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cerave Skin Renewing… vs Differin Restorative… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream vs Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer

cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream scores 9.4/9.8 vs Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer at 8.2/9.8. cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

cerave

Skin Renewing Night Cream

moisturiser

9.4

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Differin

Restorative Night Moisturizer

moisturiserbudget

8.2

Score comparison

cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream takes this one, winning 1 of 5 attributes.

cerave wins 1

Tied 3

Differin wins 1

9.4cerave

+1.2vs

8.2Differin

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

TIE

9.8

cerave

Differin

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Differin

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

9.8

3.3

cerave

Differin

Ingredient Transparency

Differin WINS

8.5

8.8

cerave

Differin

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Differin

Ingredient face-off

28% overlap

47cerave

13Shared

31Differin

Only in cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream

34 unique

Purified Water Aqua/Water/Eau Butyrospermum Parkii Butter/Shea Butter Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer Cyclopentasiloxane Glyceryl Stearate Se Saccharide Isomerate Stearic Acid Palmitic Acid Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols+24 more

Shared ingredients

13 in common

Glycerin Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)Cetyl Alcohol Dimethicone Allantoin Ceramide Np Niacinamide Cetearyl Alcohol Sodium Hydroxide+3 more

Only in Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer

18 unique

Water Propanediol Pentylene Glycol Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sorbitol Behenyl Alcohol Glyceryl Stearate Tocopheryl Acetate Ceteareth-20 Glyceryl Stearate Citrate+8 more

Why cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream comes out ahead

Where cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 9.8 compared to Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer's 3.3. Its formula features Allantoin, Ceramide Np, and Ceramide Ap in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Ingredient Transparency is another area of separation. Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer scores 8.8 here versus 8.5 for cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream brings Allantoin, Ceramide Np, and Ceramide Ap as actives, while differin Restorative Night Moisturizer relies on Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, and Caffeine. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Allantoin does the heavy lifting

Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer comes in at budget pricing with a 8.2 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.2 lead

cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

9.4cerave

✶

8.2Differin

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream or Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer?

Based on ingredient analysis, cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream and Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer 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 Skin Renewing Night Cream and Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer?

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

Full analysis: cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream→Full analysis: Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer→

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