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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel versus CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser .

Last updated on December 10, 2023. Published on July 20, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Suited For

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

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.

Facial Treatment American Brand United States
Face Cleanser Canadian Brand Canada

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

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

Shop

Buy Post Acne Scar Gel

Starts at $40.00
Shop

Buy Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser

Starts at $13.69

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
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating
Reduces Irritation (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Brightening (2)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

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

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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

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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.

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 11.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 41.

3
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is also an emulsifier. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 12.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 55.

4
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Acid

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 15.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 49.

5
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 16.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 28.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 19.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 59.

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

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel contains this as ingredient number 20.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 47.

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

42% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
23% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
42% are loved or liked
5% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
8% 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

Proactiv Post Acne Scar Gel 26 ingredients

Post Acne Scar Gel hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 60 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 13 ratings
No Scent (2) Works Well (2) Hydrating (2) Broke Me Out (2) Great Value (2) Irritating (1)
AshN.'s avatar

AshN.

3 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

(Using since 2020) This is one of my most reliable products since the start of my skincare journey and I've not switched to any other cleansers...

(Using since 2020) This is one of my most reliable products since the start of my skincare journey and I've not switched to any other cleansers because of it. I've never experience issues with irritation or breaking out when using this product as there is no harsh fragrance and it's non-comedogenic. Aside from being a solid budget buy, it's very hydrating as a cleanser as my skin does not feel stripped after using it, and it does a great job at removing makeup (I even use this to clean my brushes). I would personally recommend this as a well-rounded cleanser for dry skin.

CentellaAddict's avatar

CentellaAddict

8 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Quite hydrating
Helped me maintain a healthy skin barrier and gave nive hydration, otherwise my skin was still quite oily and mad many breakouts...

Quite hydrating
Helped me maintain a healthy skin barrier and gave nive hydration, otherwise my skin was still quite oily and mad many breakouts after usign this for 1 month

Alternatives

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