15/PPD 8. On their website it says that there should be two other versions as well: the regular one (vs. the 'intense') in both a rich and a light texture. However, these are not sold in any (web)shops and I emailed LRP about it, who could not help me either.
Here a short comparion between the old and the new version:
- texture: the new one is richer and less easy to spread out, but it is not too rich for my oily dehydrated skin (contrary to what I expected). It did sink in like the old version and it did not make my skin more oily. It also did not clog my pores.
- smell: the smell is very different. It smells very soapy. I preferred the old smell 100x better, but it's not a dealbreaker for me.
- spf: the UVB protection is the same but they lowered the UVA protection from 12 to 8. This really bothers me, as the high PPD was one of the main reasons I was using it. It's not terrible and it's probaby still more than most moisturizers with SPF, and if I hadn't found anything better I would probably keep using this. But because they chagned it I decided to look around a bit and I did find something better: Vichy Aqualia Thermal UV spf15/ppd18(!) - like other reviewers below me recommended. I actually like it more than the old version of this. I will put up a review of that one soon.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Jstar2009 on 6/11/2010 9:14:00 AM more reviews by Jstar2009

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Nice fresh scent (cucumbers). Light but moisturizing fluid. Has a PPD of 12. Thats where the good ends. Once this is applied it balls up terribly! I had to use a wash cloth to get it all off. I now use the Vichy Aqualia Thermal (PPD 18) cream recommended by the reviewer below. Much better.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

elsje1984 on 2/10/2010 1:03:00 PM more reviews by elsje1984

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

My dehydrated skin was in need of moisture and with me being a ppp SPF is a must. I use LPR Anthelios SPF 50 creme fondante in summertime, so I thought this would be a good choice for the less sunny months (as Lizzy28 already said, the Netherlands are mostly a very cloudy country).
Well to make a long story short, big mistake. The first time i used this it burnt on my skin and made my face turn bright red! After that first time I tried it a couple more times, and although I didn't get as red as the first time, it still made my skin kind of blotchy and itchy. Besides that it also balls up if you even put on a little too much.
If you want to use a moisturizer with SPF and a higher PPD, try Vichy Aqualia Thermal UV, much better!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* macalcia on 1/11/2009 2:39:00 PM more reviews by macalcia

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

The texture is light, but still makes the skin kind of oily (maybe because of the sunscreen ingredients). It made my eyes burn when I applied it on the undereye area, even if it didn't touch the eyes. It's the second bottle I use, but I won't buy again because of the burning eyes.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sullivan on 6/26/2008 11:05:00 PM more reviews by sullivan

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product and find it to be a great ss for everyday incidental sun exposure. I especially appreciate that it does not make my already oily skin oilier, and I use the recommended 1/4 tsp on my face. I like the pump bottle and feel that it is quite hygienic and travel-friendly. I wish this product had no fragrance, but I do admit that the fragrance really does not bother me. I don't even notice it anymore. I hope that LRP never stops making this product.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

zoemiller on 3/20/2008 3:53:00 PM more reviews by zoemiller

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I love this moisturiser, it is an HG for my very sensitive skin and hydrates 100% without any greasy residue. Wish it was better available in the UK!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

SnowJaz on 3/11/2008 7:44:00 AM more reviews by SnowJaz

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Have been using this as my day time moisturiser for quite sometime. I like it for not giving me breakout and SPF 15 (any higher, I find them too oily, if not a bit suffocating for my skin). It also does the decent job of moisturising my skin. However, one down side is that it doesn't have oil control property. So, I tend to skip it if I am at home or the weather is too hot.

This is a reasonable buy for a reasonable results. Would buy again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* PrettyL on 1/23/2008 5:38:00 AM more reviews by PrettyL

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Good moist consistency which leaves a nice feeling on the skin, but if you use too much the cream will 'peel/ball up' when you rub your face!!

Fragrance is strong cucumber/melony. I prefer fragrance free.

It did not irritate my skin. If anything my skin looked and felt better when using this.

La Roche Posay belongs to L'Oreal, and buying these products therefore supports a company that has not altogether given up animal testing.

I won't repurchase. Avene has better fragrance-free products that don't peel off your face, and they don't test on animals.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Lizzy28 on 9/2/2007 11:30:00 AM more reviews by Lizzy28

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Me: dry, very sensitive skin with mild Rosacea. I've never used a moisturizer with SPF before and decided to give this one a try because LRP is a good brand for sensitive skin, affordable and easy to get overhere. The Hydraphase XL has a SPF15 and a PPD12, which is sufficient to me, living in a mostly grey and overcasted country and hardly ever being outsides. I'm already using the LRP Thermal Water Spray and I know I can tolerate the LRP minerals. This moisturizer is meant for dehydrated, sensitive skin. I'm using the European Version which only comes in this texture. It's quite moisturizing (but probably not enough for wintertime), has a light, runny texture and doesn't leave a white cast. Although it's fragranced (and I can't stand fragranced skincare products in general) I can hardly notice the very faint smell of cucumber(?). I must mention however this is the moisturizer with the new, improved fragrance. So far I like this moisturizer and I recommend it to anyone with sensitive, slightly dry to slightly oily skin looking for a moisturizer with SPF. I hope this one doesn't break me out or causes irritation. If not, this one is a keeper and will become my daytime moisturizer from now one! Update: I found it not moisturizing enough on its own. I now put it on top of my regular moisturizer (RoC Calmance Repairing Cream) as a sunscreen and this way it works out just fine. Yet I think on it's own this would be a great daycream with SPF for summer. Update: this is def. not moisturizing enough for my dry skin and I can't get used to the smell so I'm no longer using it. Ingredients: aqua, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, glycerin, octocrylene, cyclopentasiloxane, ethylhexyl cocoate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, aluminium starch octenylsuccinate, terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid, potassium cetyl phosphate, drometrizole trisiloxane, peg-100 stearate, stearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, triethanolamine, hydrolyzed lupine protein, xanthan gum, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, disodium edta, citric acid, bht, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, fragrance.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

