La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer.

Moisturizers

About this product

An oil-free facial moisturizer from La Roche-Posay with a lightweight lotion-gel texture, designed to hydrate while controlling shine and leaving a matte finish on oily and combination skin.

Full ingredients

Aqua / Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Alcohol Denat, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Peg-100 Stearate, Cocamide Mea, Sarcosine, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Perlite, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Salicylic Acid, Parfum / Fragrance

Guru Score

65%

Mixed

5 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

A light, gel-like lotion that melts in and mattifies without a heavy sheen is the draw for oily and combination skin, and it layers nicely under sunscreen. The pushback is the formula itself: denatured alcohol and fragrance, with no ceramides or soothing extras, which the skeptics say risks sensitivity and irritation. If your skin stings easily, read that ingredient list before you buy.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take August 2026

What they liked

Mattifying finish without heaviness
Lightweight hydration for oily skin
Absorbs quickly without a sheen

What they flagged

Denatured alcohol high on ingredient list
Contains fragrance
Can sting sensitive skin

Best for

Oily skin Combination skin

Type

MoisturizersLotion

Key actives

Salicylic acid (BHA)

Formula notes

Contains fragranceContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Breakouts and acne1 expert

“He was breaking out a lot at a point and I put him on this with the Effaclar moisturizer.”

Dimma Umeh, watch at 6:06

Excess oil and shine1 expert

“That one offers a mattifying control finish that is great.”

Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 10:35

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Hyram

4.33M subs

~Nay

"It doesn't have any interesting natural extracts, soothing agents, antioxidant-rich ingredients, amino acids, or ceramides. [...] It just has the silicones, denatured alcohol, and then parfum fragrance. A lot of La Roche-Posay [...] products do contain fragrance, which I [...] just feel is so not necessary. [...] Overall, this moisturizer would just be a pass for me, [...] risking sensitivity and irritation unnecessarily."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

~Nay

"Avoid the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat. This particular product is also denatured alcohol. For all the above reasons, you don't want to have any denatured alcohol in your moisturizer."

Dimma Umeh

544k subs

~Yay

"I've used it alongside La Roche-Posay products. I've used it without combining it with other La Roche-Posay products and it just works. I even put my husband on this cleanser. He was breaking out a lot at a point and I put him on this with the Effaclar moisturizer. No toner, no extras. His skin cleared up and it was so obvious that his skin cleared up."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

~Yay

"Another moisturizer that I really like if you have oily skin includes the one from La Roche-Posay, the Effaclar Mat. That one offers a mattifying control finish that is great. It is like a light lotion texture."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

723k subs

~Yay

"With this [...] gel finish it just melts in quickly into the skin and I just love how it can be mattifying but also makes my skin feel plump and hydrated. It spreads very easily without leaving a heavy sheen, which is important since I'm layering sunscreen over it. I also love how portable this product is, I was able to travel with it easily. [...] For all my friends out there with combination oily skin like myself, especially in the summertime, this product is for you."

Frequently asked.

What is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer?

An oil-free facial moisturizer from La Roche-Posay with a lightweight lotion-gel texture, designed to hydrate while controlling shine and leaving a matte finish on oily and combination skin.

Is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer worth it?

The gurus are split. 3 of the 5 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 65%.

What is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer's Guru Score?

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer holds a Guru Score of 65%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer best for?

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer is generally suited to oily skin and combination skin.

What is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer is good for breakouts and acne (1 expert) and excess oil and shine (1 expert).