Both are gentle, low-lather cream cleansers. CeraVe adds barrier lipids; Cetaphil keeps the list short.
In the CeraVe vs. Cetaphil cleanser matchup, you’re choosing between two of the mildest drugstore face washes you can buy. Neither foams much, neither has fragrance, and both suit dry and sensitive skin. The difference is what comes along with the cleansing.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is the richer formula. It pairs glycerin and fatty alcohols with three ceramides (NP, AP and EOP), cholesterol, phytosphingosine and hyaluronic acid. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is the simpler one. It has just ten ingredients: glycerin, panthenol and niacinamide in a creamy base with a small amount of cleansing agent. It also costs less per ounce, and you can use it without water.
Which cleanser should you buy?
| Barrier-lipid pick CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser for Dry Skin, 16oz | VS | Minimalist pick Cetaphil Gentle Hydrating Cleanser for Sensitive Skin, 20oz |
|---|---|---|
Lotion-like cream, little lather | Texture |
Creamy, non-foaming |
Ceramides NP, AP, EOP + cholesterol + phytosphingosine | Barrier lipids |
None |
Glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Hydrators and soothers |
Glycerin, panthenol, niacinamide |
24 | Ingredient count |
10 |
No, rinse off | Use without water |
Yes, wipe off with a soft cloth |
Normal to dry skin | Made for |
Dry to normal, sensitive skin |
16 oz (19 oz also available) | Bottle |
20 oz |
| View | View |
What's actually in each bottle
CeraVe is built like a thin lotion. Water, glycerin and fatty alcohols (cetearyl and stearyl alcohol) make up the base, and mild emulsifiers do the cleaning instead of a foaming surfactant. Further down are ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol and phytosphingosine, the lipids your skin barrier is made of, plus hyaluronic acid.
Cetaphil has ten ingredients. Water and glycerin come first, then cetearyl alcohol for the creamy body, then panthenol (vitamin B5) and niacinamide. Its only true cleansing agent, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sits eighth on the list, which is why it feels more like a lotion than a soap.
A cleanser only sits on your skin for a minute, so neither one replaces a moisturizer. What the extras do is keep the wash from stripping you. Dry skin gets more from CeraVe's lipids; skin that just needs a mild, simple wash gets everything it needs from Cetaphil.
Neither formula contains fragrance or essential oils. If niacinamide has made your skin flush before, CeraVe avoids it. If you want the fewest possible ingredients touching your face, Cetaphil wins.
How they fit into your routine
Both are low-lather cleansers, so don't wait for foam. Massage either one over damp skin for about 30 seconds, rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. Put on moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp.
Cetaphil also works without water. Apply a generous amount, massage it in and wipe off the excess with a soft cloth. That makes it handy for travel, a quick morning cleanse or days when your skin is too irritated for hot water and rubbing. CeraVe is meant to be rinsed.
If you wear heavy or waterproof makeup, take it off first with a cleansing balm or micellar water, then follow with either cleanser. Both are too mild to break down long-wear formulas in one pass.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser: the ceramide pick for dry skin
Ceramide cream cleanser for normal to dry skin.
CeraVe’s cleanser is a lotion-like cream that makes very little lather. Glycerin sits second on the list, ahead of fatty alcohols that keep skin from feeling stripped. Mild emulsifiers lift dirt and oil without the squeaky feel of a foaming wash.
What sets it apart is the barrier set: ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol and phytosphingosine, plus hyaluronic acid. A cleanser rinses off, so treat these as the reason it won’t leave you tight, not as a treatment. It has no fragrance, is labeled not to clog pores and carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance.
Choose it if your skin is dry, flaky or eczema-prone. Skip it if your skin is oily and you like to feel thoroughly clean; it won’t cut through much oil.
- Three ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid in a gentle cream base
- No fragrance; carries the National Eczema Association seal
- Leaves dry skin comfortable rather than tight
- Too mild to feel clean on oily skin
- Has to be rinsed off
- Costs more per ounce than Cetaphil in the 16 oz size
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: ten ingredients, no water needed
Ten-ingredient cream cleanser for sensitive skin.
Cetaphil’s current formula is about as short as cleansers get: water, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, panthenol, niacinamide, pantolactone, xanthan gum, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium benzoate and citric acid. The one true cleansing agent sits eighth, so the wash is creamy and non-foaming.
Panthenol (vitamin B5) draws in water and soothes, and niacinamide supports the skin barrier. On a rinse-off product their main job is keeping the wash from drying you out. There’s no fragrance and no parabens.
You can rinse it off or wipe it away with a soft cloth, which suits travel or very irritated skin. Choose it for normal to dry sensitive skin, a short ingredient list or a lower cost per ounce. Skip it if niacinamide has made your skin flush before.
- Ten-ingredient formula with no fragrance
- Panthenol and niacinamide keep skin comfortable after washing
- Works with or without water
- Usually costs less per ounce
- No ceramides or other barrier lipids
- Too mild on its own for oily skin or heavy makeup
- Niacinamide may not suit skin that flushes easily
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, 19 oz: same formula, bigger bottle
- Identical formula to the 16 oz bottle
- Three more ounces per bottle
- Usually costs less per ounce than the 16 oz
- Does nothing different for your skin
- A bigger commitment if you haven’t tried CeraVe yet
The 19 oz CeraVe holds the same cleanser as the 16 oz and usually costs less per ounce. Cetaphil’s 20 oz bottle is often cheaper per ounce than either. Divide the live price by the ounces before you decide.
The CeraVe vs. Cetaphil cleanser choice comes down to how dry your skin is.
Choose CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser if your skin is dry, flaky or eczema-prone. Its ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid make it the more nourishing wash, and it carries the National Eczema Association seal. Once you know you like it, the 19 oz bottle is the better buy.
Choose Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser if your skin is sensitive but not very dry, or you want the shortest ingredient list. It has ten ingredients, adds panthenol and niacinamide, works with or without water and costs less per ounce.
If your skin is oily, neither will feel like enough. Look at a gentle foaming cleanser instead. If eczema or rosacea keeps flaring on a gentle routine, see a dermatologist.
