Updated on June 21, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA and niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
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
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M 24 ingredients
COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer 30 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M 24 ingredients
COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer 30 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Isocetyl Stearate is an ester of isocetyl alcohol and stearic acid.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer made from ammonium salts. It helps add stability and texture to a product.
Oryza Sativa Starch is an absorbent and used to mattify the skin. It is a natural carbohydrate and the main component of rice. A more common name for this ingredient is 'rice starch'.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Sorbitan Oleate is created from compounds in oleic acid and sorbitol. It is used to stabilize a product by preventing ingredients from separating.
Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
Glyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Myristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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!).
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.
Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
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.
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Oryza Sativa Starch, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Oleate, Zinc PCA, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristyl Myristate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Salicylic Acid, Piroctone Olamine
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water is an aqueous solution of the steam distillate obtained from the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Cyclomethicone is a class of silicones used to improve the texture of products.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
3 Concerns
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.
Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
2 Benefits May worsen Rosacea
Betaine Salicylate is considered a salicylic acid alternative.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Fragrance Oil Good for Oily Skin
This tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Tea Tree plant. Tea tree oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Asiaticoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Asiatic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Madecassic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Propolis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclomethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Zinc PCA, Betaine Salicylate, Mentha Haplocalix Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Citric Acid, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideZinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.
Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!
Learn more about Zinc PCACitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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 even out skin tone.
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidIngredient Ratings
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When to use
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M 24 ingredients
COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer 30 ingredients
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