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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion .

Published on April 01, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe toners. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, 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 need an update? Let us know.

Toner French Brand France
Toner French Brand France

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner

Starts at $16.99
Shop

Buy Effaclar Astringent Lotion

Starts at $24.94

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

BHA

Benefits

Hydrating
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Benefits

Hydrating
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (4)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 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.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 2.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Sodium Citrate helps maintain the pH of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Sodium Citrate is a chelating agent. It neutralizes metal ions from water and prevents them from binding to other ingredients. This ensures the other ingredients will not be altered.

Learn more about Sodium Citrate

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 5.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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 Oil

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 6.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 6.

7
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 7.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 7.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

We don't have a description for Capryloyl Salicylic Acid.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 8.

9
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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 9.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 9.

10
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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 10.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 10.

11
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

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 Parfum

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner contains this as ingredient number 11.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion contains this as ingredient number 11.

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

36% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
36% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
55% 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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner 11 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 1 rating
noname_330's avatar

noname_330

2 years ago · Combination Skin
Review

To harsh
This is to harsh for my sensitive combination skin. I prefer toners I can use daily. I liked the cooling effect it gave .

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion 11 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating
evieloveslana's avatar

evieloveslana

8 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

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.

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