La Roche Posay Respectissime Review

If you love eyeshadow like me, you'd know the importance of having a great eye makeup remover. I have tried quite a few eye makeup removers and I have narrowed down the qualities I look for in a good one. I usually look out for an eye makeup remover that removes all my eye makeup (including waterproof mascara), non-irritating (because I have sensitive eyes and wear contact lenses) and non-greasy. Most importantly, I want an eye makeup remover that is sensibly priced and I think I have found one that ticks majority of these boxes for me. It's none other than the recently launched La Roche Posay Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover. I was really excited receive two products from the Respectissime range in the post last month. I got the Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover* and the Respectissime Mascara Volume* and I have been enjoying them so I wanted to share my thoughts on them.

Brief Overview of the La Roche Posay Respectissime Range
La Roche Posay specifically designed the Respectissime  range for anyone who has sensitive eyes and struggles to find the right eye makeup products. The range offers protection and tolerance as well as cosmetic benefits. There are four mascaras within the range- Respectissime Volume Mascara*, Respectissime Multi-Dimensions Mascara, Respectissime Extension Length & Curl Mascara and the Respectissime Waterproof Mascara. There is also the Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover * and I think it is commendable for a brand to make a suitable eyemakeup remover for their eye makeup products. I am sure you are wondering what makes the Respectissime range suitable for sensitive eyes and unique among other brands. I am totally with you and I always look for the evidence to back any claims even before I even test it for myself. To begin with, La Roche Posay have carried out rigorous tolerance testing of the range on people who have sensitive skin (under dermatological and opthamological control). The range is fragrance-free, paraben-free and the mascaras contain only purified pigments to avoid irritation. The mascaras also contain an anti-tears formula which imitates actual tears composition and this ensures the eyes do not react or run . They are suitable for contact lens wearers (like me)  and anyone who has sensitive/easily irritated eyes. Armed with this knowledge, I was ready to try the products out to see if they lived up to these claims.



Respectissime Mascara Volume* //Link //£16 (currently £12)
You all know how I am on the hunt for the perfect mascara as I have only found one that has completely wowed me (YSL Baby Doll Mascara). I don't think the problem I have is with the mascaras rather it's more to do withthe way my lashes are shaped. They are really short, curly (at least I never need to curl them-hurray) and they lack volume. The entire story is that they are almost non-existent without any mascara so I always wear mascara unless my eyeshadow just looks weird. Anyway, I was very excited to try out this new Respectissime Mascara Volume mainly because I liked the idea behind the range and I love the size. I have now realised that miniature mascaras work best for my lashes regardless of what brand it is. The Respectissime Mascara Volume is smaller in size than other regular mascaras but it is much larger than a mini size. It contains 5.9 ml of product which is the same amount in many mascaras.  For me, it is the perfect size for my lashes as everything works so well. The Respectissime Mascara Volume is developed with a unique Lash Expanding Technology which uses a low density formula to coat the lashes and inflate them without weighing them down. This totally sounded like my kind of mascara. I have to say I absolutely agree with their claims.



The Respectissime Mascara Volume gives my lashes a really good lift and length (even though it is a volume mascara). I do have to use two layers for my lashes to see a dramatic difference and sometimes, I just use a lengthening mascara underneath. Whichever way I use it, I adore the results and I have not been reaching for my YSL Mascara as much which says a lot!!! Most importantly, I love that this mascara does not feel clumpy on my lashes (it is really lightweight) although I would not necessarily classify it as a separating mascara. In terms of lasting power, it does last all through the day until I get back home to take it off.  When I apply the first layer, I allow it to dry slightly before going in with the next layer. I find this method gives me the best long lasting results. If you have normal lashes, I think one layer will totally be fine and you don't have to layer it like me. I have honestly enjoyed this mascara so much more than I expected. At £16, it is mid-range priced mascara and I know there will be some discounts in some retailers where you can purchase it for less. Even at its full price, I think it is worth the price. Lastly, I think it definitely lives up to its claims around being excellent for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. It's already a favourite for me and I am so glad I got to try it!!



Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover* //Link //£11 (currently £9.35)
I think anyone who loves a eye makeup will agree that having a good eye makeup remover is a must-have. I have tried a lot of eye makeup removers and it's really difficult to find one that works well without leaving a greasy feel. Some of the eye makeup removers that are non-greasy tend not to effectively take off my eye makeup. However, I think I have found a new favourite that has even taken the place of my beloved Clarins Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. The Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover is specifically developed for sensitive eyes and anyone who struggles with finding the perfect eye makeup remover. It is a bi-phase formula which means it is made up of part oil and part water which I find is the best formula for removing eye makep including waterproof and glitter eye makeup. Just like the Respectissime Mascaras, the Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover is fragrance-free and paraben-free and this reduces the risk of irritation and damage around the eye. I know many people have not considered the damage some substandard eye makeup removers can do to the eye area. The skin around the eye area has one of the thinnest layers compared to other parts of the body. This is why many skincare products always advice you to avoid using their products around these areas. Using substandard products around this area  including eye makeup removers can cause damage which you may not see immediately but could show up over the years. This is one of the reasons why I always opt for a separate eye makeup remover to take off my eye makeup rather than a regular micellar water.  This is why I was really interested in trying out the Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover.




First off, it takes off my eye makeup with a swipe. I usually give the bottle a good shake as it is bi-phase so I need the oil and water parts to mix well. I tip the bottle over to get a small amount onto my cotton pad and the opening on the bottle allows the right amount to be dispensed. I don't rub off my eye makeup rather I just press it gently against my eye and let it sit for a few seconds. I gently wipe it off and my eye makeup is gone. I use one cotton pad for each eye. Sometimes, I flip it to the other side and add more product to get off my mascara if I am wearing waterproof mascara. Most times, it comes off on the first swipe but a few times, I have had to go back just a second time. I am still shocked at how much product I have left even after almost a full month of using it (will share a picture of how much I have left on Instagram this evening). The best part for me is that I am not left with messy panda eyes or a very greasy feel on my eyes after using it. If I don't shake the bottle well, I may have a very light greasy feel (very negligible). I ensure I give it a vigorous shake to avoid this happening. I am very impressed with this Eye Makeup Remover!! I think it's an amazing bargain for £11 given how long it lasts and how effective it is yet gentle on the eyes.



Where to Buy
The Respectissime range is available to purchase from a handful of retailers including Dermacentre, Boots, Escentual, Superdrug, Feel Unique, etc. As mentioned earlier, these retailers always have discounts so I just purchase from any one that has the best offers or loyalty points. I am so glad it is so easy to buy La Roche Posay products now from the drug store as it was previously sold in select online retailers. There's something so nice about going in-store and buying your favourite products.


Overall Thoughts
I am super impressed with this range and I know it will be a favourite for many people. I love how La Roche Posay target makeup and skin problems so that everyone can look and feel pretty with the right products. That's pretty much my review and I hope you enjoyed this post. See you in my next...xx
*PR Samples + Affiliate links used, read my full disclaimer here

La Roche Posay Toleriane Review

I am pretty sure I have featured the La Roche Posay Toleriane range more than a few times on this blog but I thought it deserved its own review. I am not new to the Toleriane range as I got a chance to try out the Toleriane Ultra Fluide last year and I loved it for its soothing properties. Earlier this year, La Roche Posay launched the Ultra Nuit Overnight Skincare and I was so delighted to try it out. I am already a huge fan of La Roche Posay products particularly the Effaclar Range but the Toleriane range is definitely my next favourite.


