Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 versus La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum .

Last updated on February 16, 2024. Published on January 29, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, fragrances, 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.

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada
Serum French Brand France

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

Starts at $8.90
Shop

Buy Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum

Starts at $34.29

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

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating
Reduces Irritation
Brightening

Concerns

Irritating

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (2)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Glycol

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 3.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

3
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Acid

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 10.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

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

47% are loved or liked
29% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
29% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
18% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 17 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 3 reviews

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum 17 ingredients

Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Alternatives

We haven't detected any alternatives for The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

Our Dupe Finder has found 13 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pore-Refining and Anti-Aging Face Serum.

See 13 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...