La Roche Posay® Effaclar Foaming Gel Reviews

Thank you to Beauty Review as this product was sent to me as part of their test panel to discover whether it met my strict criteria in what I’m looking for in good, non-nonsense skin care for sensitive and irritable skin.

This comes in a 200 ml blue tube, not a white tube like the picture states. It will last for ages, especially since it is really hard to squeeze the tube to get product to come out through the tiny hole. I love this, it means I won’t use more than I need. In terms of economy this tube initially looks expensive but will last for months therefore most likely cheaper than many other products out there.

I did hope this was the face wash containing salicylic acid but this was not the case as the ingredients do not list it as being in this product at all.

A quick run through the eleven ingredients listed and potential irritants are Sodium Laureth Sulfate (foaming agent) as second ingredient and last is Parfum/Fragrance. Everything else looks fine for sensitive skin, a few preservatives in there but they are low on the irritation list and should not cause any issues unless someone has an allergy to them. No essential oils or other fragrances such as limonene and linalool.

I am trying this product with fragrance as I do not react to all products that have fragrance in it. I am wary so will go carefully with any product introduced into my regime that contains it.

To me it has quite a heavy tea tree/lemon scent to it which seems to be used in a lot of products for “oily skin”. I do find it overbearing since I’m used to skincare not smelling but the scent doesn’t linger once used.

I started using this once a day to see how my skin coped with the SLS and fragrance. Unfortunately I had to cut down that as it started to make my skin red and irritated.

I did find that it removed my mineral foundation, mascara and SPF easily and left my skin soft without that tight feeling that indicates when something is too drying.

This could be great for oily skin but it seems mine is going through some changes and is more on the drier side so if you have dry skin, this one is not for you and you should look into their Toleraine line which is designed for dry skin types.

I usually shy away from foaming cleansers as I find that they can strip the skin, so I was sceptical of this one. I do however have very oily, sensitive skin, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a product which targets those two concerns together. It is very gentle, virtually scent free, foams easily and doesn’t strip your skin out. I tried it both at the beginning and the end of the day and have ended up using it as a morning cleanser. It won’t remove makeup all that well, so you need a second cleanser to do that first, or use as a morning cleanser as I did. The packaging is your standard tube cleanser packaging, in a 200ml size. The cleanser is a clear gel. The instructions are to wet your hands and then foam the product before applying to your face which is a bit fiddly as then you are opening the tube with wet hands. You only need about a pea sized amount to do your face and neck so good value for money. I used this in conjunction with the effaclar moisturiser which helped with a breakout. I would carry on using for a morning cleanse, and it’s probably more the kind of thing I like to use in the summer months as the foaming gel is quite refreshing.

I truly had high expectations for this product - being that it is on the more pricier side and seeing some great reviews. Unfortunately in the first week this product did not work well with my skin at all, and despite me using it as instructed on the packaging - it did not do what it said it would. It had completely made my face break out (worst it has ever been) with large blind pimples in places where I have never really got them (on my cheeks and neck) and I am totally aware that purging may occur during the first week or so but my skin really had never looked that bad. This product states it is for sensitive skin which I found very surprising as I woke up in the morning and my skin had started to peel around my spots (not sure if supposed to?). After waiting another week, I started to see great results - I guess the breaking out was my skin 'cleansing' itself and getting rid of all the bad toxins? Happy to say that I will be continuing to use this product and would consider purchasing when I run out.

I found the Effaclar gel excellent. The 200 ml will go a long way as you only need small amount (5 cent piece squirt) in one use. My skin definitely feels softer, less oily and as a result I have had less acne after using this product. Acne does dry out quicker which is great. The smell is fresh and subtle, so not too offensive while using. The alcohol-free, colourant-free is a plus too. I did find a little tingling of my skin after use and as I have combination skin, I did get dry patches on my face, particularly on and around my nose and cheeks.

Firstly, I love how this doesn't have any nasties in it (alcohol, paraben and alcohol-free) so that is a big plus! This cleanser is great as it makes your skin feel clean and refreshed, without that tight, dry feeling afterwards. After rinsing, it left my skin feeling supple and soft. This is a great basic cleanser that does a great job of removing oil and makeup. Really keen to try out more products in the range. Will repurchase!

I think that this cleanser was true to its claims. It removed almost all of my makeup apart from a little waterproof eyeliner. It didn't cause any irritation and it helped with any ance that may have been brewing as I didn't have any breakouts while using it. I think long term it could be a little drying as I am more combination skin than greasy but I think it would work for most people who sit in the combination to oily range.

