Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion Versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe toners. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion 13 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 11 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion 13 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 11 ingredients
Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
5 Concerns
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Camphor is a waxy solid with a strong scent. It is made using turpentine oil.
Menthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Hamamelis Virginiana Water is made by distilling parts of the witch hazel plant. You can also call this ingredient "witch hazel water".
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
EU Allergen
Citral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf is a plant material from the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
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.
5 Concerns
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid comes from salicylic acid, the famous acne-fighting BHA.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Preservative 5 Benefits 4 Concerns
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.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterAlcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion 13 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 11 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion 13 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 11 ingredients
evieloveslana
so irritating
I have oily skin and this managed to dry me out and irritate my skin. As well as give me closed comedones on my cheekbones that...
so irritating
I have oily skin and this managed to dry me out and irritate my skin. As well as give me closed comedones on my cheekbones that still after a month of not using this product are still on my face.
