CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for dry skin
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap- Ceramide Eop
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin as ceramides, cholesterol, and hyaluronic acid support skin barrier function and hydration, while glycerin and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid provide humectant action.
- The cleansing agents, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, effectively remove dirt and oil without stripping your dry or flaky skin.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, containing no prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 27.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to oily skin widely praise this cleanser for effectively removing excess oil and dirt without disrupting the skin barrier, often crediting the ceramides and niacinamide for calming acne-prone areas. While most find it refreshing and gentle, a minority of users experience tightness or dryness after use, suggesting it may be too stripping for those with drier or more sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Effective oil control Mostly Mentioned
- “dialed back oiliness”
- “leaves skin oil-free”
- “great for oily t-zone”
- “removes excess sebum”
Gentle & non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “clean but not dry”
- “doesn't strip face”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “refreshing feel”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “reasonably priced”
- “bottle lasts months”
- “great value for size”
- “affordable staple”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the niacinamide”
- “contains ceramides”
- “hyaluronic acid plumps skin”
- “restores skin barrier”
Helps clear acne Sometimes Noted
- “cleared my acne”
- “minimizes pores”
- “stopped cystic acne”
- “helps prevent blemishes”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “face feels stripped”
- “incredibly dry after use”
- “left skin tight”
- “too harsh for winter”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused horrible breakouts”
- “started breaking out”
- “gave me cystic acne”
- “skin purged”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my eyes”
- “made eyelids itch”
- “burned my eyes”
- “irritating to eye area”
Struggles with makeup Rarely Noted
- “doesn't remove mascara”
- “need a separate remover”
- “leftover eyeliner”
- “not for heavy makeup”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical smell”
- “scent like old celery”
- “medicinal odor”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, ulta.com, target.com, cerave.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser a great fit for dry skin?
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is a great fit because its ceramides, cholesterol, and hyaluronic acid help support your skin barrier and keep it hydrated while gentle cleansing agents remove dirt without stripping dry skin. It has a safe formula with no harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for dry skin because ceramides, cholesterol, and hyaluronic acid support skin barrier function and hydration, while glycerin provides extra moisture. These ingredients help clean the skin without leaving it dry or flaky.
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
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry skin?
Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into dry skin, giving an immediate and lasting boost in hydration that helps smooth out fine lines and soften rough patches. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving overall skin smoothness and plumpness.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser is used in both your morning and evening routines as the first or second step to wash your face. Using a mild cleanser daily helps improve overall skin condition and visual dryness.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. Using a gentle cleanser that contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid helps support your skin barrier and is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Using a gentle cleanser helps wash away dirt and oil while supporting your dry skin.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin since it is formulated without harsh or pore-clogging ingredients. Reviewers report low rates of breakouts, and the gentle cleansing agents clean the skin without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its gentle formula safely cleanses without harsh ingredients or irritation. Its hydrating ingredients also support moisture retention in thinner areas of the skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Topical 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, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium Edta, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.