Having sensitive skin is frustrating for many reasons. For one, your skin is reactive to things like food, the weather, and soaps and fabric softeners. One of the most challenging things about having sensitive skin is building a skincare routine that doesn’t create breakouts, dry patches, or irritation.
Luckily, the La Roche-Posay skincare range – one of the best skincare ranges in New Zealand – has plenty of products aimed toward users with sensitive skin.
Here, we will help you understand how to build a skincare routine your skin will love, using La Roche-Posay products from Life Pharmacy.
What do you need in a sensitive skincare routine?
What you need in a sensitive skincare routine will vary from person to person, purely because each person’s skin barrier reacts differently to products and stimuli. For one person with sensitive skin, alcohols and preservatives might not be an issue. But for another, they can cause major irritation and breakouts.
Generally speaking, a good skincare routine has four core components:
1. A cleanser.
To cleanse your face and remove excess oil, dirt, and sebum, you need a good cleanser. Sensitive skin types can’t handle many of the ‘trendy’ cleansers on the market, especially considering many of them are now blended with certain acids, fragrances, and colours that make them appealing on the shelf, but tough on a sensitive skin barrier.
The ideal cleanser should be gentle, hydrating, and water-soluble. You might choose to double-cleanse with an oil cleanser if you also struggle with acne (as many sensitive skin types do). Crucially, any cleanser you select – La Roche-Posay product or no – should be free of stripping or toning ingredients.
2. A serum.
Consider any serum to be a concentrated delivery of vital nutrients to your skin barrier. The range of La Roche-Posay products has a variety of different serums with different focuses. Once you’ve cleansed your face, applying a serum helps enrich your skin according to your particular needs and concerns.
3. A moisturiser.
Moisturisers nourish and hydrate your skin, preventing dry patches, cracked skin, and yes, even acne. Overly dry or stripped skin – especially sensitive types – will produce excess oil to compensate for the loss of natural sebum, often leading to increased acne in combination zones like your T-zone, cheeks, and chin.
This is why it’s vital to secure a moisturiser you trust. As someone with sensitive skin, a non-occlusive moisturiser (one that won’t clog your pores) with a fluid texture that soaks into the skin will serve you best.
4. SPF.
Sun protection is non-negotiable, especially in New Zealand, and especially for anyone with sensitive skin. Apply your SPF after your moisturiser, making sure to choose a non-occlusive variety to prevent clogging your pores.
With these four crucial steps in mind, let’s now use the range of La Roche-Posay products to build your sensitive skin routine. Here are the best of the best.
Your Sensitive Skincare Routine: Best La Roche-Posay Products
Cleanser: The La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet Cleansing Cream-Gel
First, the cleanser. This sets the tone for the entire routine, so we’ve selected the Lipikar Syndet Cleansing Cream-Gel. This is one of the gentlest cleaners in the entire range of La Roche-Posay products, designed for extremely dry and irritated skin.
If you have eczema, psoriasis, or struggle with severe winter dryness, this is the cleanser for you.
Sérum: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Sérum
Right after cleansing, the best sensitive skin serum in the La Roche-Posay product family is the Cicaplast B5 Serum. This is formulated on a dermatological level to hydrate and repair dry, sensitive skin. If you’re used to your skin feeling dry, red, or tight after cleansing, daily use of this serum helps to hydrate it and restore your skin barrier to full health.
We recommend using this twice a day while your face is still lightly damp from the cleanser, allowing for the best and most hydrating absorption.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Riche
Once you’ve applied your repairing serum, you’ll need a moisturiser to nourish your skin barrier back to full health. That’s where the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Riche comes in. This is a daily hydrating prebiotic moisturiser for sensitive, combination, or acne-prone skin.
The soothing, protective formula is so gentle and hydrating that it’s even suitable for use on babies. With minimal ingredients and maximum impact, this is the perfect moisturiser for any intolerant skin types.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVmune 400 SPF50+
Finally, your SPF layer. This La Roche-Posay product contains MEXORYL400, which is the most efficient UV filter against UVB + UVA and Ultra-Long UVA rays.
This has been specifically tested on sensitive, reactive, and intolerant skin, with no perfume to irritate your sensitive skin barrier. It also happens to be super lightweight on the skin, so it’s perfect for all-day wear and sun protection.
There you have it! Your curated sensitive skincare routine, built purely from La Roche-Posay products designed to tackle your essential needs without causing irritation.
Shop La Roche-Posay products at your nearest Life Pharmacy.
Building your sensitive skincare routine? Step into your local Life Pharmacy to access the La Roche-Posay skincare range, or shop online to have your products delivered right to your doorstep.