I’ve been using this foaming gel every day for the past 8 or 9 days. My skin is combination skin, but not overly oily. I am also not prone to massive acne breakouts, but I do get blemishes/blackheads, which can be annoying when you’re 42! So I had been looking for something that takes care of minor breakouts. The first time I used this foaming gel, I felt a slight tingling sensation and I was a bit worried I was going to react to it, but it was fine. Since then, I’ve had no reoccurrence of that sensation, so it was obviously just my skin getting used to the product. I’ve also realised that I don’t need to use a lot of it, and the great thing about the tube is that you have to squeeze it quite hard to get much of the gel out, so that helps me not to use too much! That’s good in my case as I tend to be the ‘ultimate consumer’ (as my hubby calls me!) and I have a tendency to use too much of everything! So the gel being a bit of an effort to release from the tube is a complete plus in my case! Right, now for the actual results... Initially, I found this product a bit drying on my skin, but when used in combination with the effaclar duo gel-cream, I found my skin didn’t dry out anymore after using the foaming gel. So in my case, I definitely need to use the two products daily to get the best results, as the foaming gel on its own might have dried out my skin a bit too much. That is just my experience though, and somebody with oilier skin than mine might find the foaming gel on its own fine. In terms of breakouts and blemishes, my skin has been VERY clear since using this product! I’ve had no breakouts or blemishes at all! I’ve still been removing my make-up first with a make-up remover wipe, then using this gel in the shower. My skin feels completely cleansed and fresher afterwards, so overall this product gets the thumbs up from me, and I will continue using it as my skin has been very clear. The only reason I’m not giving it the full five kisses is that it possibly would suit somebody with oilier skin more, and I do feel I need to use the gel-cream afterwards to prevent my skin from drying out. But in regards to cleansing my skin and keeping it blemish-free, it is definitely achieving that! Without a doubt. I also like how this product is paraben-, colourant-, and alcohol-free. It feels quite luxurious, and I much prefer to use a foaming cleanser than a cream cleanser. It’s convenient to use it in the shower as part of your daily showering regime. A good, effective product, and I would definitely recommend this to others, particularly if your skin is prone to breakouts as it WILL clear up your skin. Thanks Beauty Crew for letting me try it out. Four kisses.

I used to use this all the time in my teenage years, I was very very prone to acne and had terrible oily skin. I loved using it back then as it cleansed my face really well and also mattified it without drying my skin.

Fast forward 10 years and my skin is now on the normal/drier side, yet I still have hormonal breakouts. I picked this up again, just to try on the days I’m getting pimples and it still works amazing for my skin. Although not using daily, just when I need it, it still works, calming my skin, reducing breakouts, but does not dry my skin. I usually foam it up on my face, concentrating on the breakout-prone areas, leave the foam for a few seconds to sit on my skin and then rinse it off with lukewarm water, sometimes using a wet face cloth. I didn’t think it’d work so well on my face anymore due to me having a totally different skin type now, I’m so glad I picked it up again!

First things first, my skin type is as follows - combination/oily, acne prone (hormonal, whiteheads and blackheads), sensitive, rough cheeks and sun damage. So you could say I have a wee bit of everything going on but my main concern currently is getting my breakouts under control and finding products that WORK without hurting my skin.

Cleansers are usually the product that I react to the most which is frustrating when you want something to help with breakouts but also have sensitive skin! Acne cleansers are usually harsh, full of alcohol and drying ingredients & often contain menthol or peppermint oils that seriously mess with sensitive skin so hearing that this was for acne prone AND sensitive skin made my heart sing!

The packaging is fairly simple, a bright blue bottle with simple white writing, half of it’s in French but it’s fairly easy to figure out what the product is after a few seconds of scanning the writing! It’s a huge bottle too which is fantastic as the cleanser is priced higher than my usual $15 Neutrogena cleanser. I can already tell this is going to last me a long time so for the price it’s actually great. The cleanser itself is a clear thick gel, it could almost be mistaking for one of those jumbo hair gel jars! You need a little force to squeeze the gel out as it’s so thick and the hole is teeny but I like this because you’re not wasting any product.

It foams beautifully and I love nothing more than a really good foaming cleanser! The scent isn’t too strong, just light and fresh which is nice, (side note - a sensitive skin product shouldn’t have added fragrance as this is one of the main ingredients that actually causes reactions but in this case I haven’t had any problems.) Just be cautious if you do experience reactions from fragrance in skin care.

The cleanser leaves my skin feeling SO soft and clean and it hasn’t once stripped my skin either, I don’t feel like I’ve had all the moisture sucked from my face - instead I feel amazingly clean and fresh. I’ve been able to skip my exfoliater the last few days because my skin is improving so much. The last of my current breakouts cleared away 2 days ago and I’ve had no new ones since! Not even one!

I cannot recommend this cleanser highly enough, I honestly think this would work for all skin types (except for very dry skin) because it’s just so perfect. I will be buying this myself when this bottle runs out and I can’t see myself going back to my old cleanser every again!

Such a great foaming gel! Foams up easily and it is extremely good at removing oil from your face. It also smells nice and fresh!

Have used this for a week now and can see my pimples starting to clear up. Would definitely recommend for combination/oily skin. It may be too drying for people with dry skin though.

The bottle contains quite a lot of product so, in terms of price, I would say it is quite worth it.