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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on February 08, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, BHA and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Facial Treatment Spanish Brand Spain
Serum French Brand France

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel

Shop

Buy Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum

Starts at $39.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Retinoid (2)
Niacinamide
Peptides

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (5)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (5)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (4)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (4)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (4)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (4)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)
BHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (5)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.

Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.

One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.

Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 2.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 3.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 4.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 6.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

6
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Polyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.

This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.

For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.

Learn more about Polyquaternium-10

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 8.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 18.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

8
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent and helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from sorbitol.

As a solvent, dimethyl isosorbide helps dissolve other ingredients. This helps ensure even distribution of an ingredient. It may also be used to decrease the thickness of a product.

Studies show dimethyl isosorbide is able to penetrate skin to deliver other ingredients into the skin, making them more effective.

Learn more about Dimethyl Isosorbide

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel contains this as ingredient number 20.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

42% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
23% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
53% are loved or liked
16% have mixed ratings
26% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Biretix Tri-Active Anti-Blemish Gel 26 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
SpyrothLasagiades's avatar

SpyrothLasagiades

6 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

Strongone
Strong enough for acne and wrinkles.
15% glycolic acid, 2% salicylic acid, 5% niacinamide, retinol! But.... unsafe for fungal acne due...

Strongone
Strong enough for acne and wrinkles.
15% glycolic acid, 2% salicylic acid, 5% niacinamide, retinol! But.... unsafe for fungal acne due to polysorbate 20.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 7 ratings
Expensive (1)
Lapaki's avatar

Lapaki

1 year ago · Dry Skin
Review

Dependable anti-blemish and anti-marks serum for sensitive skin
This is a very good and gentle exfoliating serum for sensitive skin. It helped me...

Dependable anti-blemish and anti-marks serum for sensitive skin
This is a very good and gentle exfoliating serum for sensitive skin. It helped me get rid of some hormonal acne few years ago, cleared my skin and somehow made it more resistant to acids, which I had to be very carful with before. Its also good for treating backne.

GabriellaTsoukalas's avatar

GabriellaTsoukalas

9 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

Worth the try for ACNE skin
I used it for about 2 years and I was more than satisfied. Upon returning on my Erasmus trip, it broke me out and made...

Worth the try for ACNE skin
I used it for about 2 years and I was more than satisfied. Upon returning on my Erasmus trip, it broke me out and made my skin dry. I don't know if anything happened during the trip but right now I don't use it. It's really good if you have taken acne treatment pills and you need smt to keep the acne away (from my experience at least).

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