La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser for oily skin
Salicylic Acid
Micro-Exfoliating Lha
Zinc Pca
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Glycerin
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your oily skin, this cleanser utilizes salicylic acid and zinc PCA to effectively decongest pores and regulate oil production, addressing your primary concern of oily shine.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and is designed to avoid irritation, ensuring a gentle yet effective cleansing experience.
- This product offers excellent cleansing benefits for oily and acne-prone skin, providing a thorough and non-irritating way to manage excess oil.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to significantly reduce breakouts and control excess sebum without being overly harsh. While most find it effective for smoothing texture and deep cleaning, a subset of users experiences dryness, purging, or irritation, particularly those with sensitive skin barriers.
Highlights
Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
- “clears acne blemishes”
- “reduces cystic acne”
- “prevents future breakouts”
- “cleared my skin”
Controls oil Often Mentioned
- “removes excess oil”
- “less oily all day”
- “controls shine”
- “great for oily skin”
Deep clean Sometimes Noted
- “squeaky clean feel”
- “deeply cleanses pores”
- “feels fresh”
- “removes all dirt”
Gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “doesn't strip skin”
- “fragrance-free”
- “non-irritating”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “smooths skin texture”
- “refines pores”
- “skin feels softer”
- “reduces bumps”
Drying and stripping Sometimes Noted
- “excessive dryness”
- “skin felt tight”
- “caused flaking”
- “dried out face”
Irritation and redness Rarely Noted
- “burning sensation”
- “caused redness”
- “rash around mouth”
- “chemical burn feel”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump arrived broken”
- “leaks in transit”
- “hard to open”
- “pump stops working”
Purging phase Rarely Noted
- “caused bad purging”
- “broke out initially”
- “worsened acne first”
- “small bumps appeared”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, dermstore.com, target.com, lovelyskin.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser a great fit for oily skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily skin because it uses salicylic acid and zinc PCA to unclog pores and control excess oil without causing irritation. Its gentle, safe formula cleans thoroughly while keeping oily shine in check.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Salicylic acid and zinc PCA make this cleanser a great fit for your oily skin because they help clear out clogged pores and control excess oil. These ingredients work together to give you a thorough clean while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily skin?
Salicylic acid helps oily skin by reducing excess oil and keeping pores clear. It may also improve overall skin hydration while managing breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
What does Lipohydroxy Acid do for oily skin?
Lipohydroxy acid helps clear pores and smooth out skin that gets oily and breaks out. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in everyday skincare routines.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the main cleansing step, and it is a great fit because salicylic acid and zinc PCA help clear out pores and manage oily shine. It is gentle on oily skin and washes away excess oil without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol, as long as you apply your retinol after cleansing when your skin is dry to help prevent irritation. Using gentle products together like this is unlikely to cause trouble and may help keep your skin calm and clear.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Use this cleanser daily as part of your morning and evening routine to effectively manage excess oil and keep your pores clear. It helps provide a thorough and non-irritating cleansing experience suitable for oily skin.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily skin because it uses salicylic acid and zinc PCA to unclog pores and manage excess shine without causing irritation. Reviewers rarely report breakouts or purging, and it is unlikely to clog pores since it is designed to gently clear away oil.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is formulated to clean oily facial skin effectively, but because the skin around the eyes is very thin and sensitive, you should avoid applying it directly there. It can be used on body skin like your back or chest where oils and breakouts often occur, though you should watch for dryness since the ingredients are quite strong.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Combining a salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid facial serum and mask improved closed comedones and acne severity significantly more than serum alone in adults with acne over 8 weeks, with no adverse reactions reported.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Parity was demonstrated between an OTC BPO 5.5% formulation with lipohydroxy acid and tretinoin cream 0.025% versus prescription clindamycin 1%-BPO 5% gel and tretinoin cream 0.025% in participants with mild to moderate acne vulgaris at 12 weeks.
Cutis, 2012Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Capryloyl salicylic acid peel reduced fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation comparably to glycolic acid peel in 44 female volunteers, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Zinc PCA inhibits UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production through suppressed AP-1 activation and enhances type I collagen synthesis by increasing SVCT2 mRNA expression in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Pca, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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