La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum for oily skin
Glycolic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Niacinamide
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few products 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 due to the presence of glycolic acid and salicylic acid, which offer excellent exfoliation and pore decongestion to address oily shine.
- Niacinamide and capryloyl salicylic acid further support oil control and skin texture refinement, complementing the primary exfoliating agents.
- The formula is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product as part of your PM routine once a week. Start slowly and build up frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb fully. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the exfoliant directly onto completely dry skin to get the best balance and results. Clean, dry skin helps the product work evenly.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when applying. Be sure to use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily while using exfoliating acids.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly rated by users with oily, acne-prone, and textured skin for its ability to rapidly reduce breakouts and smooth skin surface. While effective for many in clearing congestion and tightening pores, a notable minority of users experience purging, stickiness, or irritation due to its potent acid blend.
Highlights
Reduces acne Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared my skin for good”
- “targets breakouts effectively”
- “reduces appearance of blemishes”
- “helped with hormonal acne”
Minimizes pores Often Mentioned
- “pores are visibly tightened”
- “deeply unclogs pores”
- “blackheads reduced”
- “pores appear less visible”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels softer overnight”
- “smooths the skin surface”
- “uneven texture is gone”
- “bumps on chin disappeared”
Controls oil Sometimes Noted
- “regulates sebum secretion”
- “mattified finish”
- “less oily throughout the day”
- “balances oil production”
Drying and irritation Sometimes Noted
- “made my skin dry”
- “stinging badly”
- “caused flaking”
- “burns upon application”
Initial breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “caused my skin to purge”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “made my skin worse before better”
- “more spots appeared”
Sticky texture Sometimes Noted
- “sticky residue feeling”
- “feels tacky on skin”
- “takes time to absorb”
- “leaves a film”
Strong scent Rarely Noted
- “strong alcohol smell”
- “perfume is too strong”
- “smells like chemicals”
- “scent is overpowering”
Sources: lovi.care, laroche-posay.us, laroche-posay.co.uk, ulta.com, sephora.co.uk, beautycrew.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
What makes La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum a great fit for oily skin?
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum is a great fit because it contains glycolic acid and salicylic acid, which offer excellent exfoliation and pore decongestion to address oily shine. Niacinamide and capryloyl salicylic acid further support oil control and skin texture refinement, and the formula is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit for oily skin because it contains glycolic acid and salicylic acid, which exfoliate the skin and clear out pores to help control oily shine. Ingredients like niacinamide and capryloyl salicylic acid support this by refining skin texture and helping to manage oil.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear away dead skin and excess oil for a smooth, clean feel. It gently removes buildup from the surface, which keeps pores clear and skin looking fresh.
Molecules, 2023Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2011
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
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, starting at once a week. You may use it more often if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying it in your evening routine, but use them on alternate nights to keep your skin calm and smooth. Because both products work hard to renew your skin, alternating them helps prevent dryness and irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
How often should I use this serum?
Start by using this serum once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin handles it well, you can carefully use it more often. This gradual approach helps you monitor your skin while managing oily shine and refining texture with glycolic acid and salicylic acid.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2003Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This exfoliant treatment helps clear pores and control oily shine using glycolic acid and salicylic acid. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but some reviewers report initial breakouts as the acids work to clear out the skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
A 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, 2024The 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, 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, 2021A 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, 2013Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Cryotherapy 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, 2010Topical 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, 2005Capryloyl 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, Alcohol Denat, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Citric Acid, Peg-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Phytic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, 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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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
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