la roche-posay

It's time to come clean. If you're the type that falls asleep in makeup (no judgments here), La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution ($21) is your new bedside companion. While the product carries a rather scientific name, what it boils down to is that it's one-third makeup remover, one-third cleanser, and one-third toner.

Micellar waters are popular in France, but in recent years they've crossed the pond to the American beauty market. Micelles are minuscule oil molecules suspended in water that gently remove dirt and makeup; no extra H2O is needed for use. And unlike many toners, these types of solutions are devoid of drying effects because they're developed sans sulfates, soaps, and alcohol. Keep multiple cotton pads along with this product near the bed for late-night cleansing — or wait until the morning for a quick, multitasking, low-maintenance wash.

The thing about average spot treatments is that they're problem-solvers. But the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo ($37) prevents blemishes before they become a problem in the first place. This formula includes 5.5 percent micronized benzoyl peroxide, which has similar blemish-blasting effects as standard benzoyl peroxide but with less redness and dryness. Lipo hydroxy acid (LHA) is the second member of the acne prevention duo, and this key ingredient exfoliates six times better than salicylic acid. Apply this product morning and night all over your face to diminish the number of breakouts. And in one week hopefully your biggest worry will be limited to which lip color will match your outfit that day.

Years ago, finding La Roche-Posay sunscreen was nearly impossible in the States. Because its lightweight texture was so unusual, I used to wheedle friends into buying some while overseas. These days, the brand is readily available at dermatologists' offices and drugstores alike, and it's just launched another year of its SOS — Save Our Skin campaign. Its aim is to educate people about the dangers of UV exposure, and part of the endeavor involves a free iPhone app called My UV Check. The app uses location-based services to assess the strength of UVA and UVB rays — the ones that cause skin to age and burn, respectively. If you're the kind of person who needs convincing when it comes to wearing sunscreen, it's well worth a download.

Here's an excerpt from OnSugar blog Queen of the Quarter Life Crisis:

So if you don't already know, May is national Skin Cancer Awareness Month. This is something especially near and dear to my heart, as my closest Aunt passed away of skin cancer when she was only 43 years old back in 1996. Luckily, more and more people are becoming aware of how harmful the sun is to our skin and health but it's still not enough. . . And even though it's the most preventable cancer, it's also one of the most deadly.

Skincare giant La Roche-Posay created this great new public awareness campaign called Save Our Skin in hopes to increase awareness. For every person who signs up for the campaign, La Roche-Posay will donate money to The Skin Cancer Foundation and the Women's Dermatological Society. In the meantime, here are my current SPF favorites.

Find out her choices when you read more.

There's nothing fancy about this idea, but it works. If you use loose powder mineral makeup, you can make your own custom-blended tinted moisturizer by blending it with whatever face lotion you use. Most mornings, I put a bit of La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 ($24.41) in my hand, and then I add a bit of Alima Pure satin matte foundation ($20, less 20 percent off through the end of the month). A little mixing creates a smooth tinted moisturizer that I can adjust for more or less coverage as needed. See? Easy.