The Best CeraVe Products by Skin Type and Concern

The best CeraVe products are the Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($15.99) for normal to dry skin, the Moisturizing Cream ($14.99) for dry skin on face and body, the PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($19.99) as a light, oil-free moisturizer, and the AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($19.99) as daily sunscreen. Oily skin should swap in the Foaming Facial Cleanser, acne-prone skin can add the Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% benzoyl peroxide, and the Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the pick for post-acne marks.

Before you buy, you can scan the barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check a CeraVe formula against your skin type. Pori flags ingredients; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($15.99, cerave.com): a fragrance-free cream wash with the National Eczema Association seal.
• Best for oily skin: Foaming Facial Cleanser ($15.99, cerave.com): a gel-to-foam wash with ceramides and niacinamide for normal to oily skin.
• Best moisturizer for dry skin: Moisturizing Cream ($14.99, cerave.com): ceramides plus petrolatum, for face and body, from age 3.
• Best light moisturizer: PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($19.99, cerave.com): oil-free and non-comedogenic, with niacinamide.
• Best daily sunscreen: AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($19.99, cerave.com): moisturizer and broad-spectrum SPF in one step.
• Best for acne: Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser ($17.99, cerave.com): 4% benzoyl peroxide in a ceramide base.
• Best for post-acne marks: Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($21.99, cerave.com): encapsulated retinol with niacinamide and licorice root extract.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are cerave.com list prices as of November 2026; drugstores and Amazon often charge less. This page ranks products. For who owns CeraVe, what its ceramides and MVE technology are, and the full product lines, see our CeraVe skincare guide.

How do the best CeraVe products compare?

Which CeraVe cleanser is best?

Hydrating Facial Cleanser: best overall

This low-foam cream wash is the safest CeraVe buy for the most people. The product page lists ceramides and hyaluronic acid, no added fragrance, a non-comedogenic claim and the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, for normal to dry skin, at $15.99.

Who it suits: dry, normal and sensitive skin, and anyone using retinoids or acne treatments. Who should skip it: very oily skin that wants a squeaky-clean feel. The catch: it does not lather much, so heavy makeup or water-resistant sunscreen may need a first cleanse.

Foaming Facial Cleanser: best for oily skin

The gel-to-foam version is made for normal to oily skin and adds niacinamide to the same three ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It costs $15.99, the same as the Hydrating wash. Our Foaming vs Hydrating comparison breaks down the cleansing systems.

Who it suits: oily and combination skin, and people who wear more sunscreen or makeup. Who should skip it: dry or flaky skin, which may feel tight after it. The catch: it contains parabens, which matters only if you prefer to avoid them.

Renewing SA Cleanser: best for rough, bumpy skin

Renewing SA adds salicylic acid to ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, and CeraVe describes it as fragrance-free, for normal and acne-prone skin, at $15.99. CeraVe does not list the salicylic acid percentage on the page. Outside the US the same idea is sold as SA Smoothing Cleanser; our SA Smoothing Cleanser review covers the formula.

Who it suits: rough texture, small bumps and mild clogged pores. Who should skip it: very dry or easily stung skin. The catch: salicylic acid in a rinse-off has short contact, so expect gradual smoothing.

Acne Control Cleanser: best for oily, acne-prone skin

This is the stronger salicylic acid wash. CeraVe lists 2% salicylic acid with hectorite clay to absorb oil, plus niacinamide and three ceramides, at $17.99, for acne-prone oily skin.

Who it suits: oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads. Who should skip it: dry skin, and anyone already using another acne wash. The catch: the clay can feel drying if you use it twice a day from the start.

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser: best for acne

For red, inflamed pimples, this is the one. It carries benzoyl peroxide 4% as its active ingredient, with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, at $17.99. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) names benzoyl peroxide, adapalene and salicylic acid as the acne ingredients you can buy without a prescription.

