La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel 400ml is a daily face wash for oily and blemish-prone skin, built around Zinc PCA to control excess sebum and a phylobioma active that supports the skin's microbiome. It lifts dirt, oil and impurities and leaves skin clean and matte without the tight, stripped feeling that drives oily skin to produce even more oil. Soap-free and pH-balanced, in the value 400ml size.

Why This Foaming Gel Works

Oily skin has a higher surface pH than normal skin, which lets blemish-associated bacteria thrive. Harsh foaming washes make it worse: they strip the barrier, the skin rebounds with more sebum, and the cycle repeats. Effaclar takes a different route. It purifies while holding the skin's pH in balance, so oil comes down without the barrier paying for it. It is tested on acne-prone skin and non-comedogenic.

Ideal For

Oily, combination and blemish-prone skin, including sensitive skin that reacts badly to typical acne washes. Suitable from age 10 and up. It works on the body as well as the face, so it is a practical choice for back and chest breakouts. In the UAE's heat and humidity, where midday shine and clogged pores are a year-round problem rather than a summer one, the 400ml size is the sensible buy for anyone cleansing twice a day.

Good to Know

Buy this one from a licensed pharmacy. Counterfeit and expired stock is a recurring complaint on open marketplaces, where buyers report an off smell and a gel that will not foam. Every product MedX sells is sourced through authorised channels. Note also that this is the Purifying Foaming Gel, not the Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel, which adds LHA and salicylic acid for exfoliation. If you want daily cleansing, this is the one.

• Zinc PCA: regulates excess sebum and helps reduce visible shine

• Phylobioma: a microbiome-inspired active that helps protect against blemishes and breakouts

• La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water: the brand's signature soothing, antioxidant-rich water

• Coco-Betaine: a gentle co-surfactant that softens the cleansing action

• Citric Acid: helps maintain the formula's low, skin-friendly pH

Full INCI: Aqua/Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-8, Coco-Betaine, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, PEG-12 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Zinc PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum/Fragrance. Soap-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic.

1. Wet your face with lukewarm water, which helps loosen what is sitting in the pores.

2. Work a small amount of gel into a lather in your hands.

3. Massage gently over the face in circular strokes, concentrating on the T-zone.

4. Rinse thoroughly with cool water and pat dry.

Use morning and evening. Follow with an oil-free moisturiser such as Effaclar Duo+M. If skin feels dry, drop to once daily. Avoid the eye area.