Review: La Roche Posay

Having heard a lot about La Roche-Posay on blogs/Youtube, when in boots recently I decided to purchase the 'Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel' and the now famous 'Effaclar Duo'.

I was most excited about using the Effaclar Duo as i'd heard great things about it's skin-smoothing/blemish- vanishing properties. The fact that both products are paraben-free appealed to me as ideally, I would like anything that seeps into my skin to be as natural as possible. Plus I have a soft spot for anything French! 

 I decided to take some before and after photos so I could see how my skin looked after using both products for a month (morning and evening). Warning: These photos are not particularly attractive! Also, apologies that the lighting is different in both photos. I did take both sets of photos at the same time in the morning (a month apart), however it was simply darker outside in the first two. The photos are still similar and clear enough to make a comparison. 

BEFORE:

AFTER:

As you can see, there is a significant difference. In particular, the amount of redness has reduced, my skin feels softer and smoother and foundation goes on more evenly. I feel this is due mostly to the Effaclar Duo rather than the face wash. As you can see, I do still have noticeable blemishes and some scarring/redness remains. However, this is likely due to a number of factors- diet,pollution,genes,skin type etc etc.

Overall, I am impressed with the Effaclar Duo, I think it has done what it says on the tube (to an extent) which is to correct imperfections. It hasn't worked miracles, but in my opinion it would be unreasonable to expect a product alone to produce completely clear skin. I would definitely buy this product again and am interested to see if my skin improves further after another month's use (I think there is still enough product left in the tube). I also think at £14 the Effaclar Duo is reasonably priced.

However, I would not purchase the Purifying Foaming Gel again, simply because I don't feel it was the right choice for my skin type. My skin felt quite tight after using it which suggests my skin is actually dry and would benefit from an oil-based cleanser.

Have La Roche-Posay products worked for you?