La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Iso-Biome Soothing Cleansing Cream for combination skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
Low
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
A weak match for combination skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- Offers moderate cleansing for your combination skin, as sodium laureth sulfate and coco-betaine effectively remove impurities without stripping, while niacinamide and glycerin help balance oily and dry areas.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, which are supportive but not specialized for your oily shine concerns.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★3.9Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsUsers with oily, acne-prone skin undergoing drying treatments find this cleanser hydrating and non-stripping, effectively cleansing without causing tightness. Many appreciate its soothing properties for sensitive and reactive skin. Some long-time users note that a recent reformulation is more drying and has a stronger fragrance than the original version.
Highlights
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves my skin feeling clean but not dry”
- “doesn't make my skin feel tight after washing”
- “instantly hydrated smooth and soft to touch”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “washed off any dirt and makeup”
- “cleanses my skin very well without stripping”
- “takes off makeup easily even waterproof eyeliner”
Soothing for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “soothes skin feeling weakened by acne treatments”
- “great for reactive complexions sensitive to breakouts”
- “literally saved my face from being extremely tight”
Reformulation issues Sometimes Noted
- “reformulated version to be more drying”
- “wish I'd known this one existed [compared to old one]”
- “ruined my skin barrier and got breakouts”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “heavily fragranced compared to the original”
- “scent is too strong for sensitive skin”
- “irritating due to the perfume”
Packaging problems Rarely Noted
- “does not come with a dispenser as depicted”
- “where is the pump dispenser”
- “hard to get product out near the end”
Sources: lovi.care, cocooncenter.co.uk, lookfantastic.com, laroche-posay.co.uk, boots.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Iso-Biome Cleansing Cream a weak match for combination skin?
This cleanser offers moderate cleansing and general soothing for your combination skin, but it is a weak match because it lacks specialized ingredients to target oily shine concerns. A cleanser of this type needs to effectively balance oil production, maintain hydration in dry areas, and provide high-quality ingredients that manage shine without causing irritation.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for combination skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for your combination skin because it lacks specialized ingredients to manage oily shine while cleaning. A cleanser of this type needs high-quality ingredients that balance oil production and maintain hydration for oily shine without any risk of irritation.
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser fits in both your morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, or as the second step in the evening after a makeup remover. Because it is a weak match for combination skin, a cleanser for this skin needs balancing ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin to manage oily and dry areas without leaving heavy moisture.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing it off, and following with your retinol treatment once your face is completely dry. This gentle approach helps wash away impurities while supporting your skin barrier, which may lower the likelihood of irritation from the retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. A cleanser of this type for combination skin needs ingredients that clean gently without stripping while balancing oily and dry areas.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin, but because it provides only general hydration and soothing without targeted oil control, it is a weak match for your skin. A cleanser for combination skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid to help manage oily shine and keep pores clear.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because the skin on the body is thicker and the eyelid skin is very thin, yet this formula provides gentle cleansing suitable for those areas. Combination skin requires a cleanser that manages oily shine while keeping dry areas balanced, which this product supports through mild cleansing agents and soothing ingredients.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
A 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, 2017A dermocosmetic formulation containing Vichy volcanic mineralizing water, Vitreoscilla filiformis extract, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E accelerated skin renewal, improved antioxidant defenses, enhanced skin barrier recovery after acute stress, and improved microbiome recovery compared to untreated skin.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025The combination of Vitreoscilla filiformis extract and Vichy volcanic mineralizing water strengthens the skin barrier by stimulating skin differentiation and tight junctions, enhances biochemical defenses via antimicrobial peptides, and supports cellular immune defenses by increasing the IL-10/IL-12 ratio and protecting Langerhans cells from ultraviolet radiation compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022Topical bixin application suppresses acute UV-induced photodamage and PUVA-induced hair graying in Nrf2+/+ mice compared to Nrf2-/- mice via NRF2 activation.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2018
Why other cleansers fit combination skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Coco-Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Shea Butter, Cocamide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Mannose, Disodium Edta, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Maltodextrin, Polyquaternium-11, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, 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.
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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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