Both are mostly petrolatum. CeraVe adds ceramides and skips lanolin; Aquaphor skips preservatives.
CeraVe Healing Ointment is 46.5% petrolatum with three ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and panthenol. It’s lanolin-free, labeled non-comedogenic and carries the National Eczema Association Seal. Aquaphor Healing Ointment is 41% petrolatum with mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin alcohol, panthenol, glycerin and bisabolol. It’s water-free, so it has no preservatives.
Both seal in moisture the same basic way, so choose on what else is in the jar. If lanolin bothers you, or you want an ointment for your face or eczema-prone skin, buy CeraVe. If you want the shortest, preservative-free formula for cracked hands, heels and lips, buy Aquaphor.
Which ointment fits your skin?
| Lanolin-free, with ceramides CeraVe Healing Ointment for Dry Skin, 3 oz | VS | Preservative-free, with lanolin Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Multipurpose Healing Ointment, 7 oz |
|---|---|---|
3 oz (also sold in 12 oz) | Size |
7 oz |
46.5% | Petrolatum |
41% |
Ceramides NP, AP, EOP; cholesterol; hyaluronic acid; panthenol | Extras |
Panthenol, glycerin, bisabolol |
None | Lanolin |
Lanolin alcohol |
Phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin | Preservatives |
None |
Fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, NEA Seal | Label claims |
Fragrance-free, preservative-free |
| View | View |
CeraVe Healing Ointment: petrolatum plus barrier lipids, no lanolin
Lanolin-free ointment with ceramides, 3 oz.
CeraVe Healing Ointment is 46.5% petrolatum, a skin protectant, with mineral oil, paraffin and ozokerite wax filling out the base. What sets it apart are the extras: ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol and phytosphingosine, the lipids your skin barrier is built from, plus hyaluronic acid, panthenol and vitamin E.
It’s lanolin-free, fragrance-free and labeled non-comedogenic, and it carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. Unlike Aquaphor, it contains a little water, so it uses two preservatives, phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin.
The 3 oz size is the one to keep in a bag or to try the formula. It costs the most per ounce, so buy the 12 oz for daily use.
- Lanolin-free and fragrance-free
- Three ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid
- Labeled non-comedogenic; carries the NEA Seal
- Small tube fits a bag or desk drawer
- Costs the most per ounce of the three
- Contains preservatives (phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin)
- Still a heavy, glossy ointment
Aquaphor Healing Ointment: the simpler, preservative-free formula
7 oz jar of 41% petrolatum ointment, preservative-free.
Aquaphor is 41% petrolatum, a skin protectant, with mineral oil and ceresin wax making up most of the rest. Lanolin alcohol softens skin and helps hold the ointment together, and panthenol (vitamin B5), glycerin and bisabolol add hydration and soothing. There’s no water, so it needs no preservatives, and it’s fragrance-free.
It’s labeled for chapped or cracked skin and minor cuts, scrapes and burns, and the 7 oz jar makes sense if you use it often on hands, feet and lips.
The catch is the lanolin alcohol. Most people are fine with it, but if lanolin has irritated your skin before, choose CeraVe.
- Preservative-free and fragrance-free
- Short formula: seven ingredients
- 7 oz jar suits regular use
- Labeled for chapped skin and minor cuts and burns
- Contains lanolin alcohol
- No ceramides or cholesterol
- Glossy layer transfers to clothes and sheets
CeraVe Healing Ointment, 12 oz: the size to buy for daily use
Same formula, four times the ointment.
The 12 oz tub is the same lanolin-free CeraVe formula as the 3 oz tube: 46.5% petrolatum with ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and panthenol. It holds four times as much and costs much less per ounce.
Pick this size if you’ll use it most days on cracked heels, dry hands or eczema-prone patches. If you only need it for lips or the occasional dry spot, the 3 oz tube is enough.
- Same lanolin-free formula as the 3 oz tube
- Costs much less per ounce than the 3 oz
- Lasts months with daily use on hands and feet
- Bigger upfront buy
- Too big to carry around
Can you use either ointment on your face?
Both are dense ointments. More than 40% of each is petrolatum, and most of the rest is mineral oil and wax, so both leave a glossy layer that slows water loss. That's what dry, flaky or windburned patches need, but it's much heavier than a face moisturizer.
CeraVe is the better fit for faces. It's labeled non-comedogenic, it's lanolin-free, and its ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid add barrier support on top of the seal. Aquaphor works on the face too, but skip it there if you've ever reacted to lanolin.
For overnight use on your face, apply your usual moisturizer, then press a thin layer of ointment over the driest areas, such as around your nose and mouth or across your cheeks. A light sheen is enough.
If you're acne-prone, use either one only on dry patches, not over your whole face. For eczema that keeps flaring or acne that won't settle, see a dermatologist.
A thin layer does the job. A rice-grain amount covers a chapped lip or a cracked knuckle, and a pea-sized amount warmed between your fingers covers the dry patches on a face. A thick layer only adds grease and ends up on your pillow.
Which ointment should you buy?
Choose CeraVe Healing Ointment if lanolin bothers you, your skin is eczema-prone, or you want an ointment for your face. It’s 46.5% petrolatum with three ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid, it’s lanolin-free, and it’s labeled non-comedogenic. Buy the 12 oz tub for regular use and the 3 oz tube to carry.
Choose Aquaphor if you want the simplest formula with no preservatives. It’s 41% petrolatum with mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin alcohol, panthenol, glycerin and bisabolol, and it handles cracked hands, heels and lips well.
Both are mostly petrolatum and mineral oil, so they seal in moisture the same basic way. Decide on lanolin, preservatives and which size you’ll actually use up.
