Versus

Nivea Derma Skin Clear Wash Gel Versus Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser - US

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
German Brand Germany
American Brand United States

Updated on November 02, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

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

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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 Water
Cleansing, Foaming

We don't have a description for Sodium Cocoamphoacetate yet.

Masking

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 Chloride
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

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 even out skin tone.

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.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid
Smoothing

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 Niacinamide
Masking, Preservative

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.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate

When to use

75 Routines
41% use in am
59% use in pm
89% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2,764 Routines
49% use in am
51% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Nivea Derma Skin Clear Wash Gel 9 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 rating
No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
na9's avatar

N A

18 hours ago
Review

Good cleanser, feels slightly stripping so only 4 stars

#no scent
#works well

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser 13 ingredients

2.1 /5
from 21 ratings
Great Value (6) Light (6) Works Well (5)
kamiisamas's avatar

kamiisamas

1 year ago
Review

cetaphil we have beef now
ah, cetaphil. one of my first long term face washes. after actually paying attention to what it did, i realized it made my oil production worse and caused a good number of pimples. it IS gentle, but almost TOO gentle for me? my dermatologist ended up telling me it wasn't good for my skin, so combo skin people keep an eye out i guess.

gmyneutron's avatar

gmyneutron

1 year ago
Review

Not fragrance-free
Made my skin itchy and tight. Smells like powder. In terms of accessibility here in the Philippines, it's only sold in the US(PH variant is the Oily skin cleanser) also not available in our e-com stores like Shopee & Lazada. For it's price, not worth it.