When temperatures start to plummet oustide, our skin starts to suffer. Skincare routines are adapted, richer formulas and textures start making their way into everyone’s bathrooms again and out come other hydration boosts. Not only our face, in direct contact with the outside world, suffers a great deal, the rest of our skin also wants to curl up and hide far away underneath all those layers of clothes.  Our legs, prime focal point all summer, need more than a light lotion or some after sun to avoid that dreaded craquelé effect, so it’s time to pull out the big guns.

French pharmacy skincare brands are a constant presence in my bathroom, between facial skincare, body lotions and creams and children’s skincare, there are always several products rotating at any given point. Between my and little C’s dry, itchy, diva skin that flares up even worse in the winter, we are on the constant hunt for a great find to treat our atopic skin, but truth be told, I always reach back for my dermatological golden oldie, the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm*.

Nothing soothes and relieves dried out, itchy skin like this line, and now the French powerhouse has reworked the formula to support our skin even better. Niacemide remains the core ingredient of the new and reworked La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+* , upping the moisture levels in your upper skin layers, soothing inflamed skin, reparing damaged skin cells and reinforcing the skin barriers, however, they have also added a microbiome to the mix, ie a collection of microorganisms that are naturally present on our skin. La Roche-Posay’s scientists discovered this microbiome is a cautious balance of good and bad bacteria, and how skin suffers when this balance is thrown for a loop. An added complex containing this exact microbiome is exactly what soothes skin on the spot and provides it with a natural protective layer that keeps skin supple, strong and itch-free.

Though it may look and feel like a frightingly thick cream, it spreads incredibly easy over the skin, can be worked in without too much effort and even better, it is not sticky. A cream as moisturizing and powerful as this does not sink in easily, so this is not your one-two-go cream for after your morning shower, but it works wonders as a nightime treat. As t is free of fragrance, the lack of scent might put certain off, but that’s just personal preferences. Alone, or after a bath or shower with the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Cleansing Oil, if you or any of your loved ones suffer from atopic skin, any other skin issues or dry, cracked, itchy skin thanks to King Winter, this French pharmacy staple has your back!

La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume AP+ 400ml – €23 / £ 18.58