CeraVe Foaming vs Hydrating Cleanser: Which One Fits Your Skin?

Choose CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser if your skin is normal to oily and you want a gel that lathers and lifts excess oil. Choose CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser if your skin is normal to dry, sensitive or tight after washing, because it cleans with a lotion-like cream that barely foams. Both carry three ceramides and are priced the same, so skin type is the real deciding factor.

If you want to see how either formula lines up with your own skin type before you buy, you can scan its barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori.

Below we go through what is actually in each bottle, how each one tends to behave on oily, combination and dry skin, how they handle makeup and sunscreen, and a simple rule for picking one. This is an ingredient-based comparison drawn from CeraVe's published formulas; we did not test the cleansers on skin.

What is the difference between CeraVe Foaming and Hydrating Cleanser?

The main difference is the cleaning system. The Foaming Cleanser is built on foaming surfactants, while the Hydrating Cleanser leans on glycerin, fatty alcohols and a mild emulsifier, so it removes less oil and leaves more moisture behind. CeraVe positions the Foaming Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin and the Hydrating Facial Cleanser for normal to dry skin.

CeraVe notes that ingredient lists change over time and that the package is the most current source, so check the bottle if you have a sensitivity to a specific ingredient.

What is in CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser?

The Foaming Cleanser pairs three gentle-to-moderate synthetic surfactants with barrier lipids and niacinamide. According to the CeraVe ingredient list, the cleansing work is done by cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and sodium methyl cocoyl taurate. There is no sodium lauryl sulfate in the formula, but together these three foam well and lift sebum efficiently.

Behind them sit the three ceramides (NP, AP and EOP), cholesterol and phytosphingosine, the lipid trio CeraVe adds across its range, plus niacinamide and a small amount of hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid. Glycerin is third on the list, which helps offset some of the drying effect of the surfactants.

A note on niacinamide: a well-known study found that a 2% niacinamide moisturizer lowered sebum excretion in Japanese participants after two to four weeks, while in a Caucasian group only surface (casual) sebum levels fell and the excretion rate did not change significantly. That was a leave-on product. In a wash that sits on your face for under a minute before rinsing, niacinamide is a nice supporting ingredient, and it is unlikely to change how shiny you are by noon. For more on what it does in leave-on form, see our guide to niacinamide benefits.

What is in CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser?

The Hydrating Cleanser cleans with ingredients that also soften skin. The CeraVe ingredient list starts with water, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, PEG-40 stearate and stearyl alcohol. Cetearyl and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which are softening emollients and behave very differently from drying alcohols like alcohol denat. PEG-40 stearate and the small amounts of polysorbate 20 and glyceryl stearate help the cream mix with oil and makeup so they rinse away.

It has the same three ceramides and cholesterol as the foaming version, plus sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid) and tocopherol (vitamin E). It is non-comedogenic and carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, per CeraVe's product page. What it lacks is a strong foaming surfactant, which is exactly why it suits skin that already feels tight.

Is CeraVe Foaming Cleanser drying?

For most oily and normal skin it is not, but it can feel drying on dry or sensitive skin, especially in winter or when you are also using a retinoid or exfoliating acid. Any surfactant removes some of your skin's own lipids along with the dirt. A review of cleanser science explains that harsh surfactants can damage skin proteins and lipids, leading to after-wash tightness, dryness, irritation and even itch, and that the mildest cleansers interact as little as possible with both.

The Foaming Cleanser sits toward the gentle end of foaming washes, and CeraVe says it leaves skin refreshed "without a dry or tight feel." Still, how it feels depends on your skin, the season and the rest of your routine. Watch for these signs that it is too much for you:

• Your face feels tight or "squeaky" within 10 to 15 minutes of washing.
• Cheeks look flaky or rough by the end of the day.
• Moisturizer or serums start to sting.
• You suddenly look shinier than before, which can happen when skin is irritated. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) warns that a face wash that is too harsh can irritate your skin and trigger increased oil production.

If you notice any of these, try the foaming wash only at night and rinse with water in the morning, or switch to the Hydrating Cleanser for a couple of weeks. Tightness and flaking can also mean dehydration on top of oiliness; our guide to dry vs dehydrated skin explains the difference.

Can I use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser if I have oily skin?

Yes, many people with oily skin use it, particularly in the morning, in cold weather, or while on drying acne treatments. It will not leave skin feeling stripped, and it is non-comedogenic. The trade-off is that a low-foam cream removes less sebum, so on a very oily face you may feel a slight film after rinsing, and makeup or water-resistant sunscreen may need a second pass.

A common split is the Hydrating Cleanser in the morning, when there is little to remove, and the Foaming Cleanser at night, after a day of oil, sunscreen and grime. The AAD suggests that oily skin does best with a gentle, foaming face wash up to twice daily and after sweating, so if you only own one bottle and your skin is clearly oily, the foaming one fits that advice more closely.

How do they feel on oily, combination and dry skin?

Based on the formulas, here is what each skin type can reasonably expect:

Neither is an acne treatment. If breakouts are your main concern, look at a wash with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, or use a leave-on treatment and keep one of these as a gentle base. Not sure which type you are? Our guide on how to find your skin type walks through the bare-face and blotting-paper tests.

Which one removes makeup better?

CeraVe says both remove makeup, and in practice the Foaming Cleanser has the edge on oil-based and long-wear products because its surfactants lift oils more aggressively. CeraVe's page states the Foaming Cleanser removes dirt, makeup and excess oil, and that the Hydrating Cleanser removes dirt, oil and even makeup without leaving skin tight.

For light makeup and daily sunscreen, either works with a thorough 30 to 60 second massage. For heavy foundation, waterproof mascara or water-resistant sunscreen, an oil cleanser or micellar water first, followed by either CeraVe wash, is gentler than scrubbing. The AAD advises against scrubbing your face, even to remove makeup. Our double cleansing guide covers who actually needs that second step.

How should I use either cleanser?

Technique matters as much as the bottle. The AAD's face-washing advice applies to both:

1. Wet your face with lukewarm water, not hot.
2. Apply a small amount with your fingertips and massage gently, without a washcloth or brush.
3. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a soft towel.
4. Limit washing to twice a day and after sweating.
5. Apply moisturizer while skin is still slightly damp.

Give a new cleanser about two weeks before judging it. Your skin needs a little time to settle, and one bad day usually says more about weather or sleep than about the wash.

What about the CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser?

It sits in between. The Cream-to-Foam Cleanser starts as a cream and turns into a light foam with water, and CeraVe positions it for normal to dry skin, including sensitive skin, with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and amino acids. It also claims to remove long-wear makeup, and salicylic acid appears in its ingredient list, though not as a featured active. Combination skin that finds the Foaming version too much and the Hydrating version too soft is the obvious audience.

So which CeraVe cleanser should I use?

Use this rule of thumb, then adjust based on how your skin feels 15 minutes after washing:

• Shiny all over by midday: Foaming Facial Cleanser, morning and night.
• Tight, flaky or easily irritated: Hydrating Facial Cleanser, morning and night.
• Oily T-zone, normal or dry cheeks: Foaming at night, Hydrating (or just water) in the morning, or try the Cream-to-Foam.
• Using tretinoin, adapalene, benzoyl peroxide or acids: lean toward Hydrating, even if you are oily, until your skin adjusts.
• Heavy makeup or water-resistant SPF: either one, after an oil cleanser or micellar water.

If your skin feels comfortable, looks calm and isn't flaking or overly shiny a few hours later, you have the right one. If redness, burning or a rash persists after you stop a product, see a dermatologist. For more options beyond CeraVe, see our shortlist of the best cleansers for oily skin.