La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser
This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Citric Acid
Buffering
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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Copper PCA
HumectantMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningSuccinic Acid
BufferingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningAcacia Decurrens Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Linalool
Perfuming
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Rhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Copper PCA, Maris Sal, Succinic Acid, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Linalool, Lactobacillus Ferment, Citronellol, Geraniol, Copper Gluconate, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.
