Product

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5: Dermatologist Review

A thick repair balm for damaged, irritated skin. For after a procedure, a retinoid overdose, or a barrier meltdown.
Last Updated: September 8, 2026
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
Key Facts What It Is What It Treats Not the Best For Texture A Dermatologist’s ConcernsMore
How to Use It Where It Fits in Your Routine What It Does Number of Ingredients Full Ingredient List Price per Ounce The Rest of the Line Similar Products FAQ
Dermatologist's Verdict

What I hand people whose skin is raw after a procedure or stripped by too many actives. Panthenol at 5% pulls water in and speeds repair under a layer that stops more escaping. Use it for a week or two, not daily. If your barrier keeps breaking down, fix the routine.

Strongly recommendedRecommendedMixedNot recommendedAvoid

The cheat sheetKey Facts

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Key activePanthenol 5%
TextureThick, rich balm
Best forDry, damaged, irritated, post-procedure skin
Approximate price$16–27 (by size)
FragranceNone
Essential oilsNone
Drying alcoholNone
LanolinNone

The short versionWhat It Is

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La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 is a thick, fragrance-free balm in a squeeze tube, about $19 for the 1.35 oz size. It is short-term repair, not a daily moisturizer, and it does nothing for acne, wrinkles, or dark spots.

Panthenol at 5%, a form of vitamin B5, pulls water into skin and speeds repair of a broken surface. Hydrogenated polyisobutene and dimethicone sit on top and slow water escaping. Madecassoside, from the centella asiatica plant, calms redness. That mix is why it feels heavy and slightly waxy, and why it does not sting.

Where it earns its keepWhat It Treats

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Eczema
Eczema
Works some
Eczema skin is short of those same fats, so water escapes and the patch cracks and itches. This balm is bland enough to cover a flaring patch and hold water in. For everyday use over large areas, a cheaper plain cream makes more sense.
Damaged Skin Barrier
Damaged Skin Barrier
Good fit
A damaged barrier has lost the fats that hold its outer layer together, so water leaves and everything you put on stings. Cicaplast Baume B5 covers that surface while it rebuilds. It is the standard thing to reach for after a laser, a peel, or a week of too much retinoid.
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Good fit
On skin that is dry rather than damaged, it seals over your usual cream. Put it on last, over damp skin, only where you need it.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive Skin
Good fit
No fragrance, and nothing in it is a common stinger. If you want zero allergen risk, plain petroleum jelly seals as well for a few dollars — greasier, much less pleasant to wear.

Don't expect miraclesNot the Best For

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Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Doesn't work
People expect a repair balm to fade the brown mark left behind. Panthenol soothes but does nothing to pigment. That mark needs azelaic acid, a retinoid, or vitamin C.
Acne
Acne
Never use
Thick and occlusive by design. The film that protects raw or post-procedure skin clogs an oily, breakout-prone face.

How it feelsTexture

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A thick, slightly waxy balm. It sits on the skin rather than sinking in, and takes a firm press to spread thin.

It leaves a soft satin film rather than the heavy shine of petroleum jelly. That film is the point, and it is why oily skin should not wear it daily.

Fragrance-free, which matters on skin that is already stinging. The squeeze tube keeps fingers out of a pot when your skin is broken.

ointment texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Ointment
Almost all oil, no water. Sits on top and seals.
Good for very dry, cracked or raw skin. Easiest to use at night. Too greasy for most faces during the day.
balm texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Balm · this one
Waxy and solid until it warms in your hands.
Good for dry patches, lips and hands. Useful in cold, windy weather. Heavy on the face.
cream texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Cream
Thick blend of oil and water.
Good for normal to dry skin. Good in winter. May be too thick for summer.
oil texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Oil
All oil, but spreads far thinner than an ointment.
Good layered over a moisturizer on dry skin. Sinks in faster than an ointment. Some oils clog pores on acne-prone skin.
lotion texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Lotion
Mostly water. Pours and sinks in fast.
Good for normal skin and for large areas like arms and legs. Comfortable in summer. Often not enough for very dry skin.
gel texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Gel
Water based, no oil. Cool and slippery.
Good for oily and acne-prone skin. Good in heat and humidity. The alcohol in some gels stings broken skin.
serum texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Serum
Thin and watery. Absorbs in seconds.
Usually carries active ingredients rather than moisture. Layers under a moisturizer. Rarely enough on its own for dry skin.
spray texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Spray
A fine mist. Barely there.
Good for the back and other spots that are hard to reach. Easy in summer. Does little for very dry skin.

The house rulesHow to Use La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

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How much: A thin layer, pressed on rather than rubbed in. It spreads further than it looks.
Where: The patch that is raw, flaking, or cracked. Face, hands, lips and body.
Layering: Last, over slightly damp skin, to seal in the water already there.
What to expect: Stinging and tightness settle within a day or two, flaking over about a week. Nothing to build up to. If your barrier keeps breaking down, the balm is not the fix. Your routine is.

Where It Fits in Your Routine

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La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 goes on last at night, after cleansing and after any moisturizer. While you are using it, stop retinoids, acids and vitamin C until the skin stops stinging. In the morning, cleanse gently, reapply if you still need it, and finish with sunscreen.

This product is good for

What's insideLa Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5: What It Does in the Skin

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A moisturizer can do three things: pull water into the bricks, replace the glue between them, or seal the wall so water cannot leave. Cicaplast Baume B5 is built for the moment the wall is broken, so it leads with the seal and adds repair on top.

Panthenol at 5% does the work — a form of vitamin B5 that holds water in the outer layer and speeds the cells that travel across a wound to close it. Madecassoside, from the centella asiatica plant, damps down redness. Hydrogenated polyisobutene and dimethicone slow water leaving.

