CeraVe Foaming Cleanser Bar for oily acne-prone skin
3 Essential Ceramides
Niacinamide
Kaolin Clay
Glycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 oily skin as niacinamide and zinc PCA help regulate oil production and reduce inflammation, addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts. Kaolin also aids in absorbing excess oil, contributing to a less shiny appearance.
- Sodium cocoyl isethionate and kaolin provide excellent cleansing by effectively clearing pores, further supporting your goal of managing oiliness and breakouts.
- The formulation is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing niacinamide and ceramides.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this solid cleanser is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for effectively removing excess oil without stripping the moisture barrier, often described as a gentle yet effective alternative to the liquid version. While historically a favorite for its longevity and eco-friendly format, recent reviews highlight significant consistency issues with some bars failing to lather.
Highlights
Gentle & non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't dry skin”
- “no tight feeling”
- “skin feels soft”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
Effective oil control Often Mentioned
- “clears acne breakouts”
- “reduces midday shine”
- “balances oily T-zone”
- “leaves skin matte”
Long-lasting value Often Mentioned
- “lasts for months”
- “saves money”
- “better value than liquid”
- “bar never ends”
Eco-friendly & travel-safe Sometimes Noted
- “no plastic waste”
- “great for travel”
- “no liquid spills”
- “compact for gym bag”
Key ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the niacinamide”
- “kaolin clay helps”
- “fragrance-free formula”
- “good for sensitive skin”
Inconsistent lather Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't lather at all”
- “bad batch”
- “formula changed”
- “feels like wax”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “too drying”
- “skin felt tight”
- “caused flaking”
- “need moisturizer after”
Messy storage Rarely Noted
- “gets mushy quickly”
- “leaves residue”
- “needs soap dish”
- “dissolves if wet”
Poor makeup removal Rarely Noted
- “doesn't remove mascara”
- “need double cleanse”
- “struggles with foundation”
- “not for heavy makeup”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, walgreens.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Foaming Cleanser Bar a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide, zinc PCA, and kaolin clay make this cleanser a great fit by helping regulate oil, absorb excess shine, and clear pores. These ingredients, along with soothing ceramides, help calm breakouts without causing irritation.
What do Ceramides do for oily acne-prone skin?
For oily acne-prone skin, ceramides help repair the skin barrier and improve moisture to reduce redness and acne-related irritation. Because acne-prone skin often lacks these essential lipids, adding them back supports a stronger barrier and helps keep the skin calm and smooth.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening skincare routines. It is used as the first step in the morning and as the second step in the evening after your makeup remover, helping to clear pores and manage excess oil without irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser with your retinol by applying it first to gently clear pores without irritating your skin. Following with a barrier-supporting routine helps your skin handle retinol comfortably and keeps it calm.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
How often should I use this cleanser?
Use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to help manage oiliness and keep pores clear.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts. Its ingredients help clear pores and control extra oil while soothing your skin without harshness.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is suitable for use on your body and can be used around the eyes if you take care to avoid direct contact with them. The gentle formulation safely cleanses without harsh ingredients, making it appropriate for these areas while helping manage oil and breakouts.
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
Topical 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, 2005Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Topical 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
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Water, Sodium Isethionate, Ci 77891 Titanium Dioxide, Kaolin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Zinc Pca, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Dipotassium Phosphate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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