No. 13
in skincare
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How it works.
59% would recommend
Why we ranked it No. 13 in skincare
Sample
61 redditors with explicit opinion · 36 positive · 7 negative · 18 neutral
Score
0.652 — formula: 0.75 × % positive + 0.25 × pos/neg ratio
Confidence95% CI: 46–70% · the true approval rate falls in this range with 95% statistical confidence
Verdict
Editor's Pick — Curated classic. On the site regardless of threshold because we trust the long-term reputation.
Sources
r/SkincareAddictionUK, r/SkincareAddiction, r/tretinoin, r/AsianBeauty, r/Makeup + 6 more
CeraVe · skincare
Editor's Pick
Hydrating Facial Cleanser
r/SkincareAddictionUKr/SkincareAddictionr/tretinoinr/AsianBeautyr/Makeupr/TheOrdinarySkincare
TL;DR — Reddit consensus
Gentle, non-foaming cleanser that leaves skin hydrated instead of stripped. One user reported a severe breakout reaction.
Amazon vs Reddit
Amazon loves it. Reddit isn't sold.
On Amazon: ★4.7 from 130,418 reviews — that's roughly 92% positive.
On Reddit: 59% of 61 redditors recommend it.
The gap of 33 points is unusual and worth reading the cons before you buy.
What redditors love
+
Leaves skin feeling clean and hydrated, not stripped
“my skin always feels so clean and hydrated after”
u/Ecstatic_Durian_5799 · r/SkincareAddiction →
+
Gentle enough to support tretinoin without extra irritation
“my routine back then was the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser + Cerave Moisturising Lotion and the lowest % of Tret. I was able to up the % relatively fast since my skin wasn't irritated too much”
u/No_Raccoon_8162 · r/SkincareAddiction →
+
Made skin look brighter, plumper, and more radiant
“My skin is starting to look how it looked in my 20s. It looks brighter, radiant, more plump, smoother and supple”
u/LoveCatsIDo · r/SkincareAddictionUK →
+
Cleared breakouts when other products didn't work
“not a single breakout for over a month now :) Cerave Hydrating Face Wash”
u/No-Commission8194 · r/SkincareAddiction →
+
Works better than other CeraVe cleansers for sensitive breakouts
“Cerave Hydrating Cleanser is better and 1/5th of the price, and so good for sensitive breakouts like yours”
u/EntireM2 · r/SkincareAddictionUK →
What they don’t
−
Caused a severe breakout and skin damage for one user
“Cerave hydrating cleanser gave me the worst breakout of my life and ruined my skin”
u/Civil-Tear-883 · r/SkincareAddiction →
COMPARE WITH
Cheaper alternative
COSRX
Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream
→
Premium pick
Differin
Adapalene Gel
→
Direct quotes
What 61 redditors actually said.
Top 6 by confidence shown — expand below for the rest. Click any to open the original on Reddit.
C
u/Civil-Tear-883
·
r/SkincareAddiction
Cerave hydrating cleanser gave me the worst breakout of my life and ruined my skin
L
u/LoveCatsIDo
·
r/SkincareAddictionUK
My skin is starting to look how it looked in my 20s. It looks brighter, radiant, more plump, smoother and supple
C
u/ComposerSilent8711
·
r/IndianSkincareAddicts
Just finished my third tube, can't wait to open up the forth... it's a pretty solid everyday moisturizer.
E
u/Ecstatic_Durian_5799
·
r/SkincareAddiction
I SWEAR it made such a big difference for me even compared to the other Cerave cleansers! my skin always feels so clean and hydrated after
E
u/EntireM2
·
r/SkincareAddictionUK
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser is better and 1/5th of the price, and so good for sensitive breakouts like yours.
N
u/notoriousLPG
·
r/Makeup
I love double cleansing but hate having separate products for it, so I use CeraVe hydrating foaming oil cleanser for both cleanses and it works great.
Show all 61 mentions ↓
"absolutely love for extremely sensitive skin?
Current skin care routine
AM Cerave hydrating facial cleanser
Elf thirst burst drops
Palmers oil cleanser
dermatologist combo 2 to 3 ti"
View thread →
"my routine back then was the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser + Cerave Moisturising Lotion and the lowest % of Tret. I was able to up the % relatively fast since my skin wasn't irritated too much"
View thread →
"not a single breakout for over a month now :) Cerave Hydrating Face Wash"
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"will be switching back to cerave hydrating cleanser when panned"
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"I've had pretty solid success with their products when I'm consistent with them. I have been using them for maybe 10 years now"
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"I have really been enjoying the cleanser. It's similar to the CeraVe hydrating cleanser in feel"
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"Cerave Alternatives? I've been using the Cerave hydrating cleanser and the PM moisturizer for a while, but I believe they're causing me acne and c"
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"Here's my skincare routine 1.CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser: Previously used Simple, but it made my skin more dry. This one is very gentle"
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"please stop using the micro polish, it's too stripping of natural skin oils
CeraVe hydrating cleanser or a good cleansing oil daily will boost your skin radiance"
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"Lidl alternative to Cerave cleanser This hydrating cleanser costs £3.29 (236ml), the Cerave version at Boo"
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"under $20 per item now and my skin looks better than when i was spending more
cerave hydrating cleanser pyunkang yul essence toner neutrogena hydro boost sun bum spf 50 cerave moistur"
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"he cleanser with an hydrating cleanser like ISNTREE Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser - that could help with dryness - and keep the COSRX BHA for nose only, 2x a wee"
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"ile, def keep using a gentle cleanser, something hydrating and non-foaming like CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser or La Roche-Posay Toleriane. For moisturizer, a rich but non-comedogenic cream"
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"t to try a couple of those, but I really didn't think there was a film with the CeraVe hydrating cleanser. I loved it for winter but have a few others I use as well. Perhaps as another"
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"Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil and/or Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser"
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"I wash my face nightly with cerave hydrating foaming face wash, or will use a tea tree acne wash"
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"CeraVe hydrating cleanser 2/3 mornings. Followed every morning by: CeraVe skin renewing serum"
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"I have super sensitive combination skin, I've been using just cerave cleanser and moisturiser for years now"
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"AM: Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, Moisturiser and SPF. PM: Oil cleanse, Cerave Cleanser, Retinol"
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"My current routine is: AM: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Nivea Refreshing Day Cream, SPF 15"
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"In the mornings I use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Moisturiser"
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"Cerave hydrating cleanser
Hyaluronic acid
Cerave mosituriser with HA
SPF 50"
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"These are the products I'm using to deal with it. Please critique my routine: 1. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser"
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"Old routine Morning - CeraVe hydrating cleanser - I would use use No7 vitamin c serum every other day."
