Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk SPF 50+ Versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Face Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Talc
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Silica
Abrasive
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Potentilla Erecta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
PEG-6
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Bis-Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTetrasodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingPolysilicone-15
UV Filter
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Charcoal Extract
Skin ConditioningTriethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone, Water, Zinc Oxide, Alcohol, Talc, Isododecane, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Silica, Isopropyl Myristate, Titanium Dioxide, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dextrin Palmitate, Glycerin, Homosalate, Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Isostearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PEG-6, Tocopherol, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Bis-Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Citrate, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Polysilicone-15, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Lauryl Betaine, Zea Mays Starch, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Charcoal Extract, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
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
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 ChlorideWater. 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 Water
