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CeraVe vs Neutrogena

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

CeraVe and Neutrogena are American skincare brands known for thoughtful arrays of cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, and more. While CeraVe suits dry skin and acne-prone skin best with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, Neutrogena suits sensitive skin and mature skin best through nourishing components like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone. Both brands offer standout solutions for specific concerns, differing primarily in their unique formulations and targeted product lineups.

CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

This page compares some of the most popular CeraVe and Neutrogena products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular CeraVe vs Neutrogena products

People Say

CeraVeNeutrogena
  • Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formulation Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “clean but not dry — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
  • Fragrance-free options Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “No scent, no irritation — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Perfect for sensitive eyes, no stinging — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
  • Skin texture improvement Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
    • “smoother complexion — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “less greasy — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Value for money and affordability Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “reasonably priced — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Huge tub lasts forever — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Great everyday moisturizer — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “great price point — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
  • Packaging and design issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “The dropper is not efficient. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Hate dipping fingers into a jar — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Find it unsanitary — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “no safety seal included — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
  • Unpleasant or slimy textures Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “feels like washing with conditioner — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “too sticky — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “leaves greasy film — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
    • “formula is too runny — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
  • Unpleasant scents or fragrances Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plastic — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”

CeraVe vs Neutrogena routines for dry skin

Buy CeraVe routine · A$226.69 · 89% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · A$116.40 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

CeraVe vs Neutrogena routines for oily skin

Buy CeraVe routine · A$392.56 · 82% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · A$244.80 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

CeraVe vs Neutrogena routines for combination skin

Buy CeraVe routine · A$347.16 · 85% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · A$195.25 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Neutrogena: which is better?

Both CeraVe and Neutrogena are a High fit across all skin types, with CeraVe performing better for gentle formulation, skin texture improvement, and value for money. Every product on the CeraVe page is fragrance-free, whereas a few Neutrogena products list fragrance.

What is the difference between CeraVe and Neutrogena?

Both brands offer fragrance-free options and lightweight moisturizers, but CeraVe does better with gentle, non-stripping formulations, skin texture improvement, and value for money, whereas Neutrogena has fewer packaging and design issues.

CeraVe or Neutrogena for dry skin?

Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer a high routine fit for dry skin and share key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. However, CeraVe provides superior gentle formulations with ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids that help restore dry skin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

CeraVe or Neutrogena: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer gentle options, but CeraVe scores better for a non-stripping formulation among the products on this page. Reviewers note that CeraVe provides effective cleansers for acne and oil, alongside gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Neutrogena?

CeraVe is more affordable, as value for money and affordability are areas where it does better than Neutrogena.

Between CeraVe and Neutrogena, which brand has better fragrance-free options?

Both brands are equal when it comes to fragrance-free options. Every single product on the CeraVe page lists no fragrance, while the vast majority of products on the Neutrogena page are also fragrance-free.

How do the corporate ownership and founding years of CeraVe and Neutrogena compare?

CeraVe was founded in the United States in 2005 and has been owned by L'Oréal since 2017, whereas Neutrogena was founded earlier in 1930 in the United States and is owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Which brand performs better for skin texture improvement according to reviewer themes?

CeraVe performs better for skin texture improvement according to reviewer themes.

CeraVe or Neutrogena for oily skin?

Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer a High routine fit for oily skin. CeraVe does better for gentle and non-stripping formulations, skin texture improvement, and value for money.

CeraVe or Neutrogena: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers that provide deep hydration and a lightweight texture, but CeraVe stands out for its fragrance-free options and ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids. Neutrogena moisturizers also help improve skin quality and signs of aging with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and retinol.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

CeraVe or Neutrogena for sensitive skin?

Both CeraVe and Neutrogena are a High fit for sensitive skin on this page, and every CeraVe product lists no fragrance while a few Neutrogena products contain scent. CeraVe does better for gentle and non-stripping formulations.

CeraVe or Neutrogena: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer sunscreens with High or Superior Lovi fit levels for various skin types on this page. CeraVe sunscreens are fragrance-free, while a few Neutrogena sunscreens may contain added fragrance.

CeraVe or Neutrogena for acne-prone skin?

Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer products with a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on this page. CeraVe features gentle, non-stripping cleansers and fragrance-free moisturizers, while Neutrogena provides various acne-safe options and treatments.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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