CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser Versus Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment
Updated on July 03, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, 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
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser 27 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment 9 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser 27 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment 9 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier. It is a surfactant derived from sarcosine, and a common source is coconut oil. As a surfactant, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate helps lift dirts, oil, and other molecules to be washed away. In leave-on products, this ingredient is used as an emulsifier. Emulsifier help prevent ingredients such as oils and waters from separating.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
2 Benefits
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate isn't fungal acne safe.
This gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
Oil Not safe for Fungal Acne
Zea Mays Oil is refined oil. It is created from the process of wet milling corn, or zea mays. Zea Mays Oil is fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, occlusive skin conditioning agent, surfactant, and emulsifying agent.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
Preservative 5 Benefits 4 Concerns
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is a form of hyaluronic acid. It is created by the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid with a high molecular weight. Once created, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid has a low molecular weight.
Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
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.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Zea Mays Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholecalciferol Peg-12 Ether, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
Helps fight Acne 4 Concerns
Benzoyl Peroxide is famous for fighting acne. This is because it does a variety of tasks on the skin: it helps reduce excess oil, kill bacteria, and clear out dead skin cells. In other words, it is effective at unclogging pores.
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.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Laureth-4 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol. It is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a semi-synthetic polymer created from cellulose. In case you need a refresher, cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls.
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser 27 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment 9 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser 27 ingredients
YousifShamoon
another miss from cerave
this wasn't a disaster for me because i luckily had skin oily enough to handle this. it was still very stripping though. i...
another miss from cerave
this wasn't a disaster for me because i luckily had skin oily enough to handle this. it was still very stripping though. i did like that it does make my pores, especially my sebaceous filaments on my nose disappear, especially after an oil cleanser, but it stripped my skin too much and possibly caused me a lot of breakouts.
AshN.
(Using Since 2020) Similar to the other CeraVe cleanser it hasn't let me down. I took off one star just because I feel that this isn't really ideal...
(Using Since 2020) Similar to the other CeraVe cleanser it hasn't let me down. I took off one star just because I feel that this isn't really ideal for every day use, especially if you have dry, sensitive skin (despite it being advertised as gentle). It's fairly stripping due to all the actives in it, so I found it to be a bit irritating to me. But once I stopped using it everyday and switched to only using it every other evening, the irritation stopped all together and actually helped with my occasional comedonal acne.
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment 9 ingredients
Clover
MICRONIZED benzoyl peroxide is a miracle worker!
This product was a dermatologist recommendation to me, and I’m so so so grateful because it has...
MICRONIZED benzoyl peroxide is a miracle worker!
This product was a dermatologist recommendation to me, and I’m so so so grateful because it has done wonders for my skin. Micro BPO is able to penetrate the skin deeper while also being more gentle than regular BPO. This is a leave on product with a creamy consistency, and since it is Neutrogena it is very affordable and accessible (which are both things I LOVE). It’s not a spot treatment, but I’ve used it on spots and as a preventative and it works very well at tackling both my active acne and preventing new breakouts. Occasionally it will tingle on my skin if my skin barrier is not in the best state, but most of the time I can’t feel this at all. I also like to apply this in a similar way to how I would strong retinoids; buffering or sandwiching. Apply a thick moisturizer on first before applying this product (buffering), and if desired you can add on another layer of moisturizer after applying this BPO cream (sandwiching).
This is a must try! Especially if you know benzoyl peroxide works for your skin, but you also struggle with it being too drying. However, if you are particularly sensitive, it may be best to make sure you always remember to buffer this, don’t use it everyday, and when you do use it, do so sparingly rather than over large patches of skin.
I recommend this product to anyone with acne prone skin. It’s AMAZING.
Ericj89
Texture: Gel cream texture.
Scent: No scent
Performance: Benzoyl peroxide, my staple ingredient to treat acne.
Pros: Effective for acne/blind...
Texture: Gel cream texture.
Scent: No scent
Performance: Benzoyl peroxide, my staple ingredient to treat acne.
Pros: Effective for acne/blind pimple
Cons: None
WRP/WNRP: WRP
