La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat for oily acne-prone skin
Thermal Spring Water
Salicylic Acid
Dimethicone
Glycerin
Capryloyl Salicylic AcidAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- This product offers moderate mattifying benefits for your oily skin, with silica and perlite working to absorb excess sebum, complemented by glycerin and salicylic acid for pore-clearing and oil regulation. Capryloyl salicylic acid further supports seboregulation and keratolytic action, making it highly suitable for your oily skin concerns.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits that are supportive for your oily skin and acne concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.4k+ reviewsThis moisturizer is praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to instantly mattify the face and serve as an excellent primer for makeup. The lightweight, non-comedogenic formula is appreciated for minimizing the appearance of pores. Some users find it insufficiently hydrating for drier areas or experience pilling when layered with other products. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Effective Oil Control Mostly Mentioned
- “sucked up the shine”
- “not greasy at all”
- “keeps oil to a minimum”
- “leaves a nice matte finish”
Excellent Makeup Base Often Mentioned
- “foundation glides on”
- “makeup lasts longer”
- “perfect canvas for makeup”
- “prevents foundation sliding”
Lightweight Texture Often Mentioned
- “sinks almost immediately”
- “lightweight gel consistency”
- “doesn't feel clogging”
- “feels like nothing on skin”
Price vs. Quantity Often Mentioned
- “expensive for small amount”
- “wish it was bigger”
- “pricey for 40ml”
- “tube runs out fast”
Gentle on Skin Sometimes Noted
- “hasn't broken me out”
- “non-irritating”
- “good for sensitive skin”
- “calms redness”
Pore Minimizing Sometimes Noted
- “tightens pores”
- “pores look less obvious”
- “refines skin texture”
- “smooths out pores”
Pilling/Peeling Sometimes Noted
- “noticed a bit of peeling”
- “pills under sunscreen”
- “balls up if rubbed”
- “flakes off”
Short Duration Sometimes Noted
- “oily again after 3 hours”
- “shine came back by noon”
- “doesn't stop shine completely”
- “need to blot later”
Fragrance/Scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is a little strange”
- “strong floral scent”
- “smells like baby powder”
- “wish it was unscented”
Insufficient Hydration Rarely Noted
- “skin felt tight”
- “not moisturizing enough”
- “left dry patches”
- “need more hydration”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, dermstore.com, target.com, influenster.com, beautycrew.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat work for oily acne-prone skin?
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat works well enough for oily acne-prone skin, offering moderate shine control and pore-clearing benefits with salicylic acid and silica. It has a very safe formula that is unlikely to cause irritation, though other options may fit this skin type better. A top-performing product for oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free hydration and barrier-supporting ingredients to maintain a clear complexion without clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, silica, and perlite make this cream a good fit by helping clear pores, absorb excess oil, and regulate shine on oily skin. A moisturizer for this skin type also needs lightweight hydrating ingredients and agents that support the skin barrier without heavy oils or clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
What does Thermal Spring Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Thermal spring water helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness, dryness, and stinging while improving overall skin comfort. It is well tolerated and may enhance the effects of your standard acne routine.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the morning routine after a hydrating toner and before sunscreen, and in the evening routine as the final step after your treatment. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs oil-absorbing powders like silica and perlite, alongside clarifying acids such as salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid to help clear pores and regulate oil.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment with retinol by applying it after your retinol to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. This product is unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin, but this skin type generally needs a product that includes barrier-repairing ceramides and soothing ingredients to best support acne treatments.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2016
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment daily to help manage excess oil and keep your skin balanced. Its gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation when used regularly as part of your routine.
Health Science Reports, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation for your oily skin, as it features a very safe formula with gentle oil-absorbing ingredients. However, because it contains salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, you may experience mild initial purging as your pores clear out. A product for this skin needs pore-clearing acids and oil-absorbing ingredients like silica and perlite to keep breakouts under control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream works for oily skin on the face, but products for this delicate skin area need to be formulated specifically for thinner skin like around the eyes or larger body areas. For oily skin on the body, a product needs ingredients like salicylic acid and light hydrators to clear pores and control oil without feeling heavy.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
Daily 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, 2021A 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, 2020Twice 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, 2024A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013The 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, 2023Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Cryotherapy 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, 2010Treatment 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, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007A 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, 2001Capryloyl 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, 2008Combining 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, 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, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Alcohol Denat, Silica, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylamide Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, 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
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.