La Roche-Posay

I am obsessed with this product for acne. This was my first time using a retinol, so I have nothing else to compare it to, but it did wonders for my skin. I’m 28 years old and have had pretty persistent acne most of my adult life which comes in the form of cysts etc mostly along my jawline. When the breakout is over and there’s no new pimples, there is leftover acne scarring all over my face for weeks. This stuff took it away and made my skin look very clear and dewey in between breakouts. When I did have a breakout, it wasn’t nearly as bad and this stuff took away the redness etc and didn’t leave behind much scarring. A+ product!

Preface: I use this as a facial cleanser.

I've been trying to pare down my skincare regime and stick to simple and gentle products. I didn't want a cleanser that would dry out my skin, and I heard good things about it from one of my favorite YouTubers - Karima McKimmie so I decided to give it a try.

There is really nothing wrong about this cleanser. It is a light foaming gel formula that does not clog my pores. My skin is not extra parched, nor is it extra moisturized when I use this. So that's why I gave it a middle of the road rating. It is not bad, but also not exceptional. I am trying other inexpensive drugstore options like Cerave that seem to do a similar job, so for the moment I have not repurchased.

I really wanted to like this as it’s simple and meant to be non irritating, but it can really sting - especially my eyes area. I even tested it against the dermo cleanser by putting both on a cotton pad and applying to each eye.. and there is definitely something in this that burns (even if I wet my face first). It doesn’t dry the skin out or cause breakouts and it doesn’t leave a residue. Again, it is also fairly cheap on Europe and somewhat readily available. I prefer the Avène cleansers or the Cerave hydrating cleanser.

I like this moisturiser a lot. It is very simple and with continuous use appears to have balanced my skin in terms off hydration. I am no longer greasy at lunchtime, nor do I wake up greasy. However, it isn’t enough for me in the cooler months and I need to go a bit heavier. I have been taking very low dose Roaccutane for 12 months now and now have normal skin in terms of oiliness but it’s very sensitive, and it doesn’t take much for my skin barrier to be compromised. This product is fragrance free and preservative free which suits me. I love the texture, it’s very watery and at first I thought it would be useless but give it chance. In Europe it’s readily available in the pharmacy and is inexpensive - a definite repurchase.

I am loathed to give LRP a negative review, as their products are usually a safe bet for my sensitive skin. However, this irritated the hell out of my eyes and I do not see how it can be suitable for those with sensitive skin and rosacea. Just no. I have trialled it on and off all week and every time I use it my eyes burn immediately. Tonight I used it as a first cleanse and purposely followed it up with a much harsher foaming cleanser which contains AHA/BHA and SLS - which soothes my skin and gave me no reaction whatsoever. So I know there is something in the cleansing gel my eyes do not like. That being said, it is unfragranced and a pleasant texture that leaves little to no residue so perhaps it’s worth a try if you don’t have any sensitives, particularly with your eyes.