Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Evens skin tone
- Exfoliation
- Moisturizing
Doesn't work for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-blemish
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 4
Key actives
Product Summary
"La Roche-Posay - Effaclar 3-Step Anti Blemish System" is effective for: Exfoliation
This product could be helpful for: Evens skin tone and Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Humectants (glycerin 0.50% - 0.70%, zinc pca 1.40% - 1.70%, glycerin 0.30% - 0.60% and zinc pca 0.25% - 0.45%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Price
The product retails from 35.00£ up to 48.00£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: capryloyl salicylic acid.
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
It’s time to strip it back and reset your complexion with the Effaclar 3-Step Anti-Blemish System, here to visibly reduce pores, decongest the skin and reduce the appearance of post-inflammatory pigmentation.
Source: Cultbeauty
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: capryloyl salicylic acid.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
Moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, zinc pca.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: dimethicone, isocetyl stearate.
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and slow down the water loss over time
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
An emollient that helps soften the skin
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product consistency
Used to stabilize the product formulations and works as an emollient
Used to create a nice product consistency
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating
Improves the texture of the product and helps soften the skin. Helps oil and water mix together and can be used as a cleansing agent
An emollient. Is not recommended for acne-prone skin as it can be comedogenic
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Effaclar 3-Step Anti Blemish System
Source: From product name
This product contains ingredients (capryloyl salicylic acid, zinc pca) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Evens skin tone | |
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 62/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 La Roche-Posay Effaclar 3-Step Anti Blemish System | Current | $0.00 | |
Skinfix USA Acne+ 2% BHA Spot Treatment | 75% | $30.00 | |
 Dermalogica breakout clearing booster - deluxe | 75% | - | |
Horace Sérum Acide Salicylique 2 % + Niacinamide 3 % | 74% | $19.00 | |
 REVOLUTION SKINCARE 20% Niacinamide Blemish and Pore Refining Serum | 74% | $12.00 | |
 Tula Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel | 74% | $36.00 |
Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Water, Sodium laureth sulfate, Peg-8, Coco-betaine, Hexylene glycol, Sodium chloride, Peg-120 methyl glucose dioleate, Zinc pca, Sodium hydroxide, Caprylyl glycol, Citric acid, Sodium benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Water, Alcohol denat., Glycerin, Sodium citrate, Propylene glycol, Disodium edta, Capryloyl salicylic acid, Citric acid, Parfum, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl stearate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl lauroyl sarcosinate, Silica, Ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate, Methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, Potassium cetyl phosphate, Sorbitan oleate, Zinc pca, Glyceryl stearate se, Isohexadecane, Sodium hydroxide, Myristyl myristate, 2-oleamido-1,3-octadecanediol, Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, Mannose, Poloxamer 338, Disodium edta, Capryloyl salicylic acid, Caprylyl glycol, Vitreoscilla ferment, Xanthan gum, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate copolymer, Salicylic acid, Piroctone olamine, Parfum, Unknown
- Surfactants and experimental irritant contact dermatitis
- Zinc L-pyrrolidone carboxylate inhibits the UVA-induced production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 by in vitro cultured skin fibroblasts, whereas it enhances their collagen synthesis
- Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Propylene Glycol
- Skin-sensitizing and irritant properties of propylene glycol
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Safety Assessment of Acryloyldimethyltaurate Polymers as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety Assessment of Ceramides as Used in Cosmetics
- Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review
- Beta Hydroxy Acids
- A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparations
- Glycolic Acid Peels Versus Salicylic–Mandelic Acid Peels in Active Acne Vulgaris and Post‐Acne Scarring and Hyperpigmentation: A Comparative Study