Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Face Moisturizer For Oily Skin Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Face Moisturizer For Oily Skin Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Sarcosine and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to balance

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Face Moisturizer For Oily Skin Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Sarcosine and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.

This acne treatment is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide and Bisabolol to clear breakouts and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Isocetyl Stearate

Alcohol Denat.

Silica

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Acrylamide

Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer

Vp/Va Copolymer

Methyl Methacrylate

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Butylene Glycol

PEG-100 Stearate

Cocamide Mea

Sarcosine

Glyceryl Stearate

Triethanolamine

Isohexadecane

Perlite

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Tetrasodium EDTA

Pentylene Glycol

Polysorbate 80

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Salicylic Acid

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylamide, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Methyl Methacrylate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamide Mea, Sarcosine, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Perlite, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Salicylic Acid, Parfum

Propylene Glycol

Benzoyl Peroxide

Bisabolol

Allantoin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Citrate

Laureth-4

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Disodium EDTA

Hexylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Propylene Glycol, Benzoyl Peroxide, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Laureth-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, 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.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Avena Sativa Kernel Extract is is derived from colloidal oatmeal. Besides being a healthy breakfast, oats have many benefits in skincare too.
  4. 04This ingredient helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated.
  5. 05The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer.
  6. 06Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect our skin from free-radical damage.
  7. 07Oatmeal also contains beneficial compounds:
  8. 08This ingredient is created by mixing grounded oatmeal and a liquid base.
  9. 09Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  10. 10The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure …
  11. 11Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  12. 12Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  13. 13Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  14. 14Your 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.
  15. 15Aquaporin-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.
  16. 16This 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.
  17. 17Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  18. 18Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  19. 19Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
  20. 20Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles