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Product Comparison

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

Published on May 03, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both general moisturizers. They have a total of 10 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 common allergens, oils, 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 need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer French Brand France
General Moisturizer French Brand France

General Moisturizer

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

General Moisturizer

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

Price

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Buy EFFACLAR K+

Starts at $21.99
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Buy Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant

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
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)

Notable Ingredients

Mineral UV Filter
BHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (5)
Acne Trigger (5)
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

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

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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant 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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 4.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 7.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 12.

4
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 8.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 7.

5
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 9.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 17.

6
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 11.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 10.

7
What it does: Emollient, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Silica Silylate is a siloxane polymer, meaning it is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is not soluble in water.

This ingredient is a white powder with oil-absorbing, emollient, and anticaking properties.

La Roche-Posay EFFACLAR K+ contains this as ingredient number 13.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 13.

8
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 16.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 30.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

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

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 23.

10
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 K+ contains this as ingredient number 24.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant contains this as ingredient number 28.

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

38% are loved or liked
17% have mixed ratings
46% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
32% are loved or liked
24% have mixed ratings
32% are disliked or very disliked
13% 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 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.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant 38 ingredients

Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant hasn't been rated yet.
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