Brief Overview of La Roche Posay Toleriane Range
The Toleriane range is one of the best selling ranges from La Roche Posay mainly because it can be used by various skin types. The range contains high tolerance products formulated with the least amount of ingredients to limit the risk of allergies. One of the properties of this range -which totally endears it to my heart- is its promise to deliver instant and lasting comfort. The products within the range are all fragrance-, preservative-, parabens-, lanolin- and alcohol-free with an aim to sooth damaged and irritated skin. If you have the type of skin that is intolerant to fragrance, alcohol, preservatives and other funny ingredients, this is one range that's worth trying. Also, if you have recently suffered from irritation, sun damage, allergies or any bad reaction to the skin and you are after a range that won't interfere but will soothe your skin, this is one range to look out for. I personally use this range after I have used AHAs, Retinol based treatments or Acne treatments which sometimes may irritate the skin while caryying out their work. The Toleriane range makes the whole process bearable without interfering with the efficacy of the above treatments.




Packaging
One of the things I was curious about was how the products will maintain their stability since they are preservative-free. I am sure everyone knows this but preservatives are usually added to beauty products to preserve their shelf life. If preservatives are not added to a product (let's assume they are self-preserving), then their life span/shelf life is pretty short (it could range from 1-3 months or maybe more). So, I was curious to know how La Roche Posay have managed to cross this hurdle seeing that the expiry dates were more than two years. The answer lies in the innovative packaging. I am not sure about the design of the other Toleriane products packaging but the Ultra Fluide and Ultra Nuit have a unique one. They both come in slim bottles which cannot be opened as they are securely fitted to prevent the entry of germs and any cross contamination. The lid also cannot be screwed on and off rather it can be twisted left or right to lock/unlock it and pressed down to dispense the product. I love that the nozzle is also very tiny to prevent any unwarranted entry and to prevent wastage. Most importantly, the product in itself is stored stored in an air tight bag inside the bottle which gets smaller as you use up the product. The technology behind this is an ultra-hermetic one. Each of the bottles contains 40 ml of product which is a decent amount. I think this packaging is incredible and that's exactly how La Roche Posay have managed to keep this product preservative free so intolerant skins can use it. It's very impressive I have to say!!




Toleriane Ultra Fluide* //Link //£17.50
I always reach for this during summer because it has a lovely hydrating and soothing effect on my skin. La Roche Posay describes the Toleriane Ultra Fluide as an intense soothing fluid that is designed for ultra-sensitive or allergic skin. It is also suitable for combination to oily skin and I guess that's why I have gotten so well with it particularly during summer. It's a lightweight formula that provides adequate hydration while getting easily absorbed without a greasy feeling. The best part for me about the Toleriane Ultra Fluide is that it can also be used for the eye as an eye cream. For a good while I never tried it as an eye cream but I once ran out of my favourite eye cream and was in a fix so I decided to give it a try. That try turned out to be many tries and right now, it is my current eye cream. It works as well as many of my eye creams because it is a hydrating formula that just soothes the under eye area. I have now been taking this with me on short trips because it can be used both for my face and my eyes and multi functional products are winners in my book. You can find the ingredient list here but the two ingredients that stand out are Neurosensine (a strong soothing agent that targets skin irritation) and the La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water (naturally soothing, refreshing and anti-irritation). I am a huge fan of the Toleriane Ultra Fluide and I will be repurchasing once I run out (and Escentual bring back their 1/3rd off French Skincare brands).




Toleriane Ultra Nuit Overnight Care* //Link //£17.50
As already mentioned, this was launched earlier this year and I was really pleased to try this product particularly after enjoying the Toleriane Ultra Fluide. La Roche Posay describes the Toleriane Ultra Nuit as an intense soothing care for the eyes and face designed to soothe the feeling of irritation due to dryness when you wake up. I don't really suffer from dryness when I wake up because I always give my skin a good treat every night. However, there are some few nights that I use mainly my Acne treatment products which can cause dryness and in the mornings I experience dryness. So, I was interested in putting this to the test to see how it worked to combat this dryness. Just like the Ultra Fluide, the Toleriane Ultra Nuit has a smooth texture but it feels silkier. It also feels more hydrating and moisturising as well which is expected from a night cream and I love it for that. It is made from minimal ingredients and it is also free from parabens, lanolin, fragrance, alcohol and colourants. This is absolutely perfect for anyone who has sensitive skin. I personally use it immediately after I have used my usual chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid, retinol and even salicylic acid. It just has a way of soothing my skin and preventing any sensitivity from these products. Sometimes, I have just used it alone on my skin when I was breaking out and although it does not have any acne blasting powers, it still helps my skin. It is enriched with Niacinamide, Vitamin A, Carnosine, etc which help the skin repair itself among other skin benefits.



