CeraVe vs Neutrogena
CeraVe and Neutrogena are American skincare brands known for their dependable moisturizers, gentle cleansers, targeted serums, protective sunscreens, and other daily formulas enriched with glycerin and hyaluronic acid, though the latter also features dimethicone. The first brand suits mature skin and dry skin best, while the second brand suits sensitive skin and mature skin best. Both brands offer standout products for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, and differ primarily in their corporate history and specific ingredient combinations.
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
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
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Cleanser
Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$25.06
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Hydrating Toner
Hydrating Toner
Morning
S$18.47
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Moisturizer
Skin Renewing Night Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$25.05
-
SPF
Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Morning
S$28.56
-
Pre-Cleanser
Micellar Cleansing Water
Evening · Once a week
S$30.72
-
Serum or Treatment
Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment
Evening · Once a week
S$35.46
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Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Collagen Essential Mask
Once a week
S$62.94
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Cleanser
Hydro Boost Water Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$28.51
-
Hydrating Toner
Alcohol-Free Toner
Morning
S$67.90
-
Moisturizer
Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$31.79
-
SPF
Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen
Morning
S$16.08
-
Pre-Cleanser
HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM
Evening · Once a week
S$28.51
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Nourishing Mask
Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask
Once a week
S$57.28
Buy CeraVe routine · S$195.54 · 88% fit
Buy Neutrogena routine · S$265.00 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit
CeraVe vs Neutrogena routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Foaming Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$30.40
-
Hydrating Toner
Hydrating Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$18.47
-
Moisturizer
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$28.30
-
SPF
Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Morning
S$28.56
-
Pre-Cleanser
Micellar Cleansing Water
Evening · Once a week
S$30.72
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment
Evening · Once a week
S$35.46
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Hydro Boost Water Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$28.51
-
Hydrating Toner
Alcohol-Free Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$67.90
-
Moisturizer
Hydro Boost+ Niacinamide Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$26.64
-
SPF
Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen
Morning
S$16.08
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Evening · Once a week
S$17.59
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
Buy CeraVe routine · S$238.51 · 80% fit
Buy Neutrogena routine · S$345.78 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
CeraVe vs Neutrogena routines for combination skin
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Cleanser
Foaming Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$30.40
-
Hydrating Toner
Hydrating Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$18.47
-
Moisturizer
Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$31.02
-
SPF
Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Morning
S$28.56
-
Pre-Cleanser
Micellar Cleansing Water
Evening · Once a week
S$30.72
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$28.62
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Hydro Boost Water Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$28.51
-
Hydrating Toner
Alcohol-Free Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$67.90
-
Moisturizer
Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$31.79
-
SPF
Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen
Morning
S$28.35
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Evening · Once a week
S$17.59
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
Buy CeraVe routine · S$262.69 · 84% fit
Buy Neutrogena routine · S$363.20 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Questions and answers
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which is better?
CeraVe and Neutrogena offer comparable routine fits for most skin types, but CeraVe achieves a superior routine fit for mature skin and does better in gentle formulation, skin texture improvement, and value for money on this page. CeraVe features a completely fragrance-free range of products on this page, whereas Neutrogena has a few options with added fragrance and mentions of scent issues. Both brands provide deep hydration and lightweight textures through key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
What is the difference between CeraVe and Neutrogena?
CeraVe and Neutrogena offer equally strong routine fits across almost all skin types, though CeraVe reaches a Superior fit for mature skin while Neutrogena achieves a High fit. CeraVe does better for gentle formulations and value, whereas Neutrogena shows more packaging issues and some scent concerns.
CeraVe or Neutrogena for dry skin?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena are a High fit for dry skin on this page, offering deep hydration and lightweight moisturizers. CeraVe achieves this with ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids that help alleviate dryness.
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which cleanser is better?
Both brands offer effective cleansers, but CeraVe does better for gentle and non-stripping formulation. Its products on this page help maintain the skin barrier and feature key ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Neutrogena?
CeraVe is more affordable, as it does better for value for money and affordability.
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which brand is better for mature skin?
CeraVe is better for mature skin on this page, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Neutrogena's High level. CeraVe offers a targeted selection of products with key ingredients like retinol that help stimulate collagen accumulation and improve naturally aged skin.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007
Do CeraVe and Neutrogena both offer fragrance-free products?
Yes, both brands offer fragrance-free products on the products on this page. CeraVe lists no fragrance in every product on its page, while Neutrogena features no fragrance in 35 out of its 39 listed products.
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which brand has fewer packaging and design issues?
CeraVe does better than Neutrogena when it comes to packaging and design issues. Reviewers on this page sometimes note packaging problems for CeraVe, but Neutrogena has more frequent concerns regarding packaging and value.
CeraVe or Neutrogena for oily skin?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page for both brands provide lightweight and non-greasy moisturizers as well as deep hydration.
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which moisturizer is better?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer moisturizers with a high routine fit for dry skin, though CeraVe achieves a superior fit for mature skin. Both brands feature lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers that provide deep hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
CeraVe or Neutrogena for sensitive skin?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer a High Lovi routine fit for sensitive skin. CeraVe does better for gentle and non-stripping formulation.
CeraVe or Neutrogena: which sunscreen is better?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer highly rated sunscreens on this page. CeraVe achieves a Superior fit level for mature skin, dry skin, and dry sensitive skin with products like the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30, while Neutrogena achieves a Superior fit level for combination skin, oily skin, and oily acne-prone skin with options such as the Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen.
CeraVe or Neutrogena for acne-prone skin?
Both CeraVe and Neutrogena offer products on this page that are a High fit for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that CeraVe is particularly effective for gentle cleansers and acne-fighting formulations, while Neutrogena provides lightweight and acne-safe moisturizers.
Research behind their key ingredients
Final report on the safety assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, and Sodium Benzoate
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
Encapsulation and controlled release of retinol from silicone particles for topical delivery
Reduction in the appearance of facial hyperpigmentation by topical N-acetyl glucosamine
Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Anti-inflammatory activity of parthenolide-depleted Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Evaluation of moisturizing and irritation potential of sacha inchi oil
Solid lipid nanoparticles bearing oxybenzone: in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation
Nanostructured Lipid Carrier for Topical Application of N-Acetyl Glucosamine
Safety of a preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Functional properties and skin care effects of sodium trehalose sulfate
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
Natural Moisturizing Factor-Enriched Formulations Compared to a Ceramide-Based Cream
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

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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