La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

This acne moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Tetrapeptide-30 to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Isocetyl Stearate

Niacinamide

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Silica

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Oryza Sativa Starch

Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Sorbitan Oleate

Zinc PCA

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Isohexadecane

Sodium Hydroxide

Myristyl Myristate

2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol

Mannose

Poloxamer 338

Propanediol

Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Vitreoscilla Ferment

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Maltodextrin

Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Polysorbate 80

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Salicylic Acid

Piroctone Olamine

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Silica, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Oryza Sativa Starch, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Oleate, Zinc PCA, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristyl Myristate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Mannose, Poloxamer 338, Propanediol, Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, Parfum

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Zinc Oxide

Titanium Dioxide

Isononyl Isononanoate

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Tetrapeptide-30

Linoleic Acid

Resveratrol

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Bisabolol

Tocopherol

Phospholipids

Lecithin

Glycine Soja Sterols

Xanthophylls

Pullulan

Sodium Gluconate

Sclerotium Gum

Alumina

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Acrylates Copolymer

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Polyacrylamide

Ceteareth-20

Aluminum Stearate

Laureth-7

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tetrapeptide-30, Linoleic Acid, Resveratrol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Xanthophylls, Pullulan, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylates Copolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Stearate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glycerin (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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

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.

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