Core Viewpoint - La Roche-Posay is facing public scrutiny over its thermal water spray product, which is criticized for being perceived as overpriced due to its composition being primarily water [1] Group 1: Product Controversy - Consumers have labeled La Roche-Posay's thermal water spray as a "smart tax," questioning the justification for its high price when it contains only water [1] - The product is priced at 119 yuan for 150ml and starts at 129 yuan for 300ml, with claims of containing unique minerals and trace elements to soothe and enhance skin resilience [1] - Official representatives clarified that the water is sourced from a natural spring in France and undergoes rigorous processing to retain its mineral content [1] Group 2: Company Background - La Roche-Posay is a brand under L'Oréal, established in 1975, focusing on the development and sale of medical skincare products [1] - The brand has previously faced controversy, including a recall of its Effaclar Duo acne treatment due to the detection of trace amounts of benzene [2] Group 3: Financial Performance - L'Oréal reported a sales revenue of 22.473 billion euros for the first half of 2023, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 3% [3] - The operating profit for the same period was 4.74 billion euros, also showing a growth of 3.1% [3] - Sales growth varied across segments, with mass cosmetics at 8.41 billion euros (up 2.8%), professional hair products at 2.55 billion euros (up 6.5%), luxury cosmetics at 7.66 billion euros (up 2%), and skin science products at 3.86 billion euros (up 3.1%) [3]

Core Viewpoint - L'Oréal has recalled all batches of its Effaclar Duo acne treatment product in the US due to the detection of trace amounts of benzene, a recognized carcinogen, although the recall does not affect the Chinese market [1][2]. Group 1: Product Recall Details - The recall is limited to the US and Canada, with L'Oréal confirming that the product containing benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is not sold in China [1]. - This incident marks the second occurrence of benzene-related issues for L'Oréal products this year [1]. Group 2: Product Composition and Safety - The main ingredient in Effaclar Duo is benzoyl peroxide, which can lead to the formation of benzene due to its instability [1]. - The National Medical Products Administration of China has prohibited the use of benzoyl peroxide in cosmetics since May 2021 [1]. Group 3: Consumer Safety Commitment - L'Oréal has stated its commitment to consumer safety and has been working closely with the FDA to address the issue [2]. - The company has faced multiple class-action lawsuits in the US regarding other BPO acne treatment products, but maintains that all its products undergo strict quality control and safety testing [2].