CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser vs. Hydrating Cleanser – Which should you use?

There is a lot of hype around the CeraVe cleansers so I figured it’s time to tell you more about it.

There seemed to be a discussion going on about CeraVe’s Foaming Facial Cleanser vs Hydrating Cleanser, so I decided to dig into the matter and see which one’s better.

Well, there is no clear winner here as both have their own abilities that can give you what you need (or not).

But which one should you use? The CeraVe foaming or hydrating cleanser?

Let’s look into it and see what to expect from both.

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

Let’s start with the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser.

This is a gel-based foaming cleanser that removes dirt and bacteria accumulation from the skin’s surface. It doesn’t cause any irritation yet is highly effective in cleansing the epidermis, especially for normal or oily skin types.

This cleanser contains essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide.

What does this mean?

Well, these ingredients help restore the skin’s protective barrier and thus, improve its hydration abilities. Plus, the product can soothe and calm your skin, especially if you leave it on for a few minutes.

Its texture is light, clear in color, and quickly turns into foam once you start rubbing it onto wet skin. For best results, I suggest that you foam up a pea-sized amount of the cleanser between your fingers and gently apply it to your entire face – this is the perfect amount of product that your face needs.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

The hydrating cleanser is almost identical to a lotion when it comes to consistency. It has no suds, so it doesn’t foam. Instead, it forms a milky substance on your face which cleans the excess oils and debris.

It’s a very gentle cleanser that will clean your skin well but won’t be too harsh or stripping like some deep cleansers out there.

If you don’t mind spending a few minutes gently washing your face with this product, it will work miracles.

I must note that if you’re looking for a makeup cleanser, this is not the best choice for you. The CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser won’t remove any makeup, it’s more suitable if you’re only wearing a moisturizer or an SPF product. When it comes to washing off makeup, you’ll probably need to combine it with another product as part of a two-step cleansing method.

Since the product doesn’t foam, it’s best to not be used on skin that is prone to oiliness, acne, or clogged pores. If your skin is prone to acne, it’s a safe bet that it could be irritated and you could end up breaking out when using this product that contains fatty alcohols.

So far so good. But how can you find your way around the CeraVe Foaming vs Hydrating Cleanser dilemma? Let’s take a look.

CeraVe foaming facial cleanser vs hydrating cleanser – what’s the difference

The first important thing I want to touch upon when it comes to the differences between these two cleaners is fatty alcohols.

The hydrating cleanser contains fatty alcohols, while the foaming cleanser doesn’t.

What this means is that if your skin suffers from acne or is easily affected, it’s best to stick to the foaming cleanser and avoid the hydrating one. The foaming cleanser definitely feels a bit more hydrating when applied to a normal, combination, or oily skin, in comparison to dry or sensitive. It leaves a feeling of clean skin and could feel a lot softer and more subtle.

On the other hand, the hydrating cleanser is a lot thicker when compared to the foaming one.

But there are also a ton of similarities between the two products.

1. When looking at how they feel on the skin, they’re both gentle, but I’d certainly say that the hydrating cleanser is the more gentle one of the two, due to its lotion-like texture.
2. You can rely on both for double cleansing action and both are perfect for supporting your skin’s moisture barrier.
3. Both the hydrating and foaming cleansers contain ceramides for the restoration of the skin’s natural barrier, hyaluronic acid for deep moisturizing, and niacinamide for soothing and calming the skin.
4. They both have no fragrance, are non-comedogenic, don’t dry the skin, and offer a gentle refreshment, eliminating any extra oil from the skin.

Now that you know everything about CeraVe’s hydrating and foaming cleansers, let’s jump to one of the most important parts – which one is suitable for you.

Related: [Dupes] for Neutrogena Rapid Clear Oil-Eliminating Foaming Cleanser

Who should use the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser?

If you have normal skin or fall under the category of oily skin, I’d recommend using the foaming cleanser.

However, it’s not as simple as that because seasonality also plays a part. Your skin’s needs change in winter and summer (mine sure do!).

I’ve noticed that the foaming cleanser is excellent during summer as the gentle foam clears the excess sweat and sebum produced during the day. And I personally use the hydrating cleanser come wintertime – this is the easiest way to provide it the additional hydration it needs during colder months.

Most people with combination skin will agree that there is some oil excess during the day, which is not ideal. This excess forms mostly because of dehydration, which means you need to hydrate the skin after cleansing. If you miss this step, you’ll be stripping your skin of hydration. In this case, you can still use the foaming solution but add in extra moisturizer to prevent dryness. It will make a huge difference in the end.

Who should use the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser?

But what if you have dry to normal skin, or a sensitive complexion? Then the hydrating cleanser is your go-to choice.

For such skin types, the foaming cleanser could turn out to be a bit too harsh and stripping. It could even lead to breakouts and spots, which you certainly don’t want.

The hydrating cleanser will be much more suitable, even if it doesn’t give you that satisfying foaming effect. You’ll still get a decent level of cleaning even without the suds, which are not always the key factor behind the cleaning action anyways.

Keep in mind that you’ll need an additional product to remove makeup as the hydrating cleanser won’t be enough.

The bottom line

In summary, both the CeraVe Hydrating and Foaming Cleansers are amazing, it all comes down to the type of skin that you have and the effects that you’re after.

1. They’re both affordable and priced the same, so you don’t have to worry about your budget when choosing one over the other.
2. You can always test the two to see which one works best but in general, the foaming cleanser is ideal for normal to oily skin, while the hydrating cleanser is better for dry to normal skin and sensitive.
3. You can’t really rely on either one to remove makeup so you’ll definitely need to choose a separate product.
4. Try switching between the two products in winter and summer, as the skin changes dramatically as a result of temperature changes, wind, and other factors.

As always, I’d love to get your thoughts on the topic and learn more about your personal experiences.

Feel free to pop a comment in the comments section below and share your stories with the hydrating or foaming cleanser by CeraVe.

Until next time!