Effaclar Foaming Gel cleans harder. CeraVe cleans gentler and leaves niacinamide and ceramides behind.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser are both daily washes for oily skin, and neither contains an acid. Effaclar is the stronger cleanser: a sodium laureth sulfate base with zinc PCA, plus fragrance. CeraVe is the gentler one: sulfate-free cleansers with niacinamide, three ceramides and glycerin, and no fragrance.
If your skin is very oily and gentle washes never feel like enough, Effaclar gel is the one. For most oily, combination or sensitive skin, CeraVe is the better daily cleanser and usually the better value. If breakouts are the real issue, there’s a third option: Effaclar Medicated, with 2% salicylic acid. If breakouts persist after a few months on any of these, see a dermatologist.
Which cleanser to buy
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser: a gentler wash with niacinamide
Sulfate-free foaming gel with niacinamide and ceramides.
CeraVe cleans with milder, sulfate-free surfactants: cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and sodium methyl cocoyl taurate. It still foams and lifts oil, but it’s less likely to leave your face tight than the Effaclar gel.
Glycerin is third on the list and niacinamide is sixth, a meaningful spot for a cleanser. Ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid follow. A rinse-off product doesn’t stay on long, but these help your skin feel comfortable rather than stripped. There’s no fragrance.
With no acid of its own, it’s the easy pairing for benzoyl peroxide, adapalene or a leave-on exfoliant. The 16 fl oz bottle usually costs less per ounce than either Effaclar.
- Sulfate-free cleansers that remove oil without stripping
- Niacinamide sits high on the list
- Three ceramides, cholesterol, glycerin and hyaluronic acid
- No fragrance
- Large 16 fl oz bottle, usually less per ounce
- No salicylic acid, so it won’t treat breakouts on its own
- May not feel thorough enough for very oily skin
Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel: a deep clean for very oily skin
Sulfate-based gel with zinc PCA for very oily skin.
Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel is a classic sulfate cleanser. Sodium laureth sulfate is the second ingredient, backed by coco-betaine, so it lathers well and removes a lot of oil. Zinc PCA, an ingredient used in oily-skin care, is the only added active. There’s no acid, which means it pairs fine with benzoyl peroxide, adapalene or a leave-on exfoliant.
It does contain fragrance, and it has nothing in it to replace what it washes off: no ceramides, niacinamide or humectants beyond the glycol base. On very oily skin that’s fine. On combination, dry or reactive skin, it can leave your face feeling tight.
Buy it if your skin is shiny again by midday and gentler cleansers never feel like enough.
- Sodium laureth sulfate cuts through heavy oil
- Zinc PCA for oily skin
- No acid, so it pairs with acne treatments
- Rinses clean with no residue
- Contains fragrance
- Can feel tight or drying on combination or sensitive skin
- Usually costs more per ounce than CeraVe
Effaclar Medicated: 2% salicylic acid in a daily wash
2% salicylic acid wash for breakout-prone oily skin.
This is a different product from the Purifying Foaming Gel. Its active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, a BHA that dissolves into oil and loosens the dead skin that clogs pores. It also contains LHA (capryloyl salicylic acid), a related exfoliant, plus zinc gluconate. The base uses sodium laureth sulfate and decyl glucoside, with glycerin to soften the wash.
There’s no added fragrance, but there is menthol, which gives a light tingle. Use it twice a day in place of your regular cleanser, massage it in, and rinse.
Because a wash is rinsed off quickly, it’s best as your only salicylic acid product. The label warns that dryness and irritation are more likely if you combine it with another topical acne medication, so skip it if you already use benzoyl peroxide, adapalene or a leave-on acid.
- 2% salicylic acid to clear oil and dead skin from pores
- Adds LHA and zinc gluconate
- No added fragrance
- Replaces your cleanser instead of adding a step
- Can dry skin, especially with other acne treatments
- Menthol gives a tingle that sensitive skin may dislike
- Wasted if you already use a leave-on salicylic acid
| Gentler daily wash CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for Oily Skin | VS | Deeper-cleaning daily wash La Roche-Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel for Oily Skin |
|---|---|---|
Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate | Main cleansing agents |
Sodium laureth sulfate, coco-betaine |
Niacinamide, ceramides NP/AP/EOP, glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Added skin-care ingredients |
Zinc PCA |
None | Fragrance |
Yes |
Clean but not tight | Finish |
Squeaky clean |
Oily, combination or sensitive skin | Best for |
Very oily skin |
Usually less per ounce (16 fl oz bottle) | Value |
Usually more per ounce |
| View | View |
Salicylic acid, sulfates and fragrance
Do I need Effaclar Medicated if I already use a salicylic acid serum or toner?
No. A leave-on product stays on your skin far longer than a wash, so it does more of the work. Adding a 2% salicylic acid cleanser on top mostly adds dryness. Use CeraVe or the Effaclar gel as your cleanser instead.
What if I already use benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid?
Stick with a non-medicated wash. The Effaclar Medicated label itself warns that dryness and irritation are more likely when you use more than one topical acne medication. CeraVe is the gentler pairing because it adds niacinamide and ceramides and has no sulfate.
Is Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel too harsh?
For very oily skin, usually not. It uses sodium laureth sulfate, which cleans thoroughly, plus zinc PCA. On combination, dry or sensitive skin it can leave you feeling tight, and it contains fragrance. If that happens, switch to CeraVe.
Which of the three are fragrance-free?
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser and Effaclar Medicated have no added fragrance. Effaclar Medicated does contain menthol, which gives a slight tingle. Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel lists fragrance.
If you add Effaclar Medicated, keep the rest of your routine the same for two weeks so you can tell what’s causing any dryness. Start once a day, then go to twice daily if your skin is comfortable. If you already use benzoyl peroxide, adapalene or a leave-on acid, use a plain cleanser like CeraVe or the Effaclar gel instead.
Choose Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel if your skin is very oily and you like a squeaky-clean finish. Its sulfate base and zinc PCA cut through heavy oil, but it contains fragrance and can feel drying on anything less than oily skin.
Choose CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser if your skin is oily, combination or easily irritated. It cleans with gentler surfactants, adds niacinamide, ceramides and glycerin, has no fragrance and usually costs less per ounce.
Choose Effaclar Medicated if you have active breakouts and no other acne product in your routine. Its 2% salicylic acid helps clear pores, but skip it if you already use a salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide treatment.
