La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Dual Action Acne Treatment Versus Bubble Knock Out Acne Spot Treatment
This acne treatment is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Azelaic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Benzoyl Peroxide 5.5%
Water
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 1.8%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-1
EmollientGaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Juice
AstringentSpiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid 1.8%, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-1, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Azelaic Acid, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Zinc PCA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Juice, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
