Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin versus CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on December 27, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, 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
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 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 🎉
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 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not 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
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Myristic Acid • Stearic Acid • Potassium Hydroxide • Lauric Acid • Palmitic Acid • Peg-32 • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate • Peg-100 Stearate • Glyceryl Stearate • Phenoxyethanol • Peg-75 • Sodium Chloride • Peg-150 Distearate • Polyquaternium-7 • Parfum • Ethylhexylglycerin • Disodium EDTA • Propylene Glycol • Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract • Capric Acid • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Citric Acid • Glycolic Acid • CI 77492
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 WaterNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 1.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 GlycerinNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 2.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 3.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 5.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 8.
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.
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 13.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 21.
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 ChlorideNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 15.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.
Ethylhexylglycerin (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.
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 19.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 27.
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 GlycolNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 21.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 AcidNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 25.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 23.
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.
When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.
Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidNeutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin contains this as ingredient number 26.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 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
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin 27 ingredients
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser 28 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Activated Cream-to-Foam Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 26 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser.
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