Versus

Sesderma Mandelac Moisturizing Cream Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream to Soften Skin

General Moisturizer
Night Moisturizer
Spanish Brand Spain
American Brand United States

Updated on April 04, 2025

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain peptides and Vitamin E

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

What's Inside

They both contain 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 Side-by-side

found in both products
Mandelac Moisturizing Cream

Water

Skin Conditioning

Isohexadecane

Emollient

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Antimicrobial

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Propylene Glycol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Cetyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 2 Fatty Alcohol Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

PEG-100 Stearate

0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharide Isomerate

Humectant

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0

Urea

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Mandelic Acid

Antimicrobial
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Glycolic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Skin Protecting
Peptide Icon

Retinol

Skin Conditioning
Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Skin Conditioning

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Lecithin

Emollient

Alcohol

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Dipropylene Glycol

Masking

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Dextran

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Cholate

Skin Conditioning

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Cleansing

Chamomilla Recutita Extract

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps reduce irritation Icon

Viscum Album Leaf Extract

Soothing

Melissa Officinalis Leaf Oil

Masking
Fragrance IconOil Icon

Humulus Lupulus Extract

Antimicrobial

Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract

Emollient

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Oleate

Emollient
Fragrance IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

BHT

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

BHA

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Ethylparaben

Preservative
Preservative IconParaben IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Methylparaben

Preservative
0 / 0 Preservative IconParaben IconNon-Reef-Safe IconMay worsen Eczema Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Propylparaben

Preservative
0 / 0 Preservative IconParaben IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Coumarin

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citral

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Eugenol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Isoeugenol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon
Skin Renewing Night Cream to Soften Skin

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
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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
Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

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

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Learn more about Cetyl Alcohol

Saccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.

The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.

Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.

Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.

Learn more about Saccharide Isomerate
Skin Protecting

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3 is a peptide.

Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Dextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.

Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.

Buffering

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
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
Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

When to use

6 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
100% use every day
695 Routines
7% use in am
93% use in pm
95% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Sesderma Mandelac Moisturizing Cream 57 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating
kevin10's avatar

Kevin

2 months ago
Review

wrong ingredients description

CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream to Soften Skin 40 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 11 ratings
Great Value (3) Absorbs Well (3) Broke Me Out (2)
Clover's avatar

Clover

2 years ago
Review

Favorite for buffering or sandwiching retinoids!
When I first started my strong retinoid journey to help deal with my acne I was on the hunt for a thick moisturizer to help act as a buffer to my adapalene gel and to ease me through the retinization process. However I didn’t want anything too occlusive either, so I wanted to avoid petrolatum and oils (not all oils are super occlusive, but I wanted Show more

NurseMeg's avatar

NurseMeg

1 year ago
Review

Simple, very hydrating night time moisturizer. My skin loves this stuff. Bonus points for being affordable

#great value
#hydrating
#absorbs well
#no scent