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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser versus Proactiv Renewing Cleanser .

Last updated on August 02, 2023. Published on September 03, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain parabens

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

Face Cleanser Canadian Brand Canada
Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

Shop

Buy Foaming Facial Cleanser

Starts at $11.31
Shop

Buy Renewing Cleanser

Starts at $22.89

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
5.5
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Benefits

Hydrating

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (4)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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 deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 18.

3
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 23.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).

You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.

Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.

Learn more about Propylparaben

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 24.

5
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 24.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

42% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
58% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
16% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
56% are disliked or very disliked
24% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser 24 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 52 ratings
Great Value (5) Works Well (4) No Scent (3) Hydrating (2) Light (2) Light Scent (2)
Mirq's avatar

Mirq

12 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Love hate relationship
I’ve been using it almost for year. It clears my skin and it doesn’t break me out but I think it’s too drying for me. I...

Love hate relationship
I’ve been using it almost for year. It clears my skin and it doesn’t break me out but I think it’s too drying for me. I have sensitive combo skin and every time I use my skin feels slightly tight. The reason I was using it for soo long is because I didn’t realised that tight feeling wasn’t normal. So maybe it’s better for more oily skin.

dhochuli's avatar

dhochuli

2 years ago · Combination Skin
Review

Every teen struggling with acne needs this!
This is the product that helped me get through my horrible acne breakouts. It’s the one cleanser I...

Every teen struggling with acne needs this!
This is the product that helped me get through my horrible acne breakouts. It’s the one cleanser I recommend to my younger clients.

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser 25 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Proactiv Renewing Cleanser.

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