Why won’t you heal????!!! That’s me after one month of dealing with chapped lips. Let’s go back to the beginning. A few weeks before Christmas I went for a peel. I do this a few times a year. Totally normal. Except this time, some of the peel must have ended up on my lips. Cue dryness, flakiness and all that malarkey.
I totally expected this. Peels can have this side effect on the sensitive skin of the lips. What I didn’t expect was it to last so long. No matter what I used, my lips stubbornly remained chapped. Everything was either too lightweight or contained some form of mint (that’s irritating and just makes the flaking worse). I couldn’t even mask those ugly big flakes with lipstick. That just made it look way worse.
I was literally at the end of my tether when La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm landed on my desk. I swear clouds parted and angels sang when I first tried it. Yep, it’s that good. Here’s what makes it work so well:
What’s In La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm?
SHEA BUTTER TO STRENGTHEN THE SKIN’S PROTECTIVE BARRIER
Shea butter is one of the most moisturising things on this planet. Derived from the nut of the Shea tree, this butter is loaded with fatty acids, including linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid. These fatty acids are super moisturising.
They create a barrier on the skin that slows down water loss, keeping skin well-hydrated for up to 8 hours. Studies show that Shea butter works just as well as mineral oil (that’s what derms think is the gold standard for moisturising skin). It works even on the driest of skin types (or the most chapped lips).
Related: Why Shea Butter Is A Godsend For Dry Skin
Have no idea how to take care of your dry skin? Download the “Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin” Cheatsheet below. It includes product recommendations + the right order to use them in:
CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is one of the most common emollients found in skincare. Yet, no one has heard of it. I guess it’s not as sexy as Shea butter. I know it sounds like a horribly dangerous chemical (by the way, everything – including water – is a chemical), but it’s actually derived from the fatty acids in coconut oil.
Coconut oil is another moisturising substance Mother Nature has put at our disposal. But it can give you pimples. 🙁 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride has a lighter texture and feel than coconut oil, yet it’s still super moisturising. In other words, you get the benefits of coconut oil without its side effects.
Related: Is Coconut Oil A Sunscreen? (The Answer May Surprise You)
PANTHENOL TO SOOTHE SKIN
Panthenol is the provitamin of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). (In case you’re wondering, a provitamin is a substance that’s converted into a vitamin – in this case, vitamin B5 – inside a living cell). It works as a humectant. In plain English, it attracts water from the air and binds it into your lips, keeping them hydrated for hours.
That’s in the short term. In the long term, panthenol has even cooler superpowers. When used regularly over a period of four weeks, it also relives itching and soothes dry skin. Just what the doctor ordered for my dry lips. 🙂
Related: Is Panthenol The Best Head-To-Toe Moisturiser?
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- PPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether: Think of this as a conditioning agent that helps the product spread easily and gives it that nice silky texture. It’s a synthetic ingredient that keeps things from feeling too heavy.
- Cera Alba / Beeswax: This is what gives the product structure and helps it stick to your lips or skin. It creates a protective barrier that locks in moisture. Some people with bee allergies might want to watch out for this one.
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil: This is vegetable oil that’s been processed to make it more solid and stable. It adds creaminess and helps everything stay mixed together nicely.
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate: A synthetic ester that makes the product feel smooth and luxurious. It helps other ingredients spread evenly and absorb better.
- Silica Silylate: This is treated silica that absorbs excess oil and gives the product a matte, velvety finish. It’s like a tiny sponge for shine.
- Polybutene: A synthetic polymer that adds glossiness and helps the product stick around longer. It’s what gives lip products that nice shiny finish.
- Glycine Soja / Soybean Sterols: Plant compounds from soybeans that help strengthen your skin barrier and have antioxidant properties. They’re basically little skin protectors.
- Water: Just good old H2O to help blend everything together.
- Sodium Saccharin: This is artificial sweetener that’s sometimes added to lip products to give them a slightly sweet taste. It doesn’t really do anything for your skin.
- Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid: An ingredient that helps stabilize the formula and can also condition the skin. Ie.
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate: Okay, this mouthful is basically a powerful antioxidant that keeps all the oils and butters in the product from going rancid. It’s the preservative bodyguard.
Texture
I admit I’m not a big fan of the texture: it’s quite thick and it does take a while for it to sink into your skin. In the meantime, you can just feel it sitting on top of your lips (don’t lick it off – it doesn’t taste good either).
