Bee venom, snail slime, ground-up lead… If you thought the kale obsession was extreme, just look at some of the weird ingredients us humans have introduced into our skincare routines over the years.

If only those ill-fated 19th century dames who achieved their alluring glow by eating arsenic — bless their souls — had known about La Roche-Posay.

Forgo beauty fads and test the waters of … well, water. La Roche-Posay is the pinnacle of thermal dermatology, sourced from a tiny, enchanted valley in a Gallo-Roman village.

We won’t bore you with the details of what happened during the intermediary centuries, but in the 19th one it met its soul mate – neurosensine, a unique calming agent that helps reduce signs of reactivity in hyper-sensitive skin. And La Roche-Posay was born.

Recommended by more than 25,000 dermatologists worldwide, La Roche-Posay’s product range is clinically proven for the face, body and specific care.

Of course you could take a leaf out of the early geishas’ books and try nightingale droppings, but you’ll probably find La Roche-Posay infinitely more effective and palatable.

The Cleanser We Love

Let’s say you have super sensitive and intolerant skin. The Toleraine Ultra range fights irritation and dryness, cleansing skin while giving intense, long-lasting comfort.

It’s formulated with 0% preservatives, parabens, fragrance, alcohol, colourants or lanolin. Just water, neurosensine and a little natural shea butter for an ultra-luxe finish.

Their hero product? Toleraine Dermo-Cleanser – designed for the most sensitive skin we love its fluid feel, gently removing make-up (with or without rinsing) and multi-tasking powers being safe for use on face and eyes.