Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin .
Last updated on October 24, 2023. Published on January 10, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, oils, 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 need an update? Let us know.
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Price
Ingredient Info
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
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 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are 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 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
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 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
Concerns
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 3 ingredients 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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 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 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 Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Decyl Glucoside • Glycerin • Sodium Chloride • Coco-Betaine • Salicylic Acid • Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate • Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides • Zinc Gluconate • Sodium Hydroxide • Capryloyl Salicylic Acid • Tetrasodium EDTA • Citric Acid • Menthol • Polyquaternium-47 • Hexylene Glycol • Sodium Benzoate
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 Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateLa Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 ChlorideLa Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 6.
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.
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 9.
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 AcidLa Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 10.
Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.
As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.
Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolLa Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 5.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateLa Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 18.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 11.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients
It's very good
My dermatologist recommended me after I finished my acne treatment pills. It was indeed great. After about two years, it somehow felt itchy after using it, so I stopped using it. Would recommend for anyone on an acne...
It's very good
My dermatologist recommended me after I finished my acne treatment pills. It was indeed great. After about two years, it somehow felt itchy after using it, so I stopped using it. Would recommend for anyone on an acne treatment journey.
ayo
love this, i use it every night, face feels clean after using it. If your someone that has really sensitive skin it could possibly irritate you, test on your neck before trying it out
ayo
love this, i use it every night, face feels clean after using it. If your someone that has really sensitive skin it could possibly irritate you, test on your neck before trying it out
good
good
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin 14 ingredients
Got by accident, didnt like
Swapped from cerave salicylic acid cleanser to this one, I meant to buy the effaclar with salicylic acid in it, got a lot more breakouts after using and skin was quite red, wouldnt recommend for acne prone...
Got by accident, didnt like
Swapped from cerave salicylic acid cleanser to this one, I meant to buy the effaclar with salicylic acid in it, got a lot more breakouts after using and skin was quite red, wouldnt recommend for acne prone skin, just get effaclar with salicylic acid in it.
Tried this before I realised my skin was dry, when I thought having acne = oily skin. Despite that, I don't think any cleanser should be this drying and irritating.
Tried this before I realised my skin was dry, when I thought having acne = oily skin. Despite that, I don't think any cleanser should be this drying and irritating.
Broke me out and damaged my skin barrier
I have acne-prone / oily skin and this cleanser broke me out so bad, and after using it for 6 months I realised that it was not a part of a “healing” process for my skin. Also, I never ever...
Broke me out and damaged my skin barrier
I have acne-prone / oily skin and this cleanser broke me out so bad, and after using it for 6 months I realised that it was not a part of a “healing” process for my skin. Also, I never ever struggled with large pores and closed comedones but after using this product it became a problem. Needless to say that it not only broke me out a lot but also ruined my skin barrier. That was only my experience but I highly suggest buying something else as your cleanser.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Face Cleanser for Oily Skin.
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