the_hybrid on 6/23/2007 11:07:00 PM more reviews by the_hybrid

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I really love this moisturizer. It has such a nice scent, sinks in nicely, and leaves a dewy sheen on the skin. Nothing else to say- just a great, basic moisturizer.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

simmmchen on 6/22/2007 5:05:00 AM more reviews by simmmchen

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

This is my HG daytime moisturizer! I use the light texture, but might switch to the rich texture for the winter (I have combination skin). I love that is has PPD 12, which seems to be high considering that its SPF is only 15. It does not peel off and does not leave my skin greasy once it has sunken in. It hasn't caused me any irritation or redness. The texture is great, not too thick, almost a little runny. The packaging is good. It has a hygienic pump mechanism. You can't see how much product is left tho, because it is not see-through. I wish the packaging wasn't such a hard plastic, so I could cut it open and use any remaining product. This really bugs me! For what it does, I think the price is alright here in Germany: 24$. Sorry, don't know about the US. I have rebought and will rebuy again!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Pondle on 6/17/2007 12:18:00 PM more reviews by Pondle

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Great expectations, cruelly dashed. I thought that this stuff may be the perfect solution for daily wear and incidental UV exposure, especially with the decent PPD. I was prepared to put up with the high price/meagre tube for that reason alone. As it turns out, it leaves a greasy finish and it irritated me like hell; I don't know why, because I can happily tolerate the LRP sunscreen range. I guess I'll have to blame the parfum. Why oh why add a fragrance to this product? (rolls eyes)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

emeloi on 2/26/2007 9:47:00 AM more reviews by emeloi

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I think I have finally found my daytime cream. I don't believe in wrinkle creams, but do believe in preventing wrinkles as much as possible. For me therefore, protection against UVA is a must. Most creams only protect against UVB (sunburns, skincancer(also important)), and not against aging like UVA protection does. Mexoryl SX/XL, is at the moment the most effective protection against UVA. Patented by l'Oreal, it is only found in its products like LRP, vichy, garnier.. . I've tried Vichy's 'thermal fix UV' which was horrible, as it peeled off after 10 minutes of applications. Hydraphase doesn't do that, however I have been using it for only a few days, so I hope that I'll stay satisfied in the long term.
By the way one reviewer stated that she was really happy that Hydraphase did not contain 'avobenzone' as her skin hates it... But I'm sorry to say (for her) that it does! 'avobenzone' means the same thing as 'buthyl methoxydibenzoymethane' (listed in the list of ingredients) or 'parsol 1789'., and it's also a UVA protectant though not fotostable.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

makarna on 2/7/2007 4:51:00 AM more reviews by makarna

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Actually I bought this with high hopes as the reviews were so great but it was a total disappointment.Before I was using Anthelios XL fluid extreme spf 60 but due to high alcohol content it irritated my skin and turned it into a mess. Still I wanted a sunscreen with high ppd so I decided to give this a try. First of all this product is fragranced which is a huge negative for me.Also it doesn't moisturize and even makes my skin dry and look dull and at the same time it is shiny on my face! It clogged my pores and caused large bumps and irritated my skin(not as much as anthelios flud extreme but at least that didn't clog my pores!).Not a great option for sensitive skin imo.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Stella6 on 1/29/2007 4:05:00 PM more reviews by Stella6

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Not only it didn't hydrate my skin effectivelly but it caused me headackes as well! It made my skin even dryer than it was. My skin was very tight and not at all elastic due to this creme. And the headache was even more terrible!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

runnergirl7 on 1/15/2007 10:39:00 AM more reviews by runnergirl7

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product. The finish is perfect. No shine. No greasy feel. No mask feel. Feels just like a nice light moisturizer. Because I'm in Canada and it cost me a small fortune to get this from Tubotica, I stopped into Shoppers Drug Mart to pick up a sample of the LRP Hydraphase UV. I was hoping that the finish would be similar and I could buy this product locally. Well, it was not AT ALL like this one. I can't believe that two similar products produced by the same company can be so different. So, despite the cost, I will continue to use this product as it is the best moisturizer with spf that I have ever tried. Although the ppd is not the highest, it is definitely enough for daily wear during a Canadian winter when one spends most of one's time indoors! I still bring out the high ppd for times that I will be outside.

UPDATE: The only gripe I had about this product was the packaging as I couldn't tell if it was really empty. When I couldn't get anything else to come out of my last bottle, I pryed off the top and shook what remained out. There wasn't even enough in there to cover my forehead! So, rest assured, you ARE getting all the product out!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Genitalien on 9/26/2006 8:43:00 AM more reviews by Genitalien

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is really good stuff! My cheeks are no longer dry and flaky and I love the protection I get with this! It still feels a little bit sticky on the face when you touch it, but it's the least shiny sunscreen I have ever used, and the other ones I've used are by Vichy, including the ultra fluid one. The pump bottle is awesome as well! Would definitely repurchase.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sisley2000 on 8/18/2006 11:14:00 AM more reviews by sisley2000

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Great Lotion w/ spf! Best ever!I have acne-prone skin, and also sensitive. This never irritates my skin.

One question.
Where can I buy this in U.S.?
Can anybody tell me?
Thanks a lot.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No