CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for combination skin

3 Essential Ceramides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Amino Acids
Coconut Acid
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as salicylic acid provides mild exfoliation while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate offer hydration, though these are supportive rather than targeted for your oily shine.
- The cleansing agents, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate and coco-betaine, effectively remove impurities without stripping your skin, contributing to overall skin health.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to dry skin frequently praise this cleanser for its effective makeup and sunscreen removal while maintaining skin hydration. A small number of users with sensitive or acne-prone skin reported experiencing burning sensations or breakouts.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “Melts makeup off”
- “Removes long-wear foundation”
- “No residue left”
- “Takes off sunscreen”
Non-stripping hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin feels soft”
- “Not tight after washing”
- “Doesn't strip moisture”
- “Good for dry skin”
Pleasant texture Often Mentioned
- “Nice rich lather”
- “Creamy to foam”
- “Best of both worlds”
- “Luxurious feel”
Gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “Fragrance-free”
- “Gentle daily wash”
- “Doesn't sting eyes”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “Eyes were swollen/burning”
- “Burning lips”
- “Stings sensitive areas”
- “Face felt on fire”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Whiteheads appeared”
- “Broke me out”
- “Clogged my pores”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “Felt tight after use”
- “Dried out my skin”
- “Not hydrating enough”
- “Flaky patches appeared”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “Plastic smell”
- “Chemical scent”
- “Smells like glue”
- “Odd odor”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, influenster.com, ulta.com, target.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser work for combination skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for combination skin by gently removing impurities while providing basic hydration, though it is not specifically targeted for managing oily shine. A cleanser for this skin type needs targeted ingredients that manage oil and balance both dry and oily areas without causing irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid, glycerin, and sodium hyaluronate make this cleanser a fit for combination skin by providing mild exfoliation and hydration, though combination skin needs cleansers with targeted ingredients that fully manage oily shine and balance both oily and dry areas without causing imbalance.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
What do Ceramides do for combination skin?
Ceramides help keep combination skin balanced by supporting the skin barrier to lock in moisture without feeling heavy. They are a good fit because they help protect dry areas while keeping oily zones calm and comfortable. This type of skin needs lightweight hydrators and skin-repairing ingredients to keep the barrier strong across both oily and dry areas.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening skincare routines. When caring for combination skin, this type of cleanser works best when paired with ingredients that specifically manage excess oil and shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine with retinol, applying it to cleanse your skin before your retinol treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation when combined with retinol, as it contains soothing ceramides and hyaluronic acid that help maintain your skin barrier.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily as part of your morning and evening routine. Mild cleansers help remove impurities while keeping skin comfortable and balanced.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as it has a safe formula with a low risk of irritation and mild exfoliating ingredients. Combination skin typically needs cleansers that balance oil control with gentle hydration using ingredients like ceramides and salicylic acid.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser around your eyes or on your body because its gentle formulation and soothing ceramides help maintain skin health without causing irritation. For the thin skin around the eyes and various body regions, a product of this type needs mild cleansing agents like sodium methyl cocoyl taurate and coco-betaine alongside hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to effectively remove impurities while keeping the skin soft and comfortable.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other cleansers fit combination skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.
Drug Research, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Pca, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Peg-100 Stearate, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Ci 77891 Titanium Dioxide, Aspartic Acid, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycine, Trideceth-6, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Threonine, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Serine, Sodium Benzoate, Valine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Isoleucine, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Coconut Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Disodium Edta, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Histidine, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-53, Polyquaternium-39, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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