Why I love the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

There’s a reason why the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume is sold out almost every time I go to the drugstore.

It also gets tons of praise from skincare enthusiasts on Instagram, which might make you wonder: what even is a baume, and what’s the hype all about?

I featured the cream in a previous post on my favourite moisturizers for winter, but it’s just so good that I thought it needed its own post.

Essentially, it’s a simple, soothing cream with an interesting “gummy” texture that melts into your skin and leaves a protective film.

Within days, this cream saves my skin every time I break out, develop dry patches or experiment with one too many exfoliating products. Whenever my skin gets angry, Cicaplast Baume B5 smooths everything over and everyone’s happy again.

Product description: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

The well-loved cream is a soothing and repairing balm for dry skin on the face and body.

The cream is supposed to moisturize for up to 48 hours, helping to compensate lost moisture and calm irritation on the skin. It also provides anti-bacterial benefits for irritations such as cuts, burns, insect bites and diaper rash.

It retails for around $16 CAD at drugstores and online, though these days it’s been harder to find it in stock anywhere. I usually pick mine up from Shoppers Drug Mart when I happen to find one left on the shelf.

It’s designed to be safe for adults and children, notably free of parabens, fragrance and lanolin. Even though the texture can feel thicker on the skin, it never clogs my pores or worsens my breakouts. It repairs my skin barrier like nothing else!

Note: La Roche-Posay has reformulated this product in recent months, but honestly I haven’t noticed a big difference in how it feels or works on my skin. I believe they added ingredients to make the texture less oily-feeling once it dries down, but I’m not 100% sure. I’ve also seen versions online with SPF and probiotics, but I have yet to see it on the shelves here in Canada!

How I use it

The Cicaplast B5 Baume is a product I reach for when I want my skin to be extra moisturized and calm. That’s almost every night in the fall and winter months when my skin is more dry.

Typically, I use it as a nighttime moisturizer after cleansing and applying the rest of my skincare. I take a pea-sized amount, warm it up between my fingers, then pat gently all over my face. I’ll go over any extra dry spots with a bit more cream, and even rub it along my eyelids and lips for extra moisture.

If my skin isn’t dry all over that day, I’ll just pat it on specific areas that need it. For example, I’ll apply a regular moisturizer on my entire face, then use Cicaplast on my cheeks and nose where I get dry flakes. But I’ll avoid my forehead and chin, which get more oily.

If I have a breakout that’s healing or scabbing, I like dabbing the balm on those spots during the day, too! I find it helps the spot heal faster and with less irritation.

When I use acne treatments at night, like benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin (I use a 0.01% prescription cream 3-4 times a week), this is THE cream I will use on top to prevent any irritation or dryness.

Ingredients

Here’s a full inkey list with its key ingredients in BOLD:

AQUA, HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERIN, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER, PANTHENOL,  PROPANEDIOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, CETYL PEG/PPG-10/1 DIMETHICONE, TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN, CI 77891, TOCOPHEROL, MADECASSOSIDE, ACETYLATED GLYCOL STEARATE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE, SILICA, MANGANESE GLUCONATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, CAPRYLOYL GLYCINE, COPPER GLUCONATE, DISODIUM EDTA, CITRIC ACID, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE

I love that this product has glycerin and shea butter. Especially in the winter, I know that if my moisturizer has one of those ingredients near the top of the ingredient list, my skin will be nicely moisturized and protected from the elements.

Some people tend to steer clear of shea butter because it clogs their pores. If you know you don’t react well to shea butter, or if you have very oily skin, the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast GEL might be a better option for you. I haven’t personally tried this version, but it appears to have the same key soothing ingredients, without the shea butter.

Next, panthenol (provitamin b5) and tocopherol (vitamin e) — two of my favourite vitamins for my skin. Panthenol is known to reduce inflammation and support wound healing, in addition to moisturizing the skin. Tocopherol is a wonderful anti-oxidant for the skin, helping to reduce free radical damage in the skin from the elements, like sun exposure (you should always use SPF during the day, though)!

Zinc is another great ingredient in this cream. It’s what gives the cream it’s thicker, white texture that can sometimes leave a white case if you use a lot. Zinc gluconate in skincare is anti-bacterial, sebum-regulating and also has wound-healing properties.

I love using products with these ingredients when my skin is breaking out and sensitive.

Have you used the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 before, or something similar? I’m actually on the hunt for a possible dupe since it’s always out of stock. I’m thinking about trying the Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask, but it’s pricey. Would love to hear your thoughts!