Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser versus CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on October 31, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
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
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
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
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 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Benzoyl Peroxide 4% • Water • Glycerin • Propylene Glycol • Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate • Xanthan Gum • Potassium Hydroxide • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Niacinamide • Glycolic Acid • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Citrate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Sodium Hydroxide • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Propanediol • Citric Acid • Tetrasodium EDTA • Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate • Phytosphingosine • Ethylhexylglycerin • Benzoic Acid
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 Watere.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a cleansing agent made from a mixture of long chain sulfonate salts. It can also help produce foam.
This ingredient may be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 3.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 Glycerine.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 3.
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.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium Hydroxidee.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium Chloridee.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 10.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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.
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 look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric Acide.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 23.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about Niacinamidee.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Clarifying Cleanser 15 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
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