Since publishing this review in 2020, the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream has been renamed to Effaclar H Iso-Biome Cleansing Cream. However, the ingredients and texture have remained the same, and in this review, I will be using the product’s old name to avoid confusion.
A suitable cleanser can be a game-changer for those dealing with the dual challenges of oily and sensitive skin.
However, the La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream definitely stands out as a product that could potentially revolutionize your skincare routine the way it has for me during the time my skin was severely inflamed due to a purging period after starting tretinoin.
Therefore, this is my La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream review, and below, I will delve into the specifics of this product and provide a detailed analysis of why it may be a valuable addition to your skincare regimen.
TLDR Review Summary: The Effaclar H Cleansing Cream has a smooth, creamy, and non-irritating texture and formula that doesn’t burn my skin or make it feel tight and stretched after washing.
What is The La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream?
Ingredients
The Effaclar H Cleansing Cream has a short and straightforward ingredient list, which I appreciate.
The cleanser contains key ingredients like brightening and pore-refining niacinamide and anti-inflammatory zinc, along with a few skin-nourishing emollients and hydrating humectants, such as mannose, a sugar molecule that helps improve skin moisturization and leave a smooth, dewy finish.
Together, these ingredients make the La Roche Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream a balanced, effective solution for oily, sensitive, and reactive skin.
Consistency
The Effaclar H Cleansing Cream has a unique texture that can be described as a blend of cream and gel, offering a distinct cleansing experience.
This isn’t your typical gel cleanser such as the La Roche-Posay’s Purifying Foaming Facial Cleanser or conventional milky cream, such as their Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser.
Instead, the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream is a unique blend between them that has been formulated with an innovative anti-friction texture that effortlessly melds with the skin, delivering an instantly soothing sensation with a rich, non-drying lather that gently lifts makeup and impurities stuck onto the skin, without disturbing its delicate barrier.
Smell
The Effaclar H Cleansing Cream does contain traces of fragrance and has a mild medicinal scent that’s quite recognizable for all La Roche-Posay’s cleansers and seems to be their signature scent.
I wish there were a fragrance-free option, as the scent can be irritating to those with noses that are more sensitive than mine; however, this mild inconvenience didn’t prevent me from using the cleanser.
How to Use The Effaclar H Cleansing Cream?
To cleanse your face, lather a small amount of Effaclar H Cleansing Cream with water in the palm of your hand and apply it to your wet face.
One pump is usually enough to remove lightweight makeup or sunscreen buildup throughout the day.
However, two pumps of product might be needed when removing heavy makeup to make sure you give your skin a deep, thorough cleanse and prevent any impurities from remaining on its surface.
Performance
I picked up this cleanser because I wanted a quick relief from the constant burning from cleansers that became an everyday thing when I started using tretinoin.
After some research, I found out that La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane line is usually suggested for tretinoin users, so I was quickly on my way to the pharmacy.
Anyhow, I got the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream instead, and I realized I’d made a mistake only after coming back home and reading the label, but I decided to try it anyway and loved it immediately.
The texture of the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream was smooth, creamy, and non-irritating, and I finally had a cleanser that wasn’t burning my face, and or making my skin feel tight and stretched after washing.
The only thing I didn’t like about the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream was the scent, and while I wish they had a fragrance-free option, I used a few bottles of this cleanser without any issues before switching to my Vivant Green Tea Antioxidant Cleanser, which I had been using for a couple of years at the time of updating this review.
The important thing is that the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream worked on my oily and acne-prone skin that also felt extremely vulnerable while adjusting to tretinoin.
I would definitely recommend the Effaclar H Cleansing Cream to anyone with oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, as long as you are not particularly sensitive to fragrance.
Effaclar H Cleansing Cream Pros:
- Affordable
- Gentle and non-irritating
- Removes makeup with ease
- It doesn’t dehydrate the skin
- It doesn’t cause burning
- Safe for Accutane and Retin-A users
Effaclar H Cleansing Cream Cons:
- Not easily accessible for US customers
Where to Buy the La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream?
The La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Cleansing Cream can be purchased through La Roche-Posay’s official UK website, as well as a couple of other online retailers that ship throughout Europe:
- Feel Unique (€26)
- Cult Beauty (€26)
My name is Simone and I am a certified skin specialist. I created this website to teach my readers how to take great care of their skin and I also like to occasionally share my honest opinions on skincare products I’ve tried. You can learn more about me here.
The Acne Solution: Your Ultimate Guide To Flawless Complexion
An extensive, no-nonsense course showing you how to never have acne again, from a licensed Esthetician specializing in oily/acne-prone skin.
