We tested these popular moisturizers side by side and picked a winner. Choosing a moisturizer can be difficult, especially since there are so many options to consider. A lot depends on your skin type and the type of cream you’re looking for.
Two of the most popular daily moisturizers on the market are Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. They have a lot in common, and it’s no coincidence.
Both are suitable for daytime and nighttime use for all skin types (including sensitive skin), and are also sold at affordable prices in drugstores. Although both are universally recommended by dermatologists, there are differences in their formulas and containers that are important to note.
1. Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer: Who it’s best for: In the world of facial moisturizers, there are very few products that are free of dyes, fragrances, lanolin, parabens, and all the other controversial substances.
Even within this small category of moisturizers, there are even fewer that don’t contain botanical extracts (i.e. oils from flowers, herbs, nuts, seeds, roots, leaves, barks, and berries), which can clog the pores of people with very sensitive skin like mine. Containing only moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and squalane, Vanicream pampers your skin effortlessly and effectively. 2. CeraVe Moisturizer: Who it’s for: Are you looking for a moisturizer for your face and body? Then you should consider CeraVe Moisturizer. The rich cream provides incredible moisture to all areas of the body, including dry elbows and knees, and never feels greasy. It’s popular with people of all skin types, especially those with very dry, sensitive skin. Plus, each jar contains a lot of product, so you can enjoy your purchase for a long time. What we considered? Ingredients: Moisture
Negative sensitivity
Winner: Vanicream Daily Moisturizer: I was recently prescribed tretinoin, a prescription topical cream similar to retinol that quickly exfoliates the top layer of skin to help treat acne. Although I came from
While I was excited about the results, I was unprepared for the flaky skin that appeared on my face.
To combat flaky patches, I needed a moisturizer that would provide intense hydration without clogging my pores or reacting negatively with harsh acne creams. After perusing the ingredient list, I discovered that
Vanicream Daily Moisturizer contains gentle ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and squalane (the least likely to clog pores or cause a reaction).
CeraVe Moisturizer is also enriched with ceramides and hyaluronic acid and is recommended for extremely dry skin. Because it’s a little thicker and contains more ingredients, I wasn’t surprised when it gave me breakouts.
To find out why, board-certified dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, explains that while CeraVe’s ingredients are nearly identical, the formula contains dimethicone, which allows for a gentler application but may clog certain areas.
Some people have enlarged pores. “Overall, Vanicream is a dermatologist favorite for very sensitive skin because it contains only essential ingredients and none of the potentially irritating ingredients,” he shares.
Container: Practical pump. Winner: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. Formulas are important, but so is the container they come in. If a product’s container can be easily tampered with, the formula could become contaminated and
actually do more harm than good.
That’s why Vanicream is the winner here. While it’s easier to get your hands into Cerave’s larger tube, the risk of dirty fingers contaminating the formula is much higher than with Vanicream’s squeeze tube.
However, Cerave formulas are sold in some stores with travel-sized pump tips or squeeze tubes. However, do your research before buying. Consistency: The texture you prefer is crucial. Winner: Tie!
Vanicream’s consistency is similar to a lotion, and it applies well and evenly. Cerave’s moisturizer, on the other hand, is thick and rich, and requires more effort to spread on the skin. There’s no right or wrong here, it just comes down to personal preference.
Personally, I have very oily skin and hate the feeling of applying moisturizer to my face. Other members of our team disagree and prefer a stronger wording. Value: Reasonably priced. Winner: Tie!
While Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer and CeraVe Moisturizer are similarly priced and serve the same purpose, they have different ingredients and may suit different people, making it difficult to judge their value.
While I’ve had better experiences with Vanicream than the CeraVe formula, the latter is better suited for people with different skin types. The main difference between the two is that the Vanicream Moisturizer is less comedogenic and better suited for oily, acne-prone skin, while the CeraVe Moisturizer is meant for dry skin.
In terms of design, I prefer the Vanicream because it has a squeeze tube, but CeraVe redesigned the packaging in a few places and added a pump cap to avoid contamination from the larger tube. Both options are great, but you should consider your skin type before buying. What to Expect When buying a moisturizer, you can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to over $400.
When choosing the right moisturizer for you, consider how often you should use it and which ingredients are most important to you. Both the Vanicream Daily Face Moisturizer and the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion have drugstore formulas that are reasonably priced, and to be honest, they’re pretty cheap considering how effective they are.
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Did you notice the Byrdie Verified seal of approval at the top of this article?
This seal means our team has researched and tested every product on this list using a unique methodology that focuses on what our readers really want to know and provides insights you won’t find anywhere else. Sometimes beauty brands and PR agencies send us samples to report on, but our thoughts and opinions are our own.We may earn commissions for purchases you make when you visit links within our content, but we are never compensated or paid for the content we recommend. In Short: The Byrdie Verified seal represents a product recommendation you can trust.
