beauty

"I tried La Roche-Posay's new serum to see if it's a sensitive skin saviour."

La Roche Posay
Thanks to our brand partner, La Roche Posay

It's spring! The sun is shining, the wind is blowing a gentle breeze, small birds are singing from the trees, and my skin... is feeling irritated.

For someone who has allergy-prone skin, especially during pollen season, it's really quite laborious and annoying to find something that suits my skin type. Not to mention the memories of once trying a 'sensitive skin' product that left me with a rash for two weeks. Oh boy.

I'm very used to the trials and tribulations of going to beauty stores to collect heinous amounts of samples to see what works best. And then come the questions in my head... Will this product actually work with my skin type? Is there a secret ingredient in here that'll make my skin react and break out? Am I (gasp) making my skin worse?

So, when given the chance to try out La Roche-Posay's new Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum ($55.95), a daily hydrating and soothing serum for sensitive and allergy-prone skin, I was both intrigued and... slightly dubious.

The serum has the claim of being scientifically proven to visibly reduce redness after four weeks of daily use. It also promises instant hydration which lasts for 48 hours** - a nice long time to stay hydrated - and one hour after application, the skin barrier is strengthened. It also has no fragrance, alcohol or preservatives, too.

Let's test it out and see, shall we?

La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum, come at me. Image: Supplied

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As a Cancer, I'm sensitive in every facet of the word - both in my soul and my skin. So the first thing that stood out to me and my sensitive soul was the elegant packaging. To me it looks like some sort of vial that holds the elixir of youth, with its blue bottle and little white nozzle just waiting to give my skin an experience. Hopefully not an itchy one.

So far in my 30 years of being on this earth, nothing has been fabulous for reducing that itchy sensation for me.

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But, as soon as I put a tiny drop on my skin, I felt an instantaneous improvement. I dropped a tiny bit on the back of my hand, and it immediately felt soothing and cooling sensation on my skin. It also helps that it's not sticky, just really fresh. My hand felt like it was lathered in a soft barrier, fighting against any potential nasties.

No redness here. Image: Supplied.

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I'm a melanin queen so redness isn't my number one point of contention – but I do get dry patches on my cheeks and an almost dry feeling on my eyelids, which gets worse with the weather and hormonal changes.

Since the skin is so thin on your eyelids, you don't want to be messing around with a product that's too heavy (and you shouldn't be applying too close to your eyes anyway).

Most high-range products I've tried around my eyes caused the eye contour (the soft skin under your eye) to become more irritated and I'd end up with puffy eyes. I took the tiniest amount of serum on my finger, and lightly dabbed it under my eyes and went to bed.

When I awoke, I was pleasantly surprised. I felt fresh and invigorated, without any visible irritation around my eyes, or elsewhere on my skin.

Most skincare contains some sort of fragrance, which is super irritating to my skin. Having a look at the ingredients of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum (because that's what I do, and my Sensitive Skin Sisters will be nodding their heads in agreement), the serum contains La Roche-Posay's highest concentration of the hydrating, soothing and comforting active Neurosensine. Nice.

Me and my non-itchy complexion. Image: Supplied.

Since my first test, I've been using it daily and nightly around my eyes, face and neck.

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If you have dry patches around your decolletage, I highly recommend using a little drop and gently massaging it in.

The serum is absorbed easily so it's not a sticky or uncomfortable feeling. Plus, it makes a pretty little addition to your skincare routine.

You can get this lush little product from Adore Beauty.

Have you used La Roche Posay's new Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum?


**Instrumental test 

La Roche Posay
La Roche-Posay’s mission is to offer a better life for sensitive skin. Created in 1975, the brand is now present in over 60 countries and is recommended by over 90,000 dermatologists worldwide. It offers a unique range of daily skincare developed for every skin type and encourages good skincare practices adapted to various skin concerns. The brand develops formulas with its exclusive rich, prebiotic water, also used at its Thermal Center in Europe, due to its soothing properties. The products are developed using a strict formulation charter with a minimal number of ingredients and are formulated at optimal concentrations. Additionally, La Roche-Posay products undergo clinical testing for efficacy and safety, especially on sensitive skin. La Roche-Posay’s key product ranges are: Anthelios (sun protection), Uvidea (anti-pollution), Toleriane (sensitive skin), Effaclar (acne), Lipikar (dry skin), Cicaplast (skin repair), Redermic (anti-ageing), Pigmentclar (dark spots and uneven complexion), Hyalu B5 (anti-wrinkle), Rosaliac (redness). For more on La Roche-Posay, click here: www.laroche-posay.com.au