Versus

La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Iso-Biome Moisturiser Versus COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer

General Moisturizer
General Moisturizer
French Brand France
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on December 03, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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
Skin Conditioning

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Learn more about Panthenol
Smoothing

Niacinamide 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 Niacinamide
Buffering, Masking

Citric 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 Acid
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

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.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

When to use

275 Routines
49% use in am
51% use in pm
95% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
115 Routines
46% use in am
54% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Iso-Biome Moisturiser 25 ingredients

3.9 /5
from 7 ratings
Expensive (4) Works Well (3) Absorbs Well (2)
itspola's avatar

Pola 🐛

2 months ago
Review

My new holy grail! Perfect for the colder months - it keeps my face moisturized all day long, even in freezing weather. It doesn’t clog pores or cause breakouts. Although it's on the expensive side and the packaging is quite small, it's totally worth the splurge!

#expensive
#light
#absorbs well
#no scent
gobs's avatar

Gabriella Stewart

5 months ago
Review

Gave me glass skin

#expensive
#hydrating
#heavy
#absorbs well

COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer 30 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Great Value (2) Light (2) Works Well (2)
sarape's avatar

Sara

10 months ago
Review

A really simple and totally inexpensive moisturizer. I've tried some similar products with a better performance, but considering how affordable this is, I think it really does a good job.

Some people consider it's not hydrating enough, but this is a product specifically formulated for oily skin types, so it will run short for people on the dry side. It also has like a cooling effect that feels Show more

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well
324's avatar

Ines Round

10 months ago
Review

I love this one so much. Started using it last summer. It's lightweight and it gives you a nice glow. If you prefer a matte look, you might not like it though because it does look a Lil shiny.it isn't moisturizing enough to use alone with tretinoin tho, so I'm on the search for another moisturizer for night time. I still love this one tho.

#great value
#light
#works well