✶

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

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser
/vs
/Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser vs Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 8.1/9.8 vs Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel at 6.2/9.8. cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

cerave

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

cleanser

8.1

Buy at Amazon

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

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

Dermalogica

Special Cleansing Gel

cleanserpremium

6.2

Score comparison

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

cerave wins 2

Tied 3

Dermalogica wins 0

8.1cerave

+1.9vs

6.2Dermalogica

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

cerave WINS

6.2

3.1

cerave

Dermalogica

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Dermalogica

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

7.8

2.0

cerave

Dermalogica

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

cerave

Dermalogica

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Dermalogica

Ingredient face-off

11% overlap

27cerave

3Shared

20Dermalogica

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 Hydroxide Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

17 unique

Water/Aqua/Eau Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil Cocamidopropyl Betaine Coco-Betaine

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 Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel'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 3.1 for Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel. 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 dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel relies on Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract and Capryloyl Glycine. 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

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel is better if you have

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

Value comparison

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel comes in at premium pricing with a 6.2 score, which is reasonable for what you get.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.9 lead

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

8.1cerave

6.2Dermalogica

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser or Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel?

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 Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 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 Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel?

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: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Hydroxyethylcellulose

+7 more