Cons
I think the only the con I can think of right now is that you can't easily see how much product is left in the Ultra Nuit compared to the Ultra Fluide.  For this reason, I do prefer the Ultra Fluide packaging because it is a transparent bottle so you can see when you are getting to the end of the bottle. I know it is not a big issue. However, I usually hold it up against any light source which makes it easier to see. That's my little tip.


Overall Thoughts
I am very pleased I got a chance to try this range as I would never have tried it because I don't have sensitive skin. I always go for the Effaclar range which is amazing for blemish prone skin. However, I forget that my skin could sometimes get quite irritated from the acne itself and other treatments and using soothing and calming products are essential. I am very impressed with the range and will definitely recommend it. That's it from me and I hope you had an amazing weekend. See you in my next post. Have you tried the La Roche Posay Toleriane Range?
*Gifted PR Sample + Affiliate Links used, read my full disclaimer here.

Free La Roche Posay UV Patch + New Anthelios Tinted Sunscreen

I am a huge fan of La Roche Posay products and if you are a regular reader of my blog, you would already know that. I still have not come across any products from their range that I don't like; I just love all the products I have tried. I definitely have my favourites such as the Effaclar range which is one of my Holy Grail skincare products especially as it is affordable. Apart from the Effaclar range* (full review here), one of my absolute favourite products from La Roche Posay is the Anthelios XL Dry Touch Gel Cream SPF 50 (review here). This is the only sunscreen that I have used consistently for more than 3 years and I don't think I would ever stop using it unless they stop making it.

 In the past I had tried so many other sunscreens which were downright nasty leaving me with either a white or blue cast and difficult to blend. With the Anthelios XL Sunscreen SPF 50, I don't get any white/blue cast, it sinks in fast and can be used under my makeup. I wear sunscreen everyday whether the sun is out or not because I have come to realise that protecting your skin from the sun is so important regardless of how much melanin you have. I was delighted to hear that La Roche Posay is launching something new that I know everyone would love because it is one of a kind and super innovative. Two weeks ago, a lovely package arrived from La Roche Posay containing some amazing products and information which I would be sharing with you today.






New Launch from La Roche Posay Anthelios range //Link // £18 (currently £13.50)
I already mentioned that the Anthelios XL Dry Touch Gel Cream SPF 50* is the only sunscreen I have ever used and enjoyed so I was delighted to see that there was a new launch. This new launch is the Anthelios Tinted Dry Touch Gel SPF 50 and again, I was quite intrigued to see what the difference was. It still offers the same protection (SPF 50) as the regular Dry Touch Gel cream but it is tinted and powered by their MEXOPLEX patent filtering system. It is ideal for combination oily skin which is why it works so well for my skin (if you have dry skin, you can opt for the Comfort range). The Tinted Dry Touch Gel provides a broad spectrum protective system (UVA and UVB) and also protects the skin from Infra red  rays and Pollution which is absolutely amazing. It is also infused with Vitamin E, the La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water and some powerful antioxidants including Baicalin and Carnosine. The Tinted version universal micro-pigments for a natural tone and it is also water resistant which I always love.




