Versus

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser - US & Canada Versus Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Mousse

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
American Brand United States
German Brand Germany

Updated on February 03, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may develop a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

When to use

9,209 Routines
48% use in am
52% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1 Routine
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser 24 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 92 ratings
Works Well (20) No Scent (18) Great Value (17)
flower_agate11's avatar

flower_agate11

2 years ago
Review

best cleanser out there!
this cleanser has never failed me. i've been using it for nearly 2 years and it always manages to cleanse the deepest parts of my pores always leaving clean skin ready for my day or night!

sarahabma's avatar

sarahabma

2 years ago
Review

Gentle and effective
So good for my acne prone skin. Of course, this is not the only product I use to clear and prevent ance, but it has been a helpful addition.

Not harsh enough to irritate on its own, but if you have sensitive skin it may become irritated if you follow this cleanser with acids/retinoids.

Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Mousse 13 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating
uu_655's avatar

uu_655

1 year ago
Review

it is not cleaning
I have been using this product for 2 months. It never feels clean. So, if I had washed my face with water for 2 months, it would be in a much better condition than it is now. My blackheads, oiliness, comedones and roughness/texture started again. Almost every part of my face is filled with blackheads because of this product. I wouldn't buy it again. And it smells like a Show more