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La Roche-Posay Effaclar vs. Toleriane: Which is right for me?

by Aaron|April 29, 2022
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French skin care brand La Roche-Posay is a specialist when it comes to sensitive skin, so its product lines—all thirteen of them—can be relied on for gentle, effective skin care. La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane and Effaclar lines are two of the brand’s most popular, and you might be wondering which is a better fit for you. To see which product line—Effaclar vs. Toleriane—deserves a spot in your skin care arsenal, let’s answer some important questions:

La Roche-Posay Toleriane vs. Effaclar: What’s the difference?

All of the brand’s products are dermatologist-developed and tested, but when it comes to La Roche-Posay Effaclar vs. Toleriane, each line has a distinct goal and purpose.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane was created with allergy-prone and very sensitive skin in mind. All Toleriane products are fragrance-free and contain active ingredients designed to provide comfort and relief for skin that’s feeling dry or irritated. Glycerin, Neurosensine and shea butter come together to help hydrate skin and strengthen its moisture barrier. “I am a huge fan of the Toleriane line and use it for my most sensitive [skin] patients,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, CEO of LovelySkin and board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon. “It provides a reliable and cost-effective product line that always delivers.”

La Roche-Posay Effaclar is designed to help sensitive skin as well as oily, acne-prone skin. The Effaclar line features cleansers, toners and face treatments with active ingredients intended to help control oil and reduce breakouts while still remaining gentle enough for sensitive skin.

4 Toleriane skin care products to replenish dry skin

If your allergy-prone, sensitive skin is also feeling dry, try these skin care products from the La Roche-Posay Toleriane line.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

This gentle facial cleanser helps remove makeup, dirt and oil while maintaining your skin’s natural moisture barrier with La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water and ceramides. It also features niacinamide, which is formulated to help soothe red, reactive skin while leaving your skin feeling clean, fresh and ready for the next step in your Toleriane routine.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra

This lightweight but effective skin moisturizer was created with skin repair in mind. It contains a synthetic peptide called Neurosensine that, along with shea butter, works to help soothe irritated skin. Glycerin works as a humectant to infuse moisture, while dimethicone—a silicone-based polymer—is designed to act as a skin protectant to help seal in moisture and reduce water loss.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Eye Cream

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Eye Cream

The ultra-sensitive skin around your eyes deserves a product that’s specially formulated for this specific area. This eye treatment has a gel-cream texture and is formulated to help restore your skin’s natural moisture barrier around the eyes and on your eyelids. It contains Neurosensine, shea butter and niacinamide—all calming ingredients designed for irritated skin—as well as hydrating glycerin and La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water to help soothe skin with an array of minerals.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer

A LovelySkin bestseller, this lightweight cream moisturizer works double-duty to help repair skin in the short and long-term. This formula is specially designed to help repair your skin’s moisture barrier just one hour after use and can provide up to 48 hours of hydration. In addition to the Toleriane line staples of glycerin, niacinamide and La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, this moisturizer also contains Ceramide-3, a lipid that’s crafted to be identical to those found naturally in your skin’s moisture barrier.

3 Effaclar skin care products to control acne

It’s true: Sensitive skin can also be acne-prone. If you’ve found that acne treatments have been too irritating in the past, using the gentle yet effective La Roche-Posay Effaclar line can help you keep breakouts at bay and may just be the winner for you when choosing between La Roche-Posay Toleriane vs. Effaclar. Here are a few of our favorites.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

Preventing future breakouts starts with an effective cleanser that can help stop blocked pores before they can lead to full-blown acne. This gentle gel cleanser contains 2% salicylic acid and lipo-hydroxy acid, made to work together to exfoliate skin, dissolving the dead skin cells and sebum that can build up on the surface of your skin and lead to clogged pores. If you want to learn more, you can check out these La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser Reviews.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution

With the texture of a toner, this facial treatment harnesses the power of AHA (glycolic acid) and BHA (salicylic acid), which are both formulated to reduce excess oil and help keep pores clear. Swipe it on with a cotton pad after cleansing and with regular use, it can help reduce the appearance of blackheads, whiteheads, enlarged pores and raised, red pimples.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

Powered by 0.1% adapalene, this acne gel is the first prescription-strength topical retinoid for acne available over the counter, without a prescription. “Adapalene is quite effective as an acne treatment because it helps prevent future acne as well as treating existing acne,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Adapalene is an acne treatment that works gently to improve skin but without the drama of other retinoids. It works by preventing—as well as treating—acne. It’s a synthetic molecule that acts like vitamin A, helping to regulate skin cell turnover and keep dead skin cells from clogging your pores. It also helps reduce redness and inflammation from existing breakouts.” Rather than use it like a spot treatment, try applying a pea-sized amount over your entire face as part of your evening skin care routine.

Now that you’ve learned the difference between La Roche-Posay Toleriane vs. Effaclar, let’s get acquainted with the Anthelios sun protection line.

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About the Author

Aaron serves as Editor at LovelySkin. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and English, he has immersed himself in the beauty industry. When he’s not writing about the latest beauty trends, he spends time cuddling his dogs, scouring antique stores, playing tennis and hiking.

Other Posts by Aaron

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