Escentual French Pharmacy Skincare

If you’re a skincare fan like myself, you’ll probably be well aware that Escentual like to run frequent French Pharmacy month offers where they discount their French skincare brands upto a third off so it’s the best time to stock up on any skincare essentials or decide to give something new a try. I’ve lost count how many Escentual orders I’ve placed over the years, but I always like to use the Escentual French Pharmacy Skincare offer to stock up on three of my skincare must haves; Bioderma Hydrabio (aka the blue Bioderma), the Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot (aka my holy grail spot treatment) and La Roche Posay Serozinc (aka the miracle worker for acne prone skin) but I’ve been trialling some new skincare products recently so I’ve decided to show them here on my blog incase you were wanting some inspiration of what to buy..

Escentual French Pharmacy Skincare haul

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + SPF30 £16.50

The original La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo is such a cult favourite product and its bound to become even more popular now they’ve created a new version containing an SPF of 30. It is clinically proven to reduce the size and redness of spots and scarring whilst helping to stop future breakouts, and contains LHA which micro-exfoliates the skin to unclog pores and reduce the appearance of scarring whilst niacinamide helps to minimise redness and spot size, as well as soothe discomfort.

The new version contains the added UVA/UVB and pollution protection, to shield skin from further damage and minimise the pigmentation of scars. To use you simply apply every morning after cleansing.

Sometimes products which contain an SPF can be a little greasy or chalky, and can leave a visible white overcast on the skin which is less than ideal with skin as pale as mine but I’ve not experienced any issues whatsoever; it applies, and looks just like the original version but it gives me extra peace of mind that my skin is protected against UVA/UVB rays as well as pollution whilst also targeting existing blemishes and helping to prevent potential breakouts too.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Unclogging Purifying Sebo-Controlling Mask £13

I’m a face mask addict and I really enjoying using them at least twice a week, using different formulas for different skin concerns so I’m always up for a new addition within my face mask rotation. This mask has an exceptionally long name and is designed to gently remove excess sebum from the skin’s surface without over-drying or causing inflammation and is an ideal skincare treatment for oily and blemish-prone skin types. The mask is formulated with Argilla and Kaolin clays, which remove sebum from deep within the skin and will help to mattify skin over time.

The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Sebo-Controlling Mask contains 5% Panthenol B5, which soothes and calms the skin after sebum-extraction, minimising the risks of over-stimulating sebum glands, while CellubeadsTM helps to remove all impurities for an in-depth cleansing action that leaves skin clear, calm and shine-free. 

To use the mask you simply apply after cleansing in a thin layer over the face and allow it to dry for five minutes and then just rinse off with a warm flannel. I have found this mask to be very effective at removing impurities from my skin but I think it would be better suited for oily/combination skin as I do find it to be quite drying on my already very dry and dehydrated skin but I’ve been using it on my T-Zone which has been working really well.

Decleor Phytopeel Smooth Exfoliating Cream £28.50

Decleor is such a massive brand but I’ve only tried one of their products so I was excited to give this a try as it has a soft cream formula which exfoliates and smoothes the epidermis whilst also gently absorbing and eliminating impurities. It doesn’t contain any exfoliating particles, making it the gentlest and most natural way to renew your skin. The cream can be used once or twice a week by applying a generous layer to the face and neck, and allowing it to dry. Once dry you can gently massage in circular upward motions, and remove excess product with your toner of choice. It is suitable for all skin types and contains the following active ingredients;

– Marjoram Essential Oil.
– Lavender.
– Thyme and Lemon.
– Plant Extracts of Burdock.
– Elder Tree.
– Green Clay.

I like applying this cream to dry skin as I find it to be more effective when doing so and it does an amazing job at sloughing away any dead skin cells, which you can see before your eyes as it balls up during the massage process for instant results. I really like how gentle this cream/mask is as it doesn’t contain any particles which is ideal for skin as sensitive as mine and I can use it all over my face and neck, or as a targeted treatment on my dry patches and it never leaves my skin feeling stripped or uncomfortable. It has quite a strong herbal scent due to the ingredients but it doesn’t bother me at all as it’s so effective at being an exfoliator / mask hybrid.

Avene Cleanance Suncreen SPF50 £16

It’s important that we wear a facial SPF every single day of the year regardless of the season due to how damaging the sun is, but it can be a minefield trying to find the perfect facial SPF as many are greasy, leave a white cast or don’t work well with makeup layered over the top.

This particular SPF from Avene claims to be a skin-soothing moisturiser to protect and eliminate breakouts with a mattifying finish and a built in SPF of 50 making it the ideal protection for oily and blemish prone skin types that are susceptible and sensitive to sun damage. Infused with high protection against UVA and UVB rays, the Avene Cleanance Very High Protection Sunscreen SPF50+ keeps your skin hydrated, clean and soothed with every use.

Its dry touch formula is enriched with hardworking ingredients that keep blemishes at bay and ensure your skin is shielded from harmful rays. SunSitive® protection provides your complexion with high protection, whilst antioxidant Pre-Tocopheryl protects skin cells from free radical damage. Added Avène thermal spring water soothes any irritations, whilst added Monolaurin regulates sebum to keep skin beautifully matte and soft. I’ve not given this a try yet as I’m trialling the new La Roche Posay Invisible Fresh Mist so I’ll add this to my stash.

NUXE Nuxellence Total Eye Contour Cream £38

This is a product I’ve already featured here on my blog back in February here, so I won’t go into too much detail as I dedicated a whole post to is and went into detail on the claims. In a nutshell it’s an eye cream which utilises light-reflecting particles, resurfacing powders and ‘soft focus’ silicone spheres to restore luminous, youthful-looking eyes.

All products featured on Gemma Etc. are PR samples or gifted items, unless otherwise indicated. This post may contain affiliate links. If you wish to find out more, please see my Disclaimer within my navigation bar.