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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 .

Published on March 16, 2021

Overview

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and sensitive skin

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Exfoliator Japanese Brand Japan
Day Moisturizer French Brand France

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Day Moisturizer

Day Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin during the daytime.

Price

Shop

Buy WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator

Starts at $34.00
Shop

Buy Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30

Starts at $36.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
30

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Brightening

Concerns

Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (4)
BHA
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (6)
Eczema (6)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 7.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 8.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 8.

4
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 13.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 33.

5
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 17.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 29.

6
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 22.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 26.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

21% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
21% have no rating yet
27% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
27% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator 24 ingredients

WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator hasn't been rated yet.
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La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30 33 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Anti's avatar

Anti

3 years ago · Dry Skin
Review

Great product but not great moisturizer
I used this product for a month. It has done great job for my acne prone skin and caused no break outs....

Great product but not great moisturizer
I used this product for a month. It has done great job for my acne prone skin and caused no break outs. However, it is not a great moisturizer itself. I mostly used it before my actuall moisturizer. Plus, it has spf.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 13 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Shiseido WASO: Soft & Cushy Polishing Exfoliator.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 30 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] SPF 30.

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