Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum versus Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on November 27, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
Water • Alcohol Denat. • Propanediol • Glycolic Acid • Niacinamide • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Pentylene Glycol • Salicylic Acid • Sodium Hydroxide • Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Citric Acid • Peg-30 Glyceryl Cocoate • Capryloyl Salicylic Acid • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Maltodextrin • Phytic Acid • Polyquaternium-10 • Parfum
Water • Butylene Glycol • Niacinamide • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Glycerin • Hydroxyethyl Urea • Propylene Glycol • Glycolic Acid • Tranexamic Acid • Allantoin • Sodium Hydroxide • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Caprylyl Glycol • Hydrolyzed Rice Protein • Vitreoscilla Ferment • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Xanthan Gum • Pentylene Glycol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.
When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.
Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 8.
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 NiacinamideLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 GlycolLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 20.
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 HydroxideLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 11.
We don't have a description for Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles contains this as ingredient number 4.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum 19 ingredients
Lapaki
Dependable anti-blemish and anti-marks serum for sensitive skin
This is a very good and gentle exfoliating serum for sensitive skin. It helped me...
Dependable anti-blemish and anti-marks serum for sensitive skin
This is a very good and gentle exfoliating serum for sensitive skin. It helped me get rid of some hormonal acne few years ago, cleared my skin and somehow made it more resistant to acids, which I had to be very carful with before. Its also good for treating backne.
GabriellaTsoukalas
Worth the try for ACNE skin
I used it for about 2 years and I was more than satisfied. Upon returning on my Erasmus trip, it broke me out and made...
Worth the try for ACNE skin
I used it for about 2 years and I was more than satisfied. Upon returning on my Erasmus trip, it broke me out and made my skin dry. I don't know if anything happened during the trip but right now I don't use it. It's really good if you have taken acne treatment pills and you need smt to keep the acne away (from my experience at least).
Vichy Liftactiv B3 Serum Dark Spots & Wrinkles 20 ingredients
p4j
Works for dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Lightweight. Oily and sensitive skin can use! (unless you’re sensitive to niacinamide and glycolic acid)
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