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

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cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser vs cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 8.1/9.8 vs cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser at 7.2/9.8. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

cerave

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

cleanser

8.1

Buy at Amazon

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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

SA Smoothing Cleanser

cleanser

7.2

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

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

cerave wins 2

Tied 3

cerave wins 0

8.1cerave

+0.9vs

7.2cerave

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

cerave WINS

6.2

4.3

cerave

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

7.8

5.5

cerave

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

cerave

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Ingredient face-off

37% overlap

27cerave

10Shared

20cerave

Only in cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

17 unique

Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water Propylene Glycol Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Potassium Hydroxide Niacinamide Glycolic Acid Sodium Chloride Sodium Citrate Sodium Hyaluronate+7 more

Shared ingredients

10 in common

Glycerin Xanthan Gum Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Tetrasodium Edta Phytosphingosine Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser

10 unique

Aqua/Water Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate. Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Niacinamide. Gluconolactone Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate Calcium Gluconate Salicylic Acid. Sodium Benzoate Cholesterol. Phenoxyethanol Disodium Edta

Why cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser comes out ahead

Where cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 7.8 compared to cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser's 5.5. Its formula features Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water, Ceramide Np, and Ceramide Ap in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 6.2 here versus 4.3 for cerave SA Smoothing 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 SA Smoothing Cleanser relies on Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop. 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 SA Smoothing 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

+0.9 lead

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

8.1cerave

7.2cerave

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser or cerave SA Smoothing 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 SA Smoothing 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 SA Smoothing 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 SA Smoothing Cleanser→

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Hyaluronic Acid