This French Pharmacy Moisturiser Is The Only Thing That’s Saved My Dry, Itchy Skin

When it comes to skincare, I'm a bit of a product junkie. Working in beauty, it's part of my job to try out new products but equally, I find taking time to treat my skin to some TLC (in the form of masks, treatments and facial massage) therapeutic and relaxing. But when it comes to the skin on my body, I'll be the first to admit: I am l-a-z-y.

Despite the fact that our skin is the body's largest organ, it's no real secret that the body care section within the beauty industry isn't the most exciting. It's definitely a growing sector— look out for new acid exfoliators, masks and techy treatments taking over the body sections soon— but in general, when it comes to skincare products, the latest innovations are usually saved for the small amount of skin on our face.

It’s this lack of enthusiasm for body care in general that has left me with seriously unhappy, forgotten-about, dry skin. Come rain or shine, the skin on my body is rarely ever in tip-top shape. There are a couple of reasons why. The first is that I hate the feeling of stickiness that you're left with after moisturising. If you've ever tried to squeeze yourself into skinny jeans straight after smothering your body in shea butter, you'll be familiar with the hair-raising horror. And secondly, well yes, I'm lazy, and can't be bothered to moisturise in the first place.

I'm an avid fake tanner though (my Manchester-gal heritage has never really made peace with my milky white complexion) which only seems to exacerbate the problem. While lots of fake tans now contain hydrating ingredients to prolong the tan, they're not really enough to hydrate and moisturise the skin adequately.

So, what does my dry skin look like? It's not eczema or psoriasis but it is very dry, very unhappy skin. On close inspection (especially of my legs) they look scaly, which is mde much worse once my fake tan starts to come off after a couple of days. Plus, I know my skin isn't healthy as it itches and is uncomfortable, especially after showering.

“The skin barrier is the uppermost layer of skin and helps to protect what lies within,” Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist, tells me. “If this barrier is weakened, your skin becomes more vulnerable to external irritants and water loss, leaving it looking dry, dull and in some cases, prone to itching and eczema.” In order to tackle severely dry skin, therefore, especially long term, re-building and protecting the skin barrier is key.

I've tried lots of body moisturisers before without ever really finding one that 'works' for me. I go through phases of liking body oils (as I find them less sticky than thicker gels and creams) but body oils often break down your fake tan, which is a big no-no for me. Plus, highly perfumed oils only leave my skin feeling drier and more irritated. Then there's the in-shower moisturisers, a product innovation that I naively thought would “change my life”, and yet, they didn't. In-shower body moisturisers are great, but they're not enough. Not for my skin, anyway. I need something with a big more gumption.

This is when I came across La Roche Posay's Lipikar Baume AP+. I'm a big fan of the brand's skincare – which is hailed as heroic, especially for people with sensitive, reactive skin – or people using acne-fighting drugs like roaccutane. But I wasn't too familiar with the brand’s body care ranges. So, when this particular product landed on my desk – a lipid-replenishing balm, promising anti-irritation and anti-scratching— I snapped it up. Sure, it's not the sexiest of products but it sounded straightforward and promising, so I thought I'd give it a go.

The formulation itself is thick, there's no two ways about it. And to be honest, I've realised that if you've got seriously dry skin, you're never going to be able to use a 'quick-drying' moisturiser and really get enough hydration. But, having said which, it's not too sticky either. There's no fancy fragrance, no frills, no added shimmer or shine: just a bloody good, soothing moisturiser.

The best part about it is that it actually heals your skin barrier. With other 'cult' moisturisers I've used, I’ve found that if you don't use them for a couple of days, your skin reverts back to its original dry state. That doesn't happen with La Roche Posay. I will use the moisturiser for a few days and then not again for weeks, without my legs succumbing back to Sahara-desert dryness.

It's become my number one hero body care product because it just works. It's fragrance-free, gentle and calming to the skin, with hydrating and soothing ingredients like glycerin, shea butter and niacinamide that support and replenish the skin barrier function. Plus the thermal spring water within the brand’s products actually helps to respect the microbiome of the skin – the natural balance of good and bad bacteria, which is key to skin health.

You'll be pleased to hear that my scaly legs are now a thing of the past, and my fake tan is going on much smoother — and lasting much longer. If you suffer from dry, irritated and itchy skin, I'd definitely recommend trying it out.