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cerave Acne Foaming… vs cerave Foaming Clean… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser vs cerave Foaming Cleanser

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 8.1/9.8 vs cerave Foaming Cleanser at 7.6/9.8. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

cerave

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

cleanser

8.1

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

cerave

Foaming Cleanser

cleanser

7.6

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser edges ahead, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

cerave wins 2

Tied 2

cerave wins 1

8.1cerave

+0.5vs

7.6cerave

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

cerave WINS

6.2

4.8

cerave

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

7.8

6.7

cerave

Ingredient Transparency

cerave WINS

8.5

8.8

cerave

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Ingredient face-off

64% overlap

27cerave

18Shared

28cerave

Only in cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

9 unique

Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water Propylene Glycol Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Potassium Hydroxide Glycolic Acid Sodium Citrate Sodium Hyaluronate Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate Benzoic Acid

Shared ingredients

18 in common

Glycerin Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Xanthan Gum Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer Niacinamide Sodium Chloride Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate+8 more

Only in cerave Foaming Cleanser

10 unique

Aqua Water Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate Sodium Benzoate Disodium Edta Tocopherol

Why cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser comes out ahead

Where cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 6.2 compared to cerave Foaming Cleanser's 4.8. With Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, and Sodium Hyaluronate in its top ingredients, cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 7.8 here versus 6.7 for cerave Foaming Cleanser. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser brings Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water, Ceramide Np, and Ceramide Ap as actives, while cerave Foaming Cleanser relies on Niacinamide, Ceramide Np, and Ceramide Ap. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water does the heavy lifting
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

cerave Foaming Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+0.5 lead

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser edges ahead with a slightly stronger formulation, but cerave Foaming Cleanser is still a solid pick.

8.1cerave

7.6cerave

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser or cerave Foaming Cleanser?

Based on ingredient analysis, cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser and cerave Foaming Cleanser share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser and cerave Foaming Cleanser?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser→Full analysis: cerave Foaming Cleanser→

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