Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 versus CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US .

Last updated on November 03, 2023. Published on December 08, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both general moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

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

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

General Moisturizer British Brand United Kingdom
General Moisturizer Canadian Brand Canada

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Moisturiser SPF 20

Shop

Buy Moisturizing Cream

Starts at $14.97

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
spf rating
20
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

Chemical UV Filter (3)
Retinoid
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating (4)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (6)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Anti-Aging (4)
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 1.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 6.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 7.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 8.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 5.

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

Carbomer 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.

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 10.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Hyaluronate

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 11.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 16.

7
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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 EDTA

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 18.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 19.

8
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 23.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 21.

9
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 contains this as ingredient number 26.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream US contains this as ingredient number 18.

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

19% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
50% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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

Monroe Skincare Moisturiser SPF 20 31 ingredients

Moisturiser SPF 20 hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

4.1 /5
from 61 reviews
AshN.'s Avatar'
Mar 19, 2024

As a person with really dry skin, this is a wonderful product that keeps my face hydrated throughout the evenings and great for sensitive skin. Considering that it is a thick product, a little goes a long way, which is why I think for...

As a person with really dry skin, this is a wonderful product that keeps my face hydrated throughout the evenings and great for sensitive skin. Considering that it is a thick product, a little goes a long way, which is why I think for the amount you get at the price point it is a great buy. Only thing I wish it had was a pump like the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream just because I feel it is more sanitary, but that can be remedied with getting an airless pump dispenser if you don't mind decanting product.

Great Value
Hydrating
Heavy
Absorbs Well
No Scent
Works Well
Region: US
kyniwi's Avatar'
Feb 18, 2024

It burns if I have any dry patches (under my nose in the winter for example) and does not sink in very well. I’m pretty sure this has been causing me to have blackheads, whiteheads, and milia all over my cheeks and chin. seriously...

It burns if I have any dry patches (under my nose in the winter for example) and does not sink in very well. I’m pretty sure this has been causing me to have blackheads, whiteheads, and milia all over my cheeks and chin. seriously overhyped.

Irritating
Heavy
No Scent
Broke Me Out
Doesn't Work
Region: US
Aquila's Avatar'
Jan 16, 2022

NOT for ultra-sensitive skin
I first discovered this moisturizer a year ago when I was suffering the fallout from a particularly nasty case of contact dermatitis. I needed a moisturizer that was fragrance-free and safe for sensitive...

NOT for ultra-sensitive skin
I first discovered this moisturizer a year ago when I was suffering the fallout from a particularly nasty case of contact dermatitis. I needed a moisturizer that was fragrance-free and safe for sensitive skin. The first time I applied this to my face, it immediately stung and burn something fierce.

I thought that the reaction was due to the existing contact dermatitis. A couple months later, after the dermatitis had healed from a round of Desonide cream (and then several weeks of no skincare products at all), I tried the cream on my arms and legs. No bad reactions, so I tried it again on my face. Got the same reaction: stinging, burning, and redness. Not only that, but it gave me contact dermatitis.

Turns out, this DOES have fragrance (along with harsh preservatives), despite what the label says. Any type of synthetic fragrance will cause me to have stinging red irritation, so this brand openly lies about its ingredients on the labels.

I can still use it on my trunk, arms and legs (which are not sensitive), and I only do so to not waste the expensive product however I will NEVER again purchase ANY products from this brand.

If you have sensitive or ultra-sensitive skin, beware and consider looking at other brands and giving this one a miss.

Region: US

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