by BR Kellie
***The prize has now been drawn and the winner notified***
It's not often that a trial product arrives at Beauty Review that has me on my metaphorical knees, pleading to be let on the trial. Usually I wait for the results and then go buy it myself. HOWEVER, when the La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Iso-Biome cleanser and moisturiser made its way into BRHQ, I was in full "pretty please, with sugar and cherries and chocolate sauce and sprinkles on top" mode. The reason?
Well, your BR Pixie in the name of "more is more" recently became a swim instructor, which sees me swanning around a pool at least eleven hours a week. I love the work, I find it rewarding, but it has wreaked havoc on my skin. It's red and angry looking. My skin is seeing more flare ups of blemishes than usual. And it doesn't know if it wants to be dry, oily or somewhere in between. And, to my mind, a duo that was designed for sensitive skin (which mine has most definitely become) that soothes skin weakened by the drying effects of acne treatments (did I mention that up until a month or so ago I've been on Tretinoin, as well as being in a pool?), could be a bit of me.
Luckily, we had a couple of extra products in stock, so I was sent home with what I hoped would become my ultimate skin saviours...
So what was the state of my skin?
As you can see, the redness was real - especially on my cheeks, nose, forehead, and a touch on my chin. My hormonal acne was in full flare up mode on my cheeks, with another blemish making itself known on my forehead. As for how it felt? Hot. Tight. Dry.
So what was this dynamic duo meant to do? Well according to La Roche-Posay, the Effaclar H Iso-Biome Cleansing Cream gently cleanses, purifies and soothes skin that feels weakened by the drying effects of acne treatments. Formulated with Niacinamide, it also is meant to visibly help redness-prone skin.
As for the Effaclar H Iso-Biome Moisturiser? It's formulated to hydrate oily skin that has been weakened by the over-drying skin effects of acne treatments, to provide long lasting comfort. Non-comedogenic, it won't clog pores and is suitable for sensitive and oily skin types. Lastly, the formula A combination of prebiotics, panthenol, glycerin, niacinamide and thermal water is designed to balance, moisturise and soothe.
Over three weeks I used this morning and night. Never missing a day. Never using any other products along with them, as I wanted to really put them to the test. (And for a serum lover that was VERY hard to get used to.) How did I find them? The cleanser does a lot while only needing a little. A pea-sized amount easily cleansed my face, even doing a great job of removing makeup. For the price it's a bargain, as it'll last a long, loooong time. My only dislike was that it's scented, and I am not a scent-lover when it comes to what I put on my face. As for the moisturiser? Initially I wasn't sure that it would cut the mustard, as while it felt moisturising it didn't feel like enough was going in my skin. I was wrong. The Effaclar H Iso-Biome Moisturiser felt magical in that the slightly-bigger-than-pea-sized amount I used kept my skin hydrated all day without it once feeing dry OR becoming greasy. Balanced is the word. My skin was balanced, and it never, ever feels that way. It also had no discernible scent which, as mentioned above, is important to me.
The results?
Seriously, it wasn't until the before and after photos that I really appreciated the difference. The redness has all but disappeared. My acne has cleared up immensely - and I've the kind of skin that will hang on to acne spots like I hang on to a luxury eyeshadow palette that's half off in a beauty sale. Yes, the area has a way to go before it's clear, but we're dealing with years of acne here, so the scarring and discolouration isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Time heals all wounds, and all that.
However, impressed is an understatement. I've tried a LOT of skincare in my time, and I've had great results with some products, but I've never had a cleanser and moisturiser alone make such a visible difference to my skin in such a short amount of time.
It turns out I wasn't the only person to fall in love with these products with both the La Roche-Posay Iso-Biome Cleansing Cream and the La Roche-Posay Iso-Biome Moisturiser rating and overall 4.3/5, with both products achieving the coveted Top Rated badge.
So will I be spending my pennies on replacing these products once they run out? Oh yes. Yes I will be. With results like the ones I experienced, I'd be a batty beauty not to.
So, are you keen to try La Roche-Posay's Effaclar H Iso Biome cleanser and moisturiser? Do you think it could help your skin like it did mine? Why? Because...
We're giving away one duo to a lucky Beauty Review Member! Simply say why you need to try this duo below and you're in to win!
Competition will be drawn on Wednesday 30th August. Winner will be contacted by email. If winner does not respond within two weeks, the prize will be redrawn.
Would love to try this!! I've had a fantastic experience with LRP so far (though I've only tried the toleraine range) and it's been lovely for my sensitive skin, but too pricey for me to purchase myself. My skin is a bit of a strange case - sensitive due to eczema, but full of clogged pores and hormonal breakouts every month. It's generally a balancing act between the two issues, but these 2 products look ideal. Would love to win this prize!