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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M versus La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ .

Last updated on October 03, 2023. Published on October 06, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

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

Facial Treatment French Brand France
General Moisturizer French Brand France

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Effaclar Duo+M

Shop

Buy EFFACLAR K+

Starts at $21.99

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
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
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (3)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
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 Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 3.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Liked

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer made from ammonium salts. It helps add stability and texture to a product.

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is stable over a wide pH range. Due to its ability to absorb water, it can help thicken the texture of a product.

As an emulsion stabilizer, this ingredient is able to stabilize and mix the other ingredients. This creates a consistent texture.

Learn more about Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 6.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 8.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Zinc 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 PCA

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 11.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 9.

5
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 14.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 11.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 19.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 17.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 21.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 19.

8
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 Duo+M contains this as ingredient number 23.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 7.

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

46% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
38% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
42% 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 Duo+M 24 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 4 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Hydrating (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Pilling (1)

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ 24 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 3 ratings
KaterinaLaskaraki_411's avatar

KaterinaLaskaraki_411

9 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

i dont see a change on my skin. it is still oily with black spots. I use this product since a year ago but Im dissapointed.

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