Fragrance
Okay so this thing has literally zero smell, which is great. There’s no perfume or anything added – you might catch a tiny whiff of the beeswax and shea butter when you first open it, but honestly it disappears the second it touches your lips. If you hate when lip balms taste weird or smell like a Bath & Body Works exploded, you’ll be into this. It’s basically scentless and tasteless, very “I’m here to fix your lips, not be cute about it.”
How To Use It
Just slap it on whenever your lips feel like the Sahara desert. I’m obsessed with putting a thick layer on before bed – you wake up with baby soft lips, I swear. You can reapply it during the day too, especially if your lips are really jacked up. If your lips are seriously damaged, put a generous amount on and leave it for like 10-15 minutes as a mini lip mask or even sleep with it on.
Packaging
It’s a twist-up tube which is clutch because you’re not sticking your grubby fingers in a jar. Pretty slim, fits in your pocket no problem. The packaging is very medical-looking – white and blue, very “pharmacy chic” if that’s a thing. The twist part works smooth, though when it’s cold out the balm can get a bit stiff. Only annoying thing is you can’t see how much you have left since the tube isn’t see-through, but these bad boys last forever anyway so whatever.
Performance & Personal Opinion
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm has truly been a godsend for me. Sure, the texture and taste could be better. But it’s performance that counts. And boy, does this deliver! I know the studies show panthenol has anti-inflammatory properties after a few weeks of regular use, but I could already see some results within a few short days.
A day or two later my lips had considerably softened and the flaking diminished. My lips didn’t feel as uncomfortably tight anymore, either. Fast forward two more days and my lips were properly healed. I can finally wear lipstick again (priorities, ladies!).
But, seriously, this wasn’t the first lip balm I’ve tried to fix my chapped lips. Yet, it was like I was applying nothing. Every days, those white flakes remained stubbornly there. A few days on this and puff! Gone. I’m not taking any chances. I’m not going for any more peels anytime soon, but I’ll keep using Cicaplas Levres until the winter’s over. Just in case.
And also because it’s good. This stuff lasts for ages on the lips, so I don’t have to reapply it as often. It’s so liberating not having to reapply your lip balm every couple of hours, I tell you.
What I Like About La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm
- It actually works. My lips went from flaky disaster to smooth in just a few days, and that’s after other balms did absolutely nothing for me.
- Lasts forever on your lips. I’m not stuck reapplying this thing every hour like I’m some kind of lip balm addict.
- No fragrance or weird taste to deal with.
- The twist-up tube is super hygienic and travel-friendly. No messy pots, no dirty fingers.
- Works fast. We’re talking visible results in days, not weeks.
- Great for overnight treatment. Wake up with completely different lips, seriously.
What I Don’t Like About La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm
- The texture is thicc with two c’s. It sits on top of your lips for a while before it sinks in, which feels kinda weird during the day.
- If you accidentally lick it, it tastes pretty meh. Not terrible, just… medicinal and boring.
- You can’t see how much product is left in the tube, so you never know when you’re about to run out.
- Gets a bit stiff when it’s cold outside, so you gotta warm it up first.
- The look is very “I raided the pharmacy” – not cute or Instagrammable if that matters to you.
Who Should Use It?
Look, if your lips are absolutely trashed and regular lip balms are doing jack shit, you need this. Like if you’re dealing with flaky, peeling, tight lips that hurt and nothing’s working – this is it. Also great if you’ve done something dumb to your lips (guilty – chemical peels, anyone?) or if winter just decided to murder your face.
If you’re sensitive to fragrances and most lip products make you break out or irritate you, this is super gentle and won’t mess with you. And honestly? If you’re just tired of reapplying lip balm every five seconds like it’s your part-time job, get this because it actually stays put.
Does La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Physical and biological barrier treatment to soothe and nourish the skin, preventing future chapping. | True. |
| Anyone who has extreme dryness/damaged skin or skin that has suffered an aggression. | True. |
Price & Availability
£8.50 at Escentual, Face The Future, and Look Fantastic
Do You Need It?
Yes! If you have chapped lips, this is a MUST (and I don’t use the word “must” lightly).
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, Butirospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter, Cera Alba / Beeswax, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Silylate, Polybutene, Glycine Soja / Soybean Sterols, Water, Sodium Saccharin, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