I have to say I am not a fan of anything tinted because I feel it would look ashy on me based on previous experience. I was a little sceptical about trying this but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it blended out quite well (just like the regular version). To say I was relieved is an understatement because I love the new formula as it glides on so smoothly on my skin and even acts as a primer. I don't know how this would fare on complexions darker than mine but I would test it out on my friend and report back. I think it is such an amazing product and I love the new sleek packaging.



La Roche Posay's Face the Sun with Confidence
I love that La Roche Posay have a new campaign every year to raise awareness around sun protection. I have learnt so much from their campaigns because the are insightful and easy to understand. They also have a couple of videos on YouTube which are super creative and easy to watch. This year's campaign is Face the Sun with Confidence which I love the sound of it. Most times, people rarely face the sun with confidence because they are not sure if they are well protected or not. Here in the UK, we don't have too much sun out but it does not mean that UVA/UVB damage is absent. According to La Roche Posay, the three essential actions one has to take to feel confident enough to face the sun include- Protect, Check and Play/Be Safe.


Protect- It is important to protect your skin all year round regardless of the weather and one way to do is by using a broad spectrum sun care protection (protection from UVA and UVB). I know many people skip using sunscreen during the colder months and I have to admit I did the same until I knew better. More importantly, if you are using any skincare product containing Salicylic Acid, Vitamin C, Retinol, Glycolic Acid, etc, you need to protect your skin even if it is snowing as these products make your skin more sensitive to the sun (and UVA and UVB rays). Ever since I learned that UVA and UVB rays can still get to the skin even when the sun is not out, I have always used sunscreen.

Check- Checking your beauty spots regularly is super important because they sometimes change over time. I don’t have any but if I did, I would definitely have them professionally checked at least  once a year. I would also check them out myself every month to see if there are any changes. You can learn how to check your moles with the La Roche Posay Skin Checker  which was first launched last year. Their skin checker campaign helped 30 million people globally understand the importance of mole checking.

Play/Be safe- Most importantly, it is important to be safe and play safe in the sun. This means in addition to sun care protection, you can take other steps to protect yourself from the sun e.g. wearing protective clothing, not staying too long in the sun, reapplying your sunscreen, etc. 

Free La Roche Posay UV Patches

Now to the most exciting news- La Roche Posay has developed the most innovative patch that is a UV monitor. It’s called the La Roche Posay UVPatch. Alongside the UV Patch, the corresponding app can be downloaded to sync with the UV patch so you can track your progress (The App would be available to download in July 2016). I have not tried it out yet as I am waiting for it to arrive in the post. However, I have some information on how it works so I thought I might as well share it. The UV Patch is the first ever wearable UV Patch that allows users to measure and monitor UV exposure. Apparently, it can be stretched and feels super light on the skin so you don’t feel it tugging at all. The UV patch contains some photosensitive dyes which change colour indicating different levels of UV exposure. The UV patch can be worn for up to 5 days which is interesting to know. (I am sure it must be waterproof but again will update this post). All you have to do is scan the patch with the app to get up to date data on your level of UV exposure and also receive feedback and personalised sun safety tips. I think it’s a brilliant innovation and I can’t wait to put it to the test.

The La Roche Posay UV Patch will be launched in July 2016. The good news is that it will be completely free of charge which I think is incredible!! Now the best news is that you can get early access to this patch by joining the waiting list here which opened on 6th May 2016. I believe you would also get a small sample of the La Roche Posay Anthelios sun screen along with the patch. I am really excited by this campaign and I am sure they would be a huge demand for these patches.

They also kindly sent me the cutest keepsakes in my package which is super kind of them. I got a beautiful orange Smythson 2016/2017 Planner and I love everything about it. It’s my first Smythson stationery and I am totally loving it. I also got the cutest USB stick ever in the shape of a Dalmatian. That’s pretty much all about these new launches from La Roche Posay. Do feel free to pop over any questions/comments below and I would see you in my next post. Would you be trying the La Roche Posay UV Patch?
*Not Sponsored, Gifted PR Sample + Affiliate Link. Read my full disclaimer here.