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CeraVe vs Principia

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

CeraVe and Principia are skincare brands celebrated for their thoughtful cleansers, moisturizers, and precise formulas. The American brand CeraVe relies on hydrating hyaluronic acid and glycerin to suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best, whereas balanced to oily skin suits the second brand best. While both offer standout options like the Foaming Facial Cleanser and the Gel de Limpeza GL-01 for acne-prone skin, they differ because the first brand also features offerings for dark spots and mature skin.

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

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

Popular CeraVe vs Principia products

CeraVe vs Principia cleansers

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Principia: which is better?

CeraVe is a better choice than Principia because the products on this page offer a much wider range of options that fit acne-prone, dry, and mature skin well. CeraVe features gentle cleansers and lightweight moisturizers with key ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid that help hydrate the skin and support barrier repair.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

What is the difference between CeraVe and Principia?

CeraVe offers a broad range of fragrance-free products on this page fitting acne-prone, dry, and mature skin best, whereas Principia features only a single cleanser. Reviewers often mention CeraVe for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lightweight moisturizers.

CeraVe or Principia: which cleanser is better?

CeraVe offers a wide selection of cleansers with a Lovi fit level of Superior for various skin types, whereas Principia lists only one cleanser on this page with an Average fit for oily and sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Principia?

This page does not provide pricing or affordability information to compare CeraVe and Principia.

Which causes fewer breakouts, CeraVe or Principia?

CeraVe has multiple products on this page rated with a Superior or High fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Principia has only one cleanser listed that is rated a Low fit for acne-prone skin. Reviewers sometimes note that CeraVe causes breakouts, though the products on this page help provide gentle and effective options for oily and acne-prone skin.

When was CeraVe founded compared to Principia?

CeraVe was founded in 2005, whereas Principia was founded later in 2020.

Which company owns CeraVe and which owns Principia?

CeraVe is owned by L'Oréal, while Principia is owned by Viziera Participações Ltda.

Do products from both CeraVe and Principia contain fragrance?

Every product on this page from both CeraVe and Principia lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

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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