Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème versus CeraVe Moisturizing Cream .

Last updated on August 17, 2023. Published on July 13, 2020

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot an error? Let us know.

General Moisturizer German Brand Germany
Add to routine
General Moisturizer Canadian Brand Canada
Add to routine

General Moisturizer

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

General Moisturizer

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

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
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

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (5)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

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
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

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

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 1.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 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

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 2.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Disliked

Petrolatum is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils. It is an occlusive and prevents moisture loss. The ability to trap moisture can make it good for hydrating dry skin.

The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand.

Occlusives also help protect your skin against infection or allergies.

Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne.

Learn more about Petrolatum

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 8.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Disliked

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.

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 12.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 13.

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.

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 18.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: 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.

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème contains this as ingredient number 20.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

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

15% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
65% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet
54% are loved or liked
4% 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

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Ratings

Here's what our community thinks

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème 20 ingredients

Soft Moisturizing Crème hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

3.2 /5
Not For Combi Skin

Sounded great since it is developed with dermatologists. But I think it's too heavy for combi / oily skin.

from Julesaus
Not A Fan

I tried this after using Drunk Elephant’s LaLa Retro for years and hearing so much about this being such a close and much cheaper dupe. I have it a try and while the ingredients may be close, the formula just isn’t the same. This moisturizer left me feeling greasy and felt like it took ages to absorb. It didn’t even absorb fully before I just gave up and went to bed after an hour and still felt tacky.

from KittenSyndrome
Not That Moisturizing For Something So Thick

This was shockingly not very moisturizing for my dry skin while simultaneously being the thickest moisturizer I’ve ever used. I tried to love it, i really did. I typically apply my moisturizer to my damp face, and even then it still dragged along my skin while applying. And afterwards it just laid on my face never really getting absorbed, all while my face was still flaking like crazy. *also side note, this also stung my skin. I thought i was tripping but other people say the same thing. To...

from mirabel

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 160 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème.

See 160 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 285 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Moisturizing Cream.

See 285 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...