Formula · 8.2

Brand · 8.0

La Roche-Posay · shea butter + niacinamide · France

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+M

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+M
8.2

LabReadAI label score

How the score is calculated
  • Actives and evidence0.7Actives with strong evidence: 1 of 2
  • Active concentration0.9Actives sit above the 1 % line — by list order a working concentration is 94 % likely
  • Completeness for the purpose0.7For “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 72 %; a broad formula across 3 purposes
  • Tolerance1.0No ingredients from irritant or allergen lists
  • adults
  • pregnancyallowed per the leaflet
  • dry skin
  • atopic skin
  • children
  • babies
  • oily skin
  • sensitive skinat 10 % flushing is possible
  • acne-pronemay clog pores
  • rosaceaask a dermatologist
Free from:
  • alcohol (alcohol denat) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “denatured alcohol” group — evaporates fast and degreases; frequent contact can dry the skin — a tolerance question, not a regulatory one; does not clog pores
  • sulfates (SLS/SLES) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES), ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), sodium coco-sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium myreth sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate” group — a cleansing surfactant from the sulfate family but with an ethoxylated chain: it cleanses more gently than lauryl sulfate. Still not for those looking for a sulfate-free product.
  • formaldehyde releasers · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “formaldehyde releasers” group — preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde; allowed at low levels but a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI)” group — preservatives; banned in EU leave-on products and limited in rinse-off (0.0015%) — a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • fragrance · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “fragrance and its allergens” group — the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works
  • parabens · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “parabens” group — preservatives; methyl- and ethylparaben are recognised as safe at permitted levels, propyl- and butyl- are limited by the EU to 0.14 %; a frequent buyer question rather than proven harm
  • mineral oils and petrolatum · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “petrolatum and mineral oils” group — purified cosmetic-grade petroleum products: form a protective barrier film; safety is established, a preference question; 0–2 of 5 (depends on the raw-material source), cosmetic white oil per DiNardo (2005) is non-comedogenic
  • soap · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “potassium soap (potassium cocoate), plant soap base (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate), tallow soap base (sodium tallowate)” group — liquid soap: fatty acids boiled with alkali. It cleanses well, but its acidity is around 9-10 against 5 for skin, which is why it often leaves tightness. The product is rinsed off, so the question is tolerance.
  • gelatin in the coating · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “vegetarian coating” group — a plant-based tablet coating instead of gelatin; it keeps moisture out and makes swallowing easier
  • toning dyes · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “violet toning dyes” group — direct dyes that settle on the hair surface and cancel the yellow cast of blonde; they wash out in 1–3 washes and leave a lilac tint if left too long; HC Blue 2 and Disperse Violet 1 are known contact allergens of hair dyes
  • tar · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “wood (birch) tar” group — a traditional remedy for dandruff and itching with a sharp smell; it reduces flaking, but can irritate a sensitive scalp and dries the hair
What for: Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job.
When:
  • leave-on
  • morning
  • evening
after a shower on damp skin, 1–2 times a day
When to expect an effect: dryness — immediately; barrier — 2–4 weeks; tone, pores — 4–8 weeks; sebum — 2–4
What is normal: mild flushing in the first days at high concentration

Ingredients — 26 components · 2 work

What works: 2 of 26 ingredients: shea butter, niacinamide. Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job.

Strengths: active concentration, tolerance

What lowers the score: actives and evidence: actives with strong evidence: 1 of 2; completeness for the purpose: for “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 72 %

