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cerave Acne Foaming… vs Clarins Hydrating Ge… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser vs Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 8.1/9.8 vs Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser at 6.7/9.8. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

cerave

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

cleanser

8.1

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Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

Clarins

Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser

cleanser

6.7

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser takes this one, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

cerave wins 2

Tied 3

Clarins wins 0

8.1cerave

+1.4vs

6.7Clarins

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

cerave WINS

6.2

4.8

cerave

Clarins

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Clarins

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

7.8

2.0

cerave

Clarins

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

cerave

Clarins

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Clarins

Ingredient face-off

11% overlap

27cerave

3Shared

28Clarins

Only in cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

24 unique

Benzoyl Peroxide 4%. Water Propylene Glycol Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Xanthan Gum Potassium Hydroxide Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer+14 more

Shared ingredients

3 in common

Glycerin Sodium Citrate Citric Acid

Only in Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser

25 unique

Aqua/Water/Eau Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Squalane Propanediol. Glycol Distearate Coconut Acid.Glyceryl Behenate C14-22 Alcohols Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 Sodium Isethionate+15 more

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 Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser's 2.0. 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 4.8 for Clarins Hydrating Gentle 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 clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser relies on Oleifera Seed Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, and Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract. 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

Clarins Hydrating Gentle 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

+1.4 lead

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

8.1cerave

6.7Clarins

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser or Clarins Hydrating Gentle 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 Clarins Hydrating Gentle 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 Clarins Hydrating Gentle 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: Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser→

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