**REVIEW** La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser

 I can't believe that I forgot to post this review (it's been 7 months since I started using this) so I am going to do a quickie...

The cleanser is, no doubt, the most gentle one I have ever used. It's even more gentle on my face than the oil cleansers I've loved. The best thing about this is that as gentle as it is, it cleans like crazy. 

The first time I used the product, I over-used it. I thought that because it felt so creamy and gentle I needed to use more. Also, the cream does not produce any foam. Bottom line: it only takes a small amount of the product to clean my entire face really well. And, as well as it cleans my skin, it doesn't dry it out. I don't have to make a mad dash afterward to apply a moisturizer. 

As with other LRP products, this one has a really good list of ingredients. There is no scent - another plus - and the texture is so lux that I feel pampered. And, for such a good product, I am surprised at the affordable price (about $17 for almost 14 ounces of product). It only takes less than a nickel-sized amount of the cream to clean my entire face. I have plenty of product left and I've been using this bottle for over 7 months.

Look at what's not in this product

By now, I have tried a few LRP products - the Cicaplast, the Double Repair with UV Sunscreen, and the Lipakar lotion. I really like the moisturizers except I do prefer Neutrogena's sunscreen over the LRP Double Repair, but I am sticking with this cleanser. 

This cleanser has an expiry date of 2025 and the way it lasts, I might still have some then!

Check out the ingredients

There's not a lot else to say about this. It feels great and doesn't irritate my grouchy, bipolar skin. Have I mentioned that it's odorless? It is and I love that.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Believe it or not, this cleanser is currently cheaper at Amazon than at Walmart! Walmart seems to have it marked down from $25 to almost $19 currently. Amazon still has it for the $17 price that I paid months ago. Make sure to check the official LPR site though. I see that they have subscription prices.

**Update- on the LRP branding** Is La Roche Posay Hype-Worthy?

See the end of the post for a little information update on the La Roche-Posay brand.

Have you tried any French Pharmacy products? Are you looking for affordable products? Products that last and live up to the hype? Keep reading to see if I think that La Roche-Posay is worth the raves...

La Roche-Posay is one of those brands that, for a long time I would scroll right past. At a glance, the prices always seemed more "up there" for someone on a tight budget. Also, I recently put together a decent (and streamlined) set of skincare products. I stuck to what seemed like very affordable items. However, usually, you do get what you pay for. I wanted to know if the LRP brand was worth all the hype.

You should know that the one thing I like about a lot of non-American skincare is the stricter ingredient regulations. Not only does it seem that some other countries have better regulations but they also seem to be ahead of us in innovation. There is a reason that so many Americans love their Korean, Japanese, and French beauty products. 

As you know, I have tried Korean and French products. Of the things I've liked a lot, I am still using the last of my Embryolisse and as I am less than halfway through the first bottle of Pyunkang Yul toner, I can say I will buy more when I'm out. And, now finally, I can say that La Roche-Posay is winning me over. 

A while back, I started using an LRP cleanser. After getting a sample - along with samples of cleansers from CeraVe, Neutrogena, and Olay - the LRP won out, fair and square. For one thing, it cleans the skin to an exfoliated softness without exfoliation and without drying. But I still held off on trying anything else from the brand. Until I got my hands on another sample. This time, it was for the Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer.

While I love samples and was excited to get one from LRP, I was a little disappointed because I have been so wanting to try the Cicaplast Baume B5 I've heard so many people rave about. On the other hand, that cleanser I've become a fan of is part of the Toleriane line. Also, a free sample is a free sample so I gave it a try.

{By the way, this is what comes up when you Google "Toleriane": Toleriane is a skincare range developed by the French pharmaceutical company La Roche-Posay. The Toleriane line is specifically designed for sensitive skin and aims to provide gentle, soothing, and effective solutions for individuals with various skin concerns.

The Toleriane range includes a variety of products, such as cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and treatments, all formulated with minimal ingredients to minimize the risk of irritation. These products are typically fragrance-free, preservative-free, and hypoallergenic, making them suitable for sensitive and reactive skin types.

The primary goal of Toleriane products is to restore and strengthen the skin's natural barrier function while reducing discomfort and signs of sensitivity. They often contain ingredients like thermal spring water, ceramides, glycerin, and niacinamide, which help hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.