Questions: no debatable ingredients in the formula

  • AQUA/WATER base: coating, fillers · water — the solvent and base; listed first because there is more of it than anything else; in supplements — part of the capsule shell
  • BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER/SHEA BUTTER works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: butter
  • GLYCERIN base: coating, fillers · a humectant: coats the tablet, holds moisture in creams and shampoos; does not clog pores
  • DIMETHICONE base: coating, fillers · form a smooth film and shine; inert and not absorbed — a preference question, not a safety one
  • NIACINAMIDE works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: niacinamide
  • CETEARYL ALCOHOL base: coating, fillers · a fatty-alcohol blend (C16–C18), an emulsifier and thickener, does not dry the skin; paired with ceteareth-20 — 4 of 5; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS SEED OIL/RAPESEED SEED OIL base: coating, fillers · the plant base: emollient oils, waxes and care extracts
  • GLYCERYL STEARATE base: coating, fillers · the basic cream emulsifier (neutral NSE form); the self-emulsifying SE form with added potassium stearate is a separate entry, 3 of 5; does not clog pores
  • AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE base: coating, fillers · hold the texture: gels, creams and foam do not separate
  • PEG-100 STEARATE base: coating, fillers · a highly ethoxylated emulsifier, the usual partner of glyceryl stearate; does not clog pores
  • PROPANEDIOL base: coating, fillers · a humectant and solvent from corn sugar: it holds water and helps actives dissolve. A gentler replacement for propylene glycol.
  • OPHIOPOGON JAPONICUS ROOT EXTRACT base: coating, fillers · the plant base: emollient oils, waxes and care extracts
  • PEG-20 METHYL GLUCOSE SESQUISTEARATE base: coating, fillers · cleanse and bind water with oils; milder than the sulfate ones
  • SORBITAN TRISTEARATE base: coating, fillers · soften, condition and carry the actives; the backbone of the texture
  • DIMETHICONOL base: coating, fillers · form a smooth film and shine; inert and not absorbed — a preference question, not a safety one
  • SODIUM CHLORIDE base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • MANNOSE base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • COCO-BETAINE base: coating, fillers · an amphoteric surfactant from coconut oil: it cleanses and stabilises foam. Slightly harsher than cocamidopropyl betaine, yet clearly milder than the sulfates.
  • DISODIUM EDTA base: coating, fillers · bind hard-water metals so the formula stays stable and the foam works
  • CAPRYLOYL GLYCINE base: coating, fillers · protect the product from bacteria and mould; used within the EU-permitted concentrations
  • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL base: coating, fillers · a humectant that also holds bacteria back, which is why it often replaces part of the preservative.
  • VITREOSCILLA FERMENT base: coating, fillers · skin-microbiome ferments, prebiotics and formula antioxidants
  • CITRIC ACID base: coating, fillers · acidity regulator
  • MALTODEXTRIN base: coating, fillers · carbohydrate filler
  • XANTHAN GUM base: coating, fillers · hold the texture: gels, creams and foam do not separate
  • TOCOPHEROL base: coating, fillers · vitamin E at hundredths of a percent: keeps the oils of the formula (a cream or a capsule fill) from going rancid; at that share it protects the product, it is not vitamin E as an active
  • PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE base: coating, fillers · a synthetic formula antioxidant: protects the oils and actives from oxidation; hundredths of a percent, no action on the skin

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+M is a product whose active ingredient is shea butter + niacinamide (vitamin b3). The concentration is not declared, but the active sits above the 1 % line in the list — a working share is likely. There is little evidence of effect: shea butter. The effect is supported by studies: niacinamide (vitamin b3). The formula has 26 ingredients, 2 of which do the work; the rest is the formula base. Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job. By the list, no alcohol (alcohol denat), sulfates (SLS/SLES), formaldehyde releasers, isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI), fragrance, parabens, mineral oils and petrolatum, soap, gelatin in the coating, toning dyes, tar. Suitable for: adults, pregnancy, dry skin, atopic skin, children, babies, oily skin. sensitive skin, acne-prone, rosacea — ask a doctor. Use: after a shower on damp skin, 1–2 times a day. When to expect an effect: dryness — immediately; barrier — 2–4 weeks. Label score — 8.2 out of 10 (actives with strong evidence: 1 of 2; actives sit above the 1 % line — by list order a working concentration is 94 % likely; for “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 72 %; a broad formula across 3 purposes).

Who it does not suit

When to stop: persistent burning — stop

Is this product right for your skin?

The score describes the formula, not your skin: the same product dries one person and saves another. Describe your skin type, reactions and goals, attach a photo of the ingredient list or the product — we will go through every ingredient and say whether it suits you, what to pair it with and what to avoid.

Cosmetic ingredient checkDecode my tests

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