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"I cleanse with cerave hydrating cleanser, followed by cerave facial lotion with spf to keep it simple before work."
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"I currently just use cerave hydrating cleanser and the regular cerave moisturiser. I like a minimalist routine."
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"CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser - CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion with SPF 50"
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"Gentle cleanser (CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser)"
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"I'm using dieux eretheral oil and then cerave oil to foam cleanser with my Sephora brand face scrubber thing"
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"i would normally follow it with the cerave hydrating cleanser (green one)"
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"oblems but it’s fixed my skin in every other sense as well.
Evening routine
-cerave hydrating cleanser (none foaming one)
-the Inky list hyloronic acid
-the Inky list peptides moi"
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"We were also recommended the Hydrating CeraVe cleanser to be a bit more gentle."
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"breaking in the autumn so gave chance to simple cleansing. Rn I'm using simple cerave hydrating cleanser and moisturizing lotion and I have many pimples that go away fast but that's co"
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"Need help starting new products [Routine Help] I currently use Cerave hydrating cleanser every night and while I’ve noticed it does help with preventing new acne I want"
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"fungal to squalane, like tea tree or other stuff?
**just switched to (Michael) CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser from dry store brand exfoliating acne scrubs but I think it has made my acne wo"
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"Pimples got WORSE after tretinoin - HELP To preface - I used the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser for the past 3 months and stopped using it about 2 and 1/2 weeks ago, since I t"
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"The final thing I'm going to try is removing Cerave products. I've been using Cerave hydrating cleanser and using Cerave moisturizer as my buffer layer. So maybe they're the cause (sl"
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"Thank you ! I use the Cerave hydrating cleanser and sometimes I’ll use Cerave SA cleanser depending on if I’m having hormonal b"
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"a few days and no negative reaction, my routine is extremely simple:
Cleanse: cerave hydrating cleanser
Serum: TO multi-peptide + HA
Moisturizer: Vanicream daily facial moisturizer"
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"with a harsh cleanser and thought I'd need a gentle cleanser. So I switched to Cerave hydrating cleanser (I have combination oily-normal skin). I know it is for dry skin but it is adve"
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"tra products or actives to try and improve my skin more than it actually needs. Cerave hydrating cleanser PM then nothing else overnight, water cleanse in the morning (no cleanser), I a"
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"My husband says he will use my CeraVe hydrating cleanser if it's in the shower because "it's convient!" I just bought the moisturizing c"
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"ys depends on my skin as to which one I use.
Sorry not all of these are AB.
**CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser**: tried this on my search for a hydrating cleanser for winter time. I didn't l"
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"Cerave hydrating foaming oil cleanser"
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"Been going for a couple months now with no irritation. AM Wash with CeraVe hydrating cleanser"
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"then I cleanse my face with face wash (currently cerave hydrating foaming cleanser)"
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"So I had switched to Cerave hydrating cleanser and moisturizer and it went fine for the first couple weeks and now suddenly I"
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"I have used CeraVe cleansers for years on and off and they are fine on my skins"
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"Hydrating Facial Cleanser *Pros:* Cheaper than CeraVe. *Cons:* Drying, over-cleansing, forgettable."
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"When I remember, I clean my face with CeraVe cleanser."
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"my routine has only been CeraVe face wash and moisturizer, differin for spot treatments"
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"I just used Cerave cleanser and moisturizer at night and literally didn't put on lip balm the enti"
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"PM: CeraVe cleanser, The Ordinary Glycolic Acid, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid"
View thread →
Threads tracked
The conversations we're watching.
●
r/SkincareAddiction
Personal Cerave Hydrating Cleanser Gave Me The
●
r/SkincareAddictionUK
Keeping It Simple Progress
●
r/IndianSkincareAddicts
Just Finished My Third Tube Cant Wait To Open Up
●
r/SkincareAddiction
Acne Struggled With A Decade Of Acne And Been
●
r/SkincareAddictionUK
My Skins Been Like This Ever Since Getting Waxed
●
r/Makeup
How Are You Removing Your Makeup
●
r/AsianBeauty
r/AsianBeauty
●
r/AsianBeauty
r/AsianBeauty
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