Versus

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Clarifying Micro-Peeling Gel Cleanser - Germany Versus La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Lavant B5 Purifying Soothing Foaming Gel - Montenegro

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
French Brand France
French Brand France

Updated on November 14, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or silicones

What's Inside

They both contain sulfates

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

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
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
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

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

Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.

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.

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
Masking

Chances 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.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
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

When to use

96 Routines
43% use in am
57% use in pm
95% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
80 Routines
33% use in am
68% use in pm
96% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Clarifying Micro-Peeling Gel Cleanser 23 ingredients

2.7 /5
from 4 ratings
Broke Me Out (3) Strong Scent (2) Drying (1)
kassia's avatar

Kassia

3 months ago
Review

Overpriced cleanser that ultimately broke me out. Also has a strange almost petrol-like smell.

#expensive
#broke me out
#strong scent
moichelle's avatar

moichelle

2 months ago
Review

I used it for 3 weeks daily with corresponding serum. My face erupted in cystic acne. Stopped using it and my skin healed rapidly. Not sure which ingredient did it, perhaps the high concentration of niacinamide (?).

#broke me out
#doesn't work

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Lavant B5 Purifying Soothing Foaming Gel 22 ingredients

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