The balm treats the symptom, and it is honest about that. Plain petroleum jelly seals just as well for far less, if less pleasantly. If your barrier keeps breaking down, the problem is what you put on it the rest of the time.

Tap an ingredient to see where it works

In the skin barrier

PULLS WATER INFILLS THE GAPSSEALS WATER INPULLS WATER IN

Small enough to sink into the bricks, where it swells them with water and holds it there for days.

A soft plant fat that both fills gaps between the bricks and slows water leaving.

A silicone that spreads into a thin film over the bricks. A lighter seal than petrolatum, and what makes a cream feel silky rather than greasy.

Draws water in and calms the skin underneath while the wall repairs.

The outermost layer, and the one every moisturizer is aiming at. It is dead — flattened cells stacked like bricks, with a mix of fats as the glue between them. That glue is what holds water in and keeps irritants out.

The outer layer, and the only one anything in a jar reaches. It renews itself constantly: a cell made at the bottom takes about a month to reach the surface and flake off. Most of what a skincare product does, it does here.

The living layer underneath, holding the blood vessels, the nerves and the collagen. It is where lasting change happens and it is hard to reach: most of what is sold for the skin never gets this far.

Short list or longNumber of Ingredients

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This is how many ingredients are on the label. The more a product contains, the more chances one of them bothers you. That matters most if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or a known allergy. If your skin tolerates most things, a long list is not a problem by itself.

This product has
33 ingredients
159

37 moisturizers reviewed, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) (1) to Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream (59). Tap a dot to see which.

Full Ingredient List

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Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Zea Mays Starch, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Trihydroxystearin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Zinc Gluconate, Madecassoside, Manganese Gluconate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Silica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Magnesium Sulfate, Mannose, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lactobacillus, Acetylated Glycol Stearate, Maltodextrin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Titanium Dioxide

The fine printA Dermatologist’s Concerns

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May be too heavy for oily skin: it is rich. Too heavy for oily or acne-prone skin as an everyday moisturizer. Use it as a treatment.

Plain petroleum jelly costs far less: petroleum jelly does the sealing job as well, if less pleasantly, for a fraction of the price. If your skin is truly reactive, plain Vaseline is the better bet.

It does not fix the cause: if your barrier keeps breaking, the problem is your routine, not your moisturizer.

What it runsPrice per Ounce

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La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 costs $14 per ounce. That is cheaper than 11 of the other 36 moisturizers priced on Dermapedia, which run from $0.42 to $97 per ounce.

The small tube costs a good deal more per ounce than the large one. A thick balm also goes on small damaged patches, so a tube lasts longer than its size suggests.

This product costs
$14 per ounce
$0.42 per oz
$1.25 per oz
$1.75–$1.78 per oz
Aquaphor $1.78
$3.19 per oz
$14 per oz
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 · this one $14
$97 per oz
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 $97
$0.42$97

37 moisturizers priced, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) ($0.42) to SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($97). Priced on the 1.35 oz size at $18.99. The scale is logarithmic. Tap a dot to see which. Prices current as of September 2026.

Its siblingsThe Rest of the Line

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La Roche-Posay's repair moisturizers run from a thick balm to a fluid — what changes is how much seal is left behind.

Heaviest & most sealingLightest
Cicaplast Baume B5
Cicaplast Baume B5
The thickest and most sealing. Panthenol 5%, for small damaged, irritated or post-procedure patches.
You are here
Cicaplast Balm B5 UV SPF 50
Cicaplast Balm B5 UV SPF 50
The daytime version, with sunscreen filters. Lighter, for healing skin that will see sun.
Lipikar AP+MAX Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
Lipikar AP+MAX Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
A rich body cream in a large tube. For big dry areas, not small damaged ones.
Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
The everyday face cream, with ceramides and niacinamide. Far lighter.

Shop aroundSimilar Products

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These are the options if you want the same sealing for less, or the plainest formula.

Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
A balm is for skin in trouble. This is the everyday fragrance-free cream for in between, $13–$15 a tub.
We recommend more
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Seals as well for a few dollars, one ingredient, nothing to react to. Greasier and much less pleasant.
About the same
CeraVe Healing Ointment
CeraVe Healing Ointment
49.5% petrolatum with ceramides and no lanolin, at $9–16, less greasy than most ointments. Another sensible cover for raw, cracked skin.
About the same

Questions Patients Ask

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Is La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 fragrance-free?

Yes. No added fragrance.

When should I use La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5?

After a procedure, retinoid overuse, or a barrier meltdown.

Is La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 good for oily skin?

It is rich. Use it where you need it, not all over.

How is La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 different from Vaseline?

Vaseline seals as well and is plainer. Cicaplast adds panthenol and centella and feels more elegant.

Can I use La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 every day?

You can, but it is made for skin that needs repair.

References

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  1. Topical use of dexpanthenol in skin disordersBacks the claim that panthenol (dexpanthenol/provitamin B5) is soothing, improves stratum corneum hydration and barrier function, accelerates wound healing/re-epithelialization, and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
  2. Topical use of dexpanthenol: a 70th anniversary articleSupports that topical panthenol/dexpanthenol moisturizes, enhances the skin barrier, prevents irritation, and promotes wound healing.
  3. Dexpanthenol in Wound Healing after Medical and Cosmetic Interventions (Postprocedure Wound Healing)Supports the post-procedure claim that panthenol/dexpanthenol accelerates healing and barrier restoration after interventions such as ablative fractional laser and microneedling.
  4. Medicinal plants and their natural components as future drugs for the treatment of burn wounds: an integrative reviewBacks the claim that Centella asiatica and its glycoside madecassoside have anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity.