Not happy with Liz Earle - Talk to me about Avene, La Roche-Posay

[yoshiblue]

Have been using Liz Earle 3 Step for years and have recently got fed up with their formulation changes likely down to cost cutting. Moisturiser changed for the worse but put up with it, but now my toner turned up yesterday has changed too. Weirdly foamy and caused my skin to itch. So I need to find an alternative sensitive toner quickly, then cleanser/moisturiser too.

Those with experience of Avene or La Roche-Posay, could you please advise which is better for sensitive combination skin. I need a toner asap, so was looking at the Avene Gentle Toner or LRP Soothing Toning Lotion.

Would welcome suggestions for alternative cream (or other gentle) cleanser and day moisturiser too.

I have moved to CeraVe salicylic cleanser and it’s worked wonders for my skin. Another think I like is the upcircle coffee serum

@AnnieSnap I agree that it should be banned across the board in this day and age. I bought the Aveeno during an eczema flare up on my face because I know I can tolerate the standard Aveeno cream. The REN evercalm range you mention I can't use, it stings. It's one reason I was so hopeful of the new Liz Earle products as they've stuck to their cruelty free ethos when some others haven't (like Elemis). One of the challenges is finding products that tick every box and sadly for me, this time LE are wide off the mark.

@frugalkitty it must be tough with eczema. I just have sensitive skin and that can be difficult enough though. There are so many cruelty free brands out there these days though. Maybe try Neal’s Yard, Body Shop, Aveda, Boots own brand, Beauty Kitchen and The Ordinary (which is lovely) to name just some.

To be fair, most of what I buy is cruelty free, body products and make up etc even cleaning products. And when my skin is behaving there are face products too, I just know when my eczema flares up my skin likes Aveeno and especially when it's on my face, I need something that soothes and heals quickly. I like the Green People scent free options, although I haven't used them in a while.

Reporting back to say I tried the Avene Tolerance cleanser and gentle toner and my skin has reacted to something - sigh!

I'm going to try again at some point next week as I know it wasn't happy with the LE toner either!

Thanks again for the suggestions above, I absolutely hate having to find new skincare and @frugalkitty we need more sample sizes!

Another range to mention is Sukin Naturals. I don't react to the cream cleanser or their night cream. I've ordered their day moisturiser from Amazon to try too as that may be an affordable option while I tinker around with other things.

I'd also say Holland and Barrett are a good place to look. I got their advent calendar last year and got introduced to a few things that I otherwise wouldn't have come across. DH loves the Ethique range and has now moved onto plastic free face wash, body wash and shampoo bars.

The thing that puts me off Aveeno is that it is tested on animals and there is just no need to cause that suffering these days
Is it? I thought EU products were not tested on animals. Is that not true anymore?

The animal testing is probably because ANY skincare/cosmetic previously sold in China HAD to be tested on animals in line with their laws. So, anything at all that you could buy in China had been tested on animals. Lots of the testing was post- manufacture (so a product could be made without animal testing, but if that company then sold that product in China, they did so knowing it would then be tested)
China is moving away slowly from that now, and mandatory testing no longer exists. But it's a recent thing.
That's why people were understandably angry at what they saw as the hypocrisy of brands. "not tested in the EU on animals" all over the product etc but in the knowledge that the same product in China had been.

A quick look at Aveeno and yes, they have the sneaky disclaimer that their products aren't tested anywhere in the world unless that country mandates it.

@geamhradh I didn't know that! I'll have to start paying more attention.

OP I reacted to an Avene cleanser a few years ago (can't remember which though) and I took it back to Boots and they refunded it.

You can still get the original toner off Amazon - I've stocked up recently.

Thanks @frugalkitty I'm going to take it back, found my receipt!

@Gingefringe - I don't think I can bear buying it knowing that I eventually can't get it. Will take a look though.

I can recommend Uriage for sensitive skin - I started using it earlier this year and my skin is much healthier and less reactive.

La Roche made my make up bobble and pill. So frustrating, I tried leaving the serum off and making sure each product had time to absorb, but didn't make any difference.

I have tried so many of the above products in the past, plus Elemis, clarins and more. I have now found for me the BEST moisturiser, Dead Sea spa magic rich moisturiser. I don't get on with anything else in their range, I got excited when I found and loved the moisturiser and so assumed everything else would work for me too but it really doesn't. However the moisturiser has been a life changer for me and my sensitive skin. X

Have a look at Angela Langford ..... her products aren't tested on animals, smell gorgeous and my sensitive skin didn't react to them.

You can order 3 samples for £5 ..... but these are incredibly generous. The facial oil I got for example lasted me over a month.

I used to use Liz Earle too but read so many reports about the formula changing that I didn't bother to restock. Am cross to hear that the perfume also seems to have changed for the worse as I love No 1 and No 15 - given the price of it you'd expect it to have staying power!

catsmother nos 1 and 15 are the only perfumes I wear! Oh I hope they haven't mucked about with them.