La Roche-Posay is really one of my favorite skincare brands because it is so reliable. It has a very no-frills, effective approach to skincare and I have enjoyed most of the products that I have tried from them. Their products are often recommended by dermatologists together with prescription topicals (such as for acne, rosacea and eczema). They are usually developed not only with effectiveness, but also with gentleness and overall skin health in mind. Maybe one of their most famous products (especially after the boom of the internet skincare community), the Cicaplast Baume B5 Repairing Balm has its own place in our skincare routines and can also be an ally when overcoming life’s little bumps and scratches.
Table of Contents
What I enjoyed about it
- Multitasking product, perfect for promoting repair, healing damaged moisture barriers and calming irritated skin
- Supports wound healing, which makes it great to apply after little household accidents
- Thick, but not greasy or sticky
- Can be used by every member of the family (including babies)
- Although it is thick, it does not break me out
What I disliked about it
- Can leave a white cast as a face moisturizer, visible on deeper skin tones
Product claims
The La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 is part of the Cicaplast line, which is touted as a multi-purpose range of soothing, healing products, which repair and protect the skin moisture barrier. Cicaplast includes cleansing products, as well as treatment products for the face, body (with the hands in particular spotlight) and the lips.
The Baume B5 is meant to be an all-around type of product that can be used on any skin areas that might feel uncomfortable and irritated or are damaged, while also providing moisture and promoting skin repair. It can be used on anything, like minor burns or scratches, healing acne scars, dry patches or even your baby’s diaper rash. It is also recommended post facial procedures, such as laser or chemical peels, when skin needs to calm down and repair. After applying it, it should leave behind an invisible, non greasy feeling on the skin. It is non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and dermatologist-, ophthalmologist- and pediatrician-approved.
Ingredients
- Pro-vitamin B5 or Panthenol, from which part of the product´s name derives. Commonly added to skincare products, it is great at moisturizing the skin, but it also has some other very desirable effects: it can calm down inflammation in the skin, helping skin restore its protective barrier and might even accelerate wound healing.
- Madecassoside, truly a skincare superstar, is the main active ingredient extracted from Centella asiatica, a veteran in the kit of traditional healers and has been used for centuries as a healing-promoting plant. Centella asiatica has become hugely popular as a skincare ingredient nowadays, being not only present in many Asian beauty products, but now also used in many Western skincare formulations, from brands such as La Roche Posay, Avene or Paula’s Choice. It protects skin from all manner of external aggressors, moisturizes, dials down inflammation, promotes healing and has antioxidant effects. Can be found in many products containing ”Cica” in their names.
- Shea butter, great emollient that everyone and their moms have heard of. It softens, protects and nourishes skin by means of vitamins and different types of antioxidants.
- Zinc gluconate is added in for its antibacterial effects, but also because it helps regulate sebum production and increases wound healing, which makes it suitable also for acne sufferers. Copper gluconate contributes to healing and potentiates protection against free radicals, among others.
About my skin type
- Acne prone
- Combination skin type – oily around nose and normal to dry everywhere else
- Sensitive
- Skin barrier constantly under attack from strong active ingredients, which often leads to sensitization to a lot of skincare or makeup products
- First signs of aging starting to appear
My experience with the product
I have been using it for more than 6 years, on and off, whenever I felt I needed it. I have used it on my cracked lips, my tattoos, wounds I´ve been getting and after my laser and microneedling procedures. My OBGYN was quick to recommend it to me also when I experienced some irritation around my lady parts. It is just so soothing, you can use it everywhere! I especially like to apply it on my face when I have damaged my moisture barrier or when I feel I need to prevent that. It is thick, but not greasy on me, it just leaves behind a slight powdery feeling. In general it doesn’t make my skin sticky which is why I also like using it as a hand cream. If I apply too much of it on my face it can leave me with a white cast, but as it´s mostly part of my nighttime routine I really don’t care about it. I layer it on top of other, lighter moisturizers and it has never caused me any breakouts (I have really stubborn acne so I am particularly affected by this). I really feel like its potential wound healing effects so I make sure to apply it on the various scratches, cuts and burns on my hands that, as a pretty clumsy person, I regularly get.
Conclusion
There is not much else left to be said. I would absolutely recommend this product, not only as a face cream, but for any other dry patch or skin irritation you might experience. It’s always good to have a multi-tasking product like this around the house that you can use on anything from your lips to your cuticles. The ingredients are amazing. It also doesn’t cause me any acne so it’s perfect as a heavy duty repair moisturizer when your skin is feeling raw, either from skincare or more invasive procedures. The La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 also comes with a pretty good price for such a big tube and I enjoy its lack of scent and the fact that it can be used by all family.
