My feeling is mixed when I see most of my skincare products are emptied. Going on a long-awaited beauty shopping trip is definitely satisfying, but shelling out my hard-earned money isn’t something I will be willing to do without resistance. In order to wisely spend my money for the best benefit of my skin, I decide to take a closer look at my skincare items and see if they deserve repurchasing. From now on, I will phase in more naturally formulated skincare products. Let’s move on to the first item.
La Roche-Posay: Toleriane Softening Foaming Gel
I bought this cleanser when I was traveling in Germany, so the descriptions, as you can see in the photo, are all German! My German isn’t good enough to allow me to read them without any assistance, so you can imagine my helplessness when I had to make my purchasing decision. Another thing I want to add is the skincare brands I saw in a European drugstore was quite different from what I usually see locally. It’s quite a new kind of experience! And I love it 
Overview
According to La Roche-Posay’s international website, the brand is recommended by over 25,000 dermatologists around the world, and all of its skincare products are formulated by a unique thermal spring water, which is said to contain antioxidants, a free radical scavenger.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Softening Foaming Gel is a 150 ml tube. The packaging is clean and neat. This cleanser belongs to the “Toleriane” line, which, as I find out from its website, is formulated to contain minimum ingredients to prevent allergies and irritation. That’s also why its ingredients are limited to 13. The line is said to be suitable for intolerant, hypersensitive skin prone to irritation.
Ingredients
The cleanser is claimed to be free of fragrance, preservatives, and soap, and has a pH level of 5.5. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH level less than 7 is acidic. The ideal skin pH level is a little bit acidic, from 4 to 6. So, judging by its pH level, this cleanser can be mild on the skin. Here is the ingredient list:
Water, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Poloxamer 184, Coco-Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Capryloyl Glycine, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
After doing some exhaustive research of the ingredients, I find out another obvious reason why it’s better to use organic skincare products. At least, I don’t have to do some tiring research to find out what I am actually using on my face. The fact that the brand is recommended by dermatologists may lend it some trust, but I still prefer something more natural.
Performance
I have been using this cleanser for some months. A pea size is all it needs for my entire face. I have combination skin, with the T-zone more oily at times. According to my skincare history, I have little to no problem (e.g. itchiness and redness) with most cleansers.
When using the cleanser, I squeeze a pea size of gel on my palm and add some water. It lathers mildly. The cleansing ability is good without leaving my skin dry. My skin still feels clean and soft after wash, and the cleanser doesn’t strip moisture off my skin either.
To Be Improved
There is one thing I don’t quite like about this cleanser. It’s the fragrance. The smell is so artificial. It has taken me some time to get used to it. But that’s a minor issue.
Price
I bought it for slightly over EU10 (I’ve no idea how much it costs locally, but I guess it would be slightly expensive than the euro). Consider that it can last for three months, I think it’s quite affordable.
All in all, I think the performance of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Softening Foaming Gel can live to my expectation. It is mild and foams well without leaving my skin dry, though it doesn’t smell good. The only concern is the ingredients. So, I think, after my tube is done, I will switch to another cleanser with a more natural undertone and see if it can produce better result for my aging skin. I believe, in combating aging, every small step counts!
That’s why I stopped buying LRP a long time ago. The same goes to Vichy and Avene. You can only purchase these products in a pharmacy (at least in Germany) and I always thought they would be better for my skin than drugstore brands but the truth is that their products contain lots of harmful ingredients as well. I don’t understand this because they’re actually made for sensitive skin…
Skincare product for sensitive skin doesn’t have to be naturally formulated. There could be chemicals that cause little harm or irritation to sensitive skin. Such concepts can be fine for some people. Until you take things in your own hands and make a conscious decision to use products that are good for your skin, you never know what you’ve applied on your skin. There are tons of products that claim themselves to be “natural,” but how natural they are, you have to look at their ingredients to know.