Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum versus Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on November 28, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain ceramides, hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, oils or parabens
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Night Moisturizer
Night Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin overnight.
Ingredient Info
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
Water • Ascorbic Acid • Glycerin • Dimethicone • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Alcohol Denat. • Sodium Hydroxide • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Panthenol • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Cetearyl Alcohol • Behentrimonium Methosulfate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Disodium EDTA • Isopropyl Myristate • Caprylyl Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Phytosphingosine • Ethylhexylglycerin
Water • Hydrogenated Polyisobutene • Glyceryl Stearate • Squalane • Myristyl Myristate • Glycerin • Cetyl Alcohol • Dimethicone • Ethylhexyl Stearate • Cyclopentasiloxane • Cyclohexasiloxane • Sorbitol • Stearic Acid • Peg-40 Stearate • Sorbitan Tristearate • Saccharide Isomerate • Superoxide Dismutase • Ceramide NP • C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters • Zea Mays Kernel Extract • Glyceryl Polymethacrylate • Glycyrrhetinic Acid • Hyaluronic Acid • Centella Asiatica Extract • Echinacea Purpurea Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract • Ascorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides • Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride • Tocopheryl Acetate • Isocetyl Alcohol • Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 • Folic Acid • Pyridoxine Hcl • Proline • Glycine • Palmitoyl Carnitine • PCA • Alanine • Glutamic Acid • Serine • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Lecithin • Polyquaternium-24 • Peg-8 • Butylene Glycol • Triethanolamine • Diazolidinyl Urea • Phenoxyethanol • Tetrasodium EDTA • Disodium EDTA • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinCeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 6.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.
Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here: Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP
Learn more about Ceramide NPCeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateCeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 49.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateCeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 30.
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 EDTACeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream contains this as ingredient number 51.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Did not work for me
I've been trying to find a good vitaminc c cream/serum to include in my routine and this was sadly not it.
I used for a few days and noticed a ton of new breakouts. This was the only new product I was using, so I...
Did not work for me
I've been trying to find a good vitaminc c cream/serum to include in my routine and this was sadly not it.
I used for a few days and noticed a ton of new breakouts. This was the only new product I was using, so I stopped it and the breakouts stopped.
Product-wise, it feels nice on the skin, doesn't have a strong scent, and it absorbes really nice.
Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream 52 ingredients
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