Toleriane products are commonly recommended by dermatologists and skincare professionals for individuals with sensitive, reactive, or allergy-prone skin. However, it's always a good idea to consult with a dermatologist or healthcare provider to determine if Toleriane products are suitable for your specific skin concerns and needs.}

The Double Repair dispenses as a milky-white cream - not especially thin nor thick - and looks like any other lotion but it goes nearly clear when you smooth it with a finger. Once you do rub it into your skin, there is no visible trace left. Just looking at the test spot on my hand, I wondered if I was using enough. But when I touched my hand, I could feel a huge difference.

Describing the moisturizing effect of the cream is tricky. With most moisturizers, I can feel the product on my skin. With this one, I only feel the effects. When I apply this to my face and neck, the skin feels "padded" and soft. I guess "supple" is the word I'm looking for. The sample was small - like a tiny plastic condiment packet - but it was more than enough to treat my face and neck with a bit left over. I rubbed that on my pulse points before applying some perfume.

The product benefits? According to the brand: "Provides up to 48-hr hydration & helps restore skin's barrier after 1 hr. Won't clog pores."

Of course, I wanted to test how long the hydration lasted - or at least how long my face seemed to feel moisturized. The product passed that test with no problems at all. To be honest, it beat out everything else I have ever tried, even the 41-dollar-an-ounce Dermalogia sample that I loved.

The first thing I did when I woke up the next morning was check to see if my face felt dry. It did not. It was still very supple. I almost hated to wash away the moisturizer! And here's the thing: who goes 48 hours without washing their face? Hmm... I just might have to do a 48-hour test.

Now, I can't say how well this will perform in the very dry winter weather. Right now, my part of Iowa is really humid. Still, none of my other moisturizers have made my face feel this pampered and soft - no matter what the weather is like. I think that could be because my skin happens to love some of the ingredients in this cream - namely the ceramide and niacinamide. 

So, yeah, this LRP moisturizer has won me completely over. At $6.50 an ounce (or $22 for a 3.4oz tube) I was thinking that it was kind of up there in price - until I  compared it to the Embyolisse I've been using. 

I love the Price Cruncher app

Also, I don't have to use much of the LRP - about 2 pea-sized dots for my face and neck. A once-a-day application more than does it for me.

See how the small dot
spreads?

Also, this cream is much richer and does more for my skin than the Embryolisse. Since I have to pick a lane, so to speak, I will be hanging with the LRP. I'm just more than impressed with the moisturizer and the cleanser. I thought about trying the sunscreen - because Euro sunscreens are said to be more effective - but I've heard it leaves a white cast on very dark skin so I will pass until I can try a sample and see for sure.

I don't really need any other products right now. After discovering the LRP cleanser and this moisturizer, the only other thing I use on a daily basis is the Pyunkang Yul toner. I save my beloved German-made Nivea for my elbows and bosom area. My routine is very stripped-down these days. 

If - and I'm only saying if - I ever decide to try another LRP product, it will probably be the Cicaplast Baume or the version of this cream with SPF. As a matter of fact, if I end up getting a subscription for the cream, I might just get the SPF version.

Last, I want to mention that you don't need to use Amazon to get the products. I normally do use Amazon for subscription items but LRP's U.S. site offers subscriptions and is affiliated with ShopRunner for free 2-day shipping on orders over $25. Another benefit to ordering direct from the LRP site is that, for some products, you have the option of buying smaller quantities. That's helpful for saving money and for just trying a smaller size until you are sure you like it. Also, you get to choose a couple of small samples with each order. That's handy.

(By the way, I clean forgot that I have a ShopRunner account. I also forgot how easy it is to get a free membership. My first membership was courtesy of my American Express travel card but gave that up. Now I have a membership because of my FedEx Delivery Manager account. A paid SR account is around $80/yr.)

I will say one more time that I a more than pleased with the results of the LRP moisturizer. The hype is well-deserved.

(I just realized that I am scheduling this to publish the day after my 62nd birthday. I am very blessed to be in my 7th decade but... how appropriate to be talking about a good moisturizer!)

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I am not compensated in any way for this post nor did I receive any of the products mentioned. The links are not affiliated so I am not earning anything when you click on them.

UPDATE

I just realized that La Roche-Posay is part of the L'Oreal "Active Cosmetics' division. Interesting. The division also includes  L’Oréal’s Vichy and SkinCeuticals. This was posted in February 2023 on Cosmetics Business (which is worth perusing every now and then):

"The newly-named L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty groups together the same brands as the former Active Cosmetics division, namely La Roche-Posay, Vichy, CeraVe, Decléor, SkinCeuticals and the recently-acquired Skinbetter Science." 

Sneaky, sneaky? Not so much. There are a lot of brands grouped together that we as consumers don't know or even think about. 

I just wanted to mention this as soon as I could.