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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin .

Last updated on October 24, 2023. Published on January 26, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils or silicones

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

Face Cleanser Canadian Brand Canada
Face Cleanser French Brand France

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

Shop

Buy Foaming Facial Cleanser

Starts at $11.31
Shop

Buy Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin

Starts at $16.99

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
ph level
5.5
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
5.5

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Benefits

Scar Healing
Acne Fighting

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea (2)
Eczema
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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

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 6.

3
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 10.

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

42% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
58% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
21% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
71% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser 24 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 52 reviews
Mirq's Avatar'
May 14, 2023

Love hate relationship
I’ve been using it almost for year. It clears my skin and it doesn’t break me out but I think it’s too drying for me. I have sensitive combo skin and every time I use my skin feels slightly tight. The reason I was...

Love hate relationship
I’ve been using it almost for year. It clears my skin and it doesn’t break me out but I think it’s too drying for me. I have sensitive combo skin and every time I use my skin feels slightly tight. The reason I was using it for soo long is because I didn’t realised that tight feeling wasn’t normal. So maybe it’s better for more oily skin.

ecburcea's Avatar'
Nov 29, 2022

it is not for everyone
is not good for my skin type.

it is not for everyone
is not good for my skin type.

RememberIri_964's Avatar'
Nov 20, 2023

the one for normal to dry skin saved me. The bumps on my nose were gone

the one for normal to dry skin saved me. The bumps on my nose were gone

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients

2.8 /5
from 12 reviews
SamWheeler_339's Avatar'
Jun 6, 2023

Got by accident, didnt like
Swapped from cerave salicylic acid cleanser to this one, I meant to buy the effaclar with salicylic acid in it, got a lot more breakouts after using and skin was quite red, wouldnt recommend for acne prone...

Got by accident, didnt like
Swapped from cerave salicylic acid cleanser to this one, I meant to buy the effaclar with salicylic acid in it, got a lot more breakouts after using and skin was quite red, wouldnt recommend for acne prone skin, just get effaclar with salicylic acid in it.

ksjsj's Avatar'
Jan 8, 2024

Tried this before I realised my skin was dry, when I thought having acne = oily skin. Despite that, I don't think any cleanser should be this drying and irritating.

Tried this before I realised my skin was dry, when I thought having acne = oily skin. Despite that, I don't think any cleanser should be this drying and irritating.

Expensive
Drying
Broke Me Out
Irritating
Light Scent
Doesn't Work
Gabywu_498's Avatar'
Apr 7, 2023

Broke me out and damaged my skin barrier
I have acne-prone / oily skin and this cleanser broke me out so bad, and after using it for 6 months I realised that it was not a part of a “healing” process for my skin. Also, I never ever...

Broke me out and damaged my skin barrier
I have acne-prone / oily skin and this cleanser broke me out so bad, and after using it for 6 months I realised that it was not a part of a “healing” process for my skin. Also, I never ever struggled with large pores and closed comedones but after using this product it became a problem. Needless to say that it not only broke me out a lot but also ruined my skin barrier. That was only my experience but I highly suggest buying something else as your cleanser.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin.

See 50 alternatives
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