La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin

Versus

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin Versus Acne Free Oil-Free Acne Cleanser

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, fragrances, oils, parabens or silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

New Comparison

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin

Face Cleanser

French Brand France

Acne Free Oil-Free Acne Cleanser

Face Cleanser

American Brand United States

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin 17 ingredients

Acne Free Oil-Free Acne Cleanser 18 ingredients

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin 17 ingredients

Acne Free Oil-Free Acne Cleanser 18 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Notable Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin

Salicylic Acid Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

BHA • 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.

Liked Full details ->

Water Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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.

Loved Full details ->

Sodium Laureth Sulfate Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

Sulfate • Can worsen Dry Skin

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Decyl Glucoside Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising

Decyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant. Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away.

Mixed Full details ->

Glycerin Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

0 / 0

2 Benefits

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.

Loved Full details ->

Sodium Chloride Masking

3 Concerns

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Coco-Betaine Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Coco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate Emulsifying

Not safe for Fungal Acne

Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate isn't fungal acne safe.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Hexylene Glycol Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

0-2 / 0-1

Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.

0-2 Com. / 0-1 Irr.

Disliked Full details ->

Sodium Hydroxide Buffering

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.

Mixed Full details ->

Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides Emulsifying

This ingredient is derived from caprylic and capric acids. It is an emulsifier with emollient properties.

Disliked Full details ->

Zinc Gluconate Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Zinc Gluconate.

Loved Full details ->

Tetrasodium EDTA

Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.

Disliked Full details ->

Polyquaternium-47 Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Polyquaternium-47.

Unknown Full details ->

Menthol Masking, Refreshing

3 Concerns

Menthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid Skin Conditioning

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

Liked Full details ->

Citric Acid Buffering, Masking

AHA • 4 Benefits • 2 Concerns

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

Disliked Full details ->

Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Betaine, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Zinc Gluconate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-47, Menthol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid

Oil-Free Acne Cleanser

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide • Helps fight Acne • 4 Concerns

Benzoyl Peroxide is famous for fighting acne. This is because it does a variety of tasks on the skin: it helps reduce excess oil, kill bacteria, and clear out dead skin cells. In other words, it is effective at unclogging pores.

Disliked Full details ->

Water Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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.

Loved Full details ->

Glycerin Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

0 / 0

2 Benefits

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.

Loved Full details ->

Propylene Glycol Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

0 / 0

May worsen Eczema

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.

Disliked Full details ->

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Cleansing, Foaming

May cause irritation

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a cleansing agent made from a mixture of long chain sulfonate salts. It can also help produce foam.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Xanthan Gum 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.

Disliked Full details ->

Citric Acid Buffering, Masking

AHA • 4 Benefits • 2 Concerns

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

Disliked Full details ->

Potassium Hydroxide Buffering

Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.

Very Disliked Full details ->

Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer

We don't have a description for Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer.

Unknown Full details ->

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Emulsifying

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.

Liked Full details ->

Glycolic Acid Buffering

AHA • 7 Benefits • 2 Concerns

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Loved Full details ->

Ceramide NP Skin Conditioning

Ceramide • 4 Benefits

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Loved Full details ->

Ceramide AP Skin Conditioning

Ceramide • 4 Benefits

Ceramide AP is a type of Ceramide.

Loved Full details ->

Phytosphingosine Skin Conditioning

Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.

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Cholesterol Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

0 / 0

2 Benefits

Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.

Liked Full details ->

Carbomer Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

1 / 0

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

1 Com. / 0 Irr.

Disliked Full details ->

Ceramide EOP Skin Conditioning

Ceramide • 4 Benefits

Ceramide EOP is a type of Ceramide.

Loved Full details ->

Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycolic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ceramide EOP

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Water

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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

Glycerin

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Loved

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

Citric Acid

Buffering, Masking

Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

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.

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 look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid