Holy Grail Cleanser: La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

Pros

Cleans pores well

Seems to help acne

Very mild cooling sensation

Cons

Can be a bit drying

Price

$15 for 6.76 oz / 200 ml

I saw on Target online it's $11.69 (as of April 2016) - why? Don't know

Verdict

I've used up two full size and a 4.2 oz tube of this, so it's safe to say it's a staple in my skincare. I tried not getting this for a a couple weeks but my pores just felt less clean. I typically like to use this at night after makeup to really clean my pores so my skincare products can absorb better. The texture is very liquidy, so I usually store it upside down or else too much will come out when you open it.

I've tried the nonmedicated version of this (with a blue cap) - it doesn't seem to work as well. I especially like to use it with the Clarisonic or a rubber scrublet.

The salicylic acid is pretty standard for acne cleansers, but this also has 0.05% LHA, which somehow makes my pores look/feel cleaner.

If you have combination/dry skin, this might be a bit harsh - definitely follow with a hydrating moisturizer.

Repurchase?

Yes. And I have at least 2 times

I always get mine at Target, but it's also the same price at Ulta, CVS and Walgreens

Would I recommend it?

If you have easily clogged pores, large pores, or oily skin.

FAVORITES | 2015 (Makeup and Skincare)

Merry Christmas everyone!

My family doesn't really celebrate holidays, so I thought I'd talk about my 2015 favorites, keep in mind I have oily combination acne prone skin.

Makeup:

MUFE Mat Velvet+ foundation (review here)

If I want my skin to look good for photos that wear well the whole day, the Mat Velvet is my go to. The only gripe I have about it is there's no perfect color for my complexion right now.

Maybelline Master Conceal concealer (review here)

Good concealer for blemishes, not much more to say

E.L.F. High Definition Powder

I've had this for a long time and never really used it. Recently I used it with the MUFE foundation and found that it makes my skin look poreless and keeps my oils at bay in conjunction with the other face products I use.

MAC Sheen Supreme in Gotta Dash! (review here)

My favorite coral lipstick, it's moisturizing with a sheen. It's a pale coral but it complements my pale complexion.

L'Oreal Lineur Intense brush tip liquid liner (review here)

Very black and doesn't smudge. Flakes a bit after 10 hours if you have oily lids

Maybelline Lash Sensational waterproof mascara (review here)

I've tried different mascaras after this to see if anything is better out there, but this is the best for my thin, straight lashes - it holds a curl, lengthens, volumnizes, everything you can ask for. The only gripe I have is it smudges on my moist undereye.

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Explosion in 05 Caffeine Rush

I never reviewed this because it's never been an amazing product to me, but it's a go to palette that's travel size and looks good in photos for me. As much as I like matte eyeshadows, I don't wear eyeshadow everyday so it's not a big deal. I especially like the glittery gold and shimmery pale gold for highlighting.

Shiseido lash curler

I've tried the Shu Uemura curler and it's still a bit curvy for my eyes. The Shiseido is perfect, except it doesn't reach the inner corners as well for my eyes personally, but it curls very well - definitely worth the investment.

Shu Uemura POREfinist cleansing oil (review here)

My favorite makeup remover for everything - especially long wearing foundation and waterproof mascara that's usually really stubborn. I've repurchased the 450ml so it lasts longer, but since it's too big to travel with I kept the 150ml bottle

La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated gel cleanser (review here)

I reviewed the 3 step system a while back, and this was my favorite of the 3. It is my go to cleanser (esp used with the Clarisonic Mia) when I have clogged pores or when I'm breaking out. The original set comes with a 4.2 oz, when I ran out of it I tried using other cleansers and noticed how much better the La Roche Posay cleans my acne prone skin. It has a slight cooling sensation - I wouldn't say it's amazing for acne but it does make my face feel very clean and refreshed.

Cotz Face SPF 40 (review here)

My favorite under the radar find of 2015. I was originally going to get the Tizo tinted SPF that a Jenner uses, but ended up with this one when I saw people saying that Tizo and Cotz have virtually the same ingredients. I am pleasantly surprised that the Cotz really keeps my oils at bay, especially in conjunction with the MUFE Mat Velvet and and the E.L.F. HD powder. The tint is basically nonexistent, but this is a great facial sunscreen if you have oily skin. The semi matte finish also makes a great base for makeup. It is alumina based, so it's not slippery on my face like the silicone based sunscreens that a lot of people love.

Oronine H Ointment

This is a Japanese ointment my friend found at a Chinese supermarket. It is targeted towards skin problems like acne, eruptions, minor burns, chapped skin, skin chilblains, minor cuts, dry athlete's foot and ringworm. Sounds kind of scary, but I use this on open acne spots that are bleeding like I used to with Neosporin, usually because I accidentally popped them while I'm cleaning my face. Depending on the size of the pimple this could heal the spot overnight, or at least help with the bleeding. The regular size comes in a jar, but my friend got me this one for my birthday to try out.

I've tried using it on active acne spots and it doesn't seem to help that much. 

I use all these products daily or if needed.

Let me know what your favorites are from this year :)

REVIEW (Acne) | La Roche Posay Effaclar Acne System

Pros

Not super drying

Incorporates LHA and glycolic acid

Cons

Didn't make a huge difference in my skin

Price

$30 for the set at Target

$15 for the cleanser (6.76 oz / 200 ml)

Verdict

The original set comes with a 4.2 oz cleanser, I had used it up and purchased the full size at Target.

If you've been following my BB cream or foundation reviews (the most recent here), you'll notice I still have a lot of acne & mostly acne scars in the before photos. My acne mainly stems from hormonal imbalance (I think) and diet so skincare could only help so much. I really enjoyed the cleanser from this set, it seemed to clean my pores more than most acne cleansers I've tried. I recommended it to a close friend and she says it seems to clean her skin really well too. There's no moisturizer in this set, which I think is kind of weird because the common consensus seems to be that oily skinned gals still need moisturizing, but maybe our natural oils will suffice.

I don't care for the toner and the acne treatment as much, it didn't seem to make a significant difference in my skin. Recently I haven't been really using acne treatments, but rather an oronine H ointment my friend had gifted me saying it helps with her acne and scarring. I've been using it for 2 weeks so the verdict is still pending.

Update 12/2015 after repurchasing the cleanser and using it every night, I feel like it doesn't clean my pores as much as it used to. I did hear that it's good to switch up your skincare every 3 months so your skin doesn't get used to it (and for seasonal changes of course), but when I first began using it made my pores look really clean.

Repurchase?

Just the cleanser.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. But I notice that it makes my skin a bit red, so it might be slightly harsh. Definite not calming in the morning so I use it mostly at night