Who it suits: acne-prone skin with active breakouts. Who should skip it: anyone with a benzoyl peroxide allergy, and dry skin already using a retinoid. The catch: CeraVe says to cut back to once a day or every other day if dryness or peeling starts. Our Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser review and benzoyl peroxide guide explain how to use it.

Which CeraVe moisturizer is best?

Moisturizing Cream: best for dry skin

The tub that made CeraVe famous is still its best moisturizer for dry skin. It pairs three ceramides with hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum, and the product page calls it fragrance-free, allergy-tested and non-comedogenic, with the National Eczema Association seal. It lists from $14.99 and works on face and body from age 3.

Who it suits: dry, eczema-prone and over-treated skin. Who should skip it: very oily skin, which usually finds it too heavy for the face. The catch: it is rich, so use a thin layer by day. Read our Moisturizing Cream review.

PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: best light moisturizer

This oil-free lotion lists ceramides NP, AP and EOP, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, and CeraVe says it is non-comedogenic and made for all skin types. It costs $19.99. Despite the name, it works morning or night.

Who it suits: oily, combination and acne-prone skin, and anyone pairing a retinoid with something light. Who should skip it: very dry skin in winter. The catch: it has no SPF. See our PM Lotion review.

What is the best CeraVe sunscreen?

AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30: best daily sunscreen

A moisturizer with sunscreen built in is the easiest way to wear SPF every morning. CeraVe lists homosalate 10%, octinoxate 5%, octocrylene 2% and zinc oxide 8% (older boxes still in some stores list meradimate 5% and zinc oxide 6.3%), plus ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, at $19.99. The AAD recommends broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher.

Who it suits: normal to dry skin that wants one morning step. Who should skip it: very oily skin, and anyone swimming or sweating, since CeraVe says it is not water-resistant. The catch: you only get SPF 30 if you apply a full layer; see how much sunscreen to use. The AM SPF 50 version ($19.99) uses homosalate 8%, zinc oxide 7%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 5%. Our AM vs PM lotion comparison covers when to use each.

What is the best CeraVe product for post-acne marks?

Resurfacing Retinol Serum: best for marks and texture

CeraVe aims this serum at post-acne marks, visible pores and uneven tone and texture. It combines encapsulated retinol with niacinamide, three ceramides and licorice root extract, and costs $21.99. Use it in the evening only and wear sunscreen by day.

Who it suits: first-time retinol users with leftover acne marks. Who should skip it: people who are pregnant or trying to conceive should ask a doctor about retinoids first. The catch: CeraVe does not disclose the retinol percentage, and it suggests spacing out use if skin feels uncomfortable. Our Resurfacing Retinol Serum review explains what the ingredient list suggests.

Which CeraVe products are best for each skin type?

Not sure which row you are? Our guide on how to find your skin type walks through a simple test.

Which CeraVe products should you skip?

• Two acne washes at once. Pick the benzoyl peroxide cleanser or a salicylic acid cleanser. The AAD warns that trying too many acne products can stress skin and make acne worse, and says to give one product at least four weeks.
• The AM lotion at the beach. It is not water-resistant, so pick a water-resistant sunscreen for swimming or sweating.
• The Moisturizing Cream on an oily face. It is non-comedogenic, but most oily skin prefers the PM Lotion.
• A retinol serum on the same night as a new acne wash. Start one, wait a few weeks, then add the other; our guide to introducing new products shows the timing.

Comparing brands? See CeraVe vs Cetaphil, CeraVe vs La Roche-Posay and CeraVe vs Neutrogena.

How we chose

We picked one CeraVe product for each common skin type and concern, favoring fragrance-free, non-comedogenic formulas with published active percentages. We read each US product page on cerave.com in November 2026 for price, skin type, key ingredients, directions and claims such as the National Eczema Association seal, and checked acne and sunscreen advice against the AAD. We did not wear-test anything and took no payment from CeraVe or L'Oréal. Browse more in our cleanser and moisturizer catalogues.