CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser for dry skin
Benzoyl Peroxide
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramides
Glycolic AcidCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 exfoliation for dry or flaky skin due to the presence of Glycolic Acid, but lacks sufficient hydrating ingredients to counteract potential dryness for your dry skin type.
- While Benzoyl Peroxide and Glycolic Acid effectively reduce acne lesions, their drying nature makes this formula unsuitable for dry skin, even with Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin clean. Start using it daily right away since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow with your toner and moisturizer afterwards.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply this cleanser on slightly damp skin for a comfortable and refreshing wash. This helps maintain your skin's natural moisture while cleansing away dirt.
- Avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes to prevent any irritation. Do a simple patch test before your first use to ensure your skin likes it.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 4.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users find this cleanser to be a gentle and effective treatment for acne-prone skin, successfully clearing breakouts without stripping moisture. While it excels at preventing new blemishes and clearing pores, some users with very sensitive skin may experience dryness or irritation if used too frequently.
Highlights
Gentle & non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “moisturizing for BP”
- “no tight feeling”
- “gentle on barrier”
Effective acne clearance Often Mentioned
- “cleared my skin”
- “stopped cystic acne”
- “reduced redness”
Bleaches fabrics Often Mentioned
- “ruined my towels”
- “bleached my shirt”
- “stained everything”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the niacinamide”
- “helps skin heal”
- “soothing ingredients”
Texture & feel Sometimes Noted
- “feels like lotion”
- “smooth application”
- “no strong smell”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “dried me out”
- “skin felt flaky”
- “too harsh for daily use”
Lack of foam Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't foam much”
- “more like a lotion”
- “creamy not foamy”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings eyes bad”
- “avoid eye area”
- “burning sensation”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, ulta.com, cerave.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser for dry skin?
Lovi advises caution because this cleanser contains benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid, which may dry out your dry skin even with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate present. A cleanser for dry skin needs plenty of hydrating ingredients and barrier support like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to keep moisture locked in.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for dry skin?
Benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid make this cleanser a poor fit because their drying and exfoliating nature may strip moisture from dry skin. A product for this skin type needs hydrating and barrier-repairing ingredients like essential ceramides and sodium hyaluronate to maintain moisture and protect the skin.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Benzoyl Peroxide do for dry skin?
Benzoyl peroxide is usually a poor fit for dry skin because it tends to cause bothersome dryness, peeling, and irritation. When treating dry skin with acne, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like ceramides and gentle, hydrating cleansers to protect the skin barrier.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?
Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser is used in the morning and evening routine steps for cleansing your face. Because this product contains drying ingredients that may not work well with dry skin, a cleanser of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients and gentle moisturizers to keep your skin soft and smooth.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
Using this cleanser with retinol may cause excessive dryness and irritation on dry skin due to the strong acne-fighting and exfoliating ingredients. To help prevent this, dry skin needs a gentle, hydrating cleanser and a rich moisturizer that restores the skin barrier.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a poor fit for dry skin, so you should use a very gentle cleanser instead to keep your skin soft and comfortable without drying it out further.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, but its drying ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid may cause irritation and flaking on dry skin. Dry skin needs a gentle cleanser that deeply hydrates and protects the skin barrier with rich moisturizers and ceramides while clearing breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is unlikely to suit the very thin skin around the eyes because its drying ingredients may easily cause irritation there. A product for this area needs gentle hydrating ingredients and soothing benefits to protect delicate skin.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical benzoyl peroxide may improve acne more effectively than placebo or no treatment, while showing little to no difference compared with adapalene or clindamycin, but with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to placebo.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Once-daily fixed-dose clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1%/adapalene 0.15% gel achieved superior treatment success (52.5%) and greater reductions in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions compared to vehicle (8.1%) and dyad component gels in participants with moderate-to-severe acne over 12 weeks.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Twice 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, 2024Topical clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% gel achieved significantly greater treatment success and lesion reductions compared to vehicle in participants with moderate-to-severe acne.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2023Daily application of adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel reduced and prevented atrophic acne scar formation, achieving a total scar count change of -15.5% versus +14.4% for vehicle over 24 weeks in 67 subjects with moderate or severe facial acne.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 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, 2019Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide
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
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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
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