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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Vanicream Cleansing Bar versus CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar .

Last updated on February 14, 2024. Published on April 15, 2023

Overview

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Body Wash American Brand United States
Face Cleanser Canadian Brand Canada

Body Wash

Products for cleansing your body. These include soaps, gels, cleansing creams, cleansing oils, and body washes.

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

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Vanicream Cleansing Bar 18 ingredients

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar 33 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

Vanicream Cleansing Bar 18 ingredients

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar 33 ingredients

Benefits

Hydrating

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (2)
Rosacea

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

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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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: Cleansing
Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from the fatty acids of coconut oil. It is a surfactant and helps with cleansing the skin.

By binding to water and oil, it helps gently clean skin. It also helps the spreadability of the product.

Sodium cocoyl isethionate is also added to help create foam without drying the skin. However, this is depending on the amount of Sodium cocoyl isethionate.

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 1.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.

As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.

Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.

Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.

This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Stearic Acid

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 2.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
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

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 3.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Sodium Isethionate.

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 5.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 10.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 14.

6
What it does: Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 13.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 19.

7
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Disliked

Petrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.

This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.

Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.

The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.

Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.

Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.

Learn more about Petrolatum

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 14.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 28.

8
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. It is derived from cetearyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol.

As an emulsifier, Ceteareth-20 prevents oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant. Surfactants help gather oil, pollution, and dirt to be washed away.

Vanicream Cleansing Bar contains this as ingredient number 15.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar contains this as ingredient number 15.

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

Vanicream Cleansing Bar 18 ingredients

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar 33 ingredients

17% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
28% have no rating yet
39% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Vanicream Cleansing Bar 18 ingredients

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar 33 ingredients

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