The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml vs La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml
Side-by-side comparison of scores, ingredients, prices and real customer feedback for The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml and La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml.
Last verified: 07 Apr 2026 · Based on 24 reviews
The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml scores 84.0/100 vs La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml at 80.0/100. The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml wins on ingredient quality, skin compatibility, value for money. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml is stronger on effectiveness and texture experience.
Which is better: The Ordinary Glucoside Foam... or La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pur...?
The Ordinary wins on value and ingredient quality (90 and 86 vs 79 and 71), costing £2.24 less for a gentler, fragrance-free formula. Choose La Roche-Posay Effaclar if you have oily or acne-prone skin — its zinc pidolate actively targets sebum and breakouts in a way The Ordinary cannot.
— AIScored Editorial Team
How Do the Scores Compare?
The Ordinary Glucoside Foam...
|
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Pur...
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 84.0 | 80.0 |
| Effectiveness | 82.0/100 |
83.0/100
Best
|
| Ingredient Quality |
86.0/100
Best
|
71.0/100 |
| Skin Compatibility |
84.0/100
Best
|
78.0/100 |
| Texture & UX | 78.0/100 |
86.0/100
Best
|
| Value for Money |
90.0/100
Best
|
79.0/100 |
| Best Price |
£10.95
Amazon UK →
Cheapest
|
£13.19 Amazon UK → |
| Form | N/A | N/A |
| Dose | N/A | N/A |
| Third-Party Tested | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Reviews Analysed | 11 | 13 |
The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming C...
Pros
- ✓Glucoside and betaine surfactant base — among the gentlest cleansing agents available, non-stripping
- ✓Completely fragrance-free and free of common sensitisers — genuine fit for reactive and sensitive skin
- ✓Effective daily cleansing including light makeup removal without compromising skin barrier
- ✓Excellent value for money — The Ordinary's pricing undercuts competitors with comparable formulations
Cons
- ✗May cause mild tightness or dryness for very dry or dehydrated skin types — follow with moisturiser
- ✗Foam format delivers less emollient feel than cream or oil cleansers; less suitable as a standalone for dry skin in winter
- ✗No additional actives (no niacinamide, AHAs, etc.) — purely a cleanser with no treatment benefit
- ✗150ml size is modest for twice-daily use; heavier users may find it runs out faster than expected
Best For
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifyin...
Pros
- ✓Clinically relevant zinc pidolate active targets excess sebum and has mild antimicrobial action against acne-causing bacteria
- ✓Non-stripping: multiple reviewers with sensitive and combination skin report no tightness or dryness post-cleanse
- ✓Rich, satisfying foam from minimal product — bottle routinely lasts 4–6 months, improving cost-per-use
- ✓Noticeably reduces whiteheads and spots within weeks according to multiple independent reviewers
Cons
- ✗Contains parfum (fragrance) — a potential sensitiser and irritant for reactive or rosacea-prone skin
- ✗Primary surfactant is SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), which is effective but less gentle than next-generation surfactants such as sodium cocoyl glutamate; unsuitable for dry or compromised-barrier skin
- ✗Not a makeup remover — an Arabic reviewer specifically notes heavy makeup requires a dedicated first cleanse
- ✗Slightly elevated price point versus drugstore equivalents, though partially offset by longevity
Best For
What does the data say about The Ordinary Glucoside... vs La Roche-Posay Effacla...?
Both of these are foaming cleansers, but they're built around quite different formulations. The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser (£10.95, 84/100) uses glucoside and betaine-based surfactants — a newer generation of cleansing agents that are significantly gentler on the skin barrier than older sulphate-based alternatives. It's completely fragrance-free, making it one of the more genuinely hypoallergenic options on the market. La Roche-Posay Effaclar (£13.19, 80/100) takes a different approach, using SLES (sodium laureth sulfate) as its primary surfactant — effective and well-tolerated by most people, but harsher than the glucoside alternatives — combined with zinc pidolate, an ingredient with evidence behind it for controlling sebum and mild antimicrobial activity against acne-causing bacteria.
If your main concern is sensitivity, redness, or you simply want a no-fuss daily cleanse that won't interfere with your skin barrier, The Ordinary is the clearer pick. It scores higher overall at 84 versus 80, costs less, and earns a value score of 90/100 — it genuinely is cheaper and better suited to what most people actually need from a cleanser. If you have persistently oily, breakout-prone skin and want an active ingredient working against excess sebum, the Effaclar earns its 83/100 effectiveness score and the zinc pidolate is a legitimate reason to choose it.
The practical difference comes down to skin type and fragrance sensitivity. The Ordinary's fragrance-free formula is the safer bet for rosacea-prone or reactive skin; the Effaclar contains parfum, which some people will react to. The Effaclar's 200ml bottle does tend to last well, but at £13.19 versus £10.95 for 150ml, The Ordinary still offers better value per wash for anyone who doesn't specifically need the acne-targeting ingredient.
The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser is built around alkyl glucoside surfactants (Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside) paired with Cocamidopropyl Betaine — a trio of mild, sugar-derived and amphoteric cleansers that produce a light foam without the harshness of sulphates (SLS/SLES).
What are the key differences?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml or La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml? ▼
Is The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Gentle Foaming Face Wash for All Skin Types Including Sensitive Skin, 150ml worth the price compared to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser For Oily, Breakout-Prone Skin 200ml? ▼
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Disclaimer: AIScored provides data-driven comparisons based on publicly available reviews. This is not medical advice. Affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
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