CeraVe vs Aveeno 2024 (The Definitive Guide)

CeraVe and Aveeno are America’s sweethearts of drugstore skincare. They have become so synonymous with affordable skincare for sensitive skin that it can be hard to differentiate the two.

Let’s take a head-to-head look at three of their rival best-seller pairs, and help you to decide which is best for you and your skin!

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CeraVe vs Aveeno Cleanser

When you’re battling sensitive skin, it can be difficult to find a cleanser that hits the perfect balance. You need a cleanser effective enough to wash away dirt and bacteria, yet gentle enough not to strip your skin and leave it feeling tight and dry.

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser vs Aveeno Calm+Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser

First up, a comparison of two of the most popular cleansers from both brands: CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Aveeno’s Calm+Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser.

Both CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Aveeno’s Calm+Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser boast a non-comedogenic formula, which means neither of them will clog your pores. CeraVe’s is backed by the National Eczema Association and Aveeno’s is clinically proven to be hypoallergenic, so we’re off to a close start.

CeraVe commonly advertises working with dermatologists to create their formulas and even mine has recommended their products to me. They’re especially proud of their skin-identical ingredients like Ceramides 1, 3 and 6, as well as hyaluronic acid. Since ceramides make up 50% of the material that holds our skin cells together, they’re critical in hydration and a healthy skin barrier.

Let’s take a look at CeraVe’s top four ingredients by volume versus Aveeno’s. CeraVe and Aveeno’s cleansers both use water and glycerin as their top two ingredients. Glycerin is a skin-identical ingredient that acts as a moisturizer and humectant (it attracts water from the air to your skin). It’s been used for more than 50 years and helps keep your skin barrier healthy. We love this ingredient and it’s great for sensitive skin!

After this, the two brands start to differ. CeraVe opts for a behentrimonium methosulfate and cetearyl alcohol combo for their third and fourth ingredients. Combined, these two act as a super stable cleanser and emollient. Aveeno’s next two ingredients of choice are butylene glycol (BG) and avena sativa kernel flour (oat extract). BG helps Aveeno’s nourishing formula absorb faster, spread nicely and it’s also another humectant. It’s a super safe ingredient and even used in foods! Aveeno’s oat extract is their signature that acts as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and an emollient.

At this point, we were still having a hard time choosing a favorite, and you might be too. Don’t worry! We decided to dig a little deeper and look into these products’ Environmental Working Group (EWG) toxicology ratings. EWG is a non-profit, American Activist Group who do extensive research on the safety of our food and products. We’ve utilized their Skin Deep Database to see how these two cleansers stack up:

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most toxic, CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser received a 4, making it a “moderate hazard.” The most alarming ingredient is propylparaben which has been proven to cause endocrine disruption as well as developmental and reproductive toxicity. Aveeno’s Calm+Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser received a toxicology rating of 2, earning it a “Trusted Choice Skinsafe” rating. This made Aveeno’s Calm+Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser the obvious choice for best overall cleanser, especially for sensitive skin!

CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash vs Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash

While CeraVe and Aveeno each offer a whole range of popular body washes (such as CeraVe's Soothing Body Wash, CeraVe's SA Body Wash, and Aveeno's Skin Relief Body Wash), today we'll be focusing on their daily hydrating/moisturizing body washes.

Unlike typical body washes, neither of these body washes contain soap (a common irritant), which is a major plus for those of us with sensitive skin. On the topic of irritant omissions, they're both also free from dyes and parabens, and while CeraVe's is free from fragrance, Aveeno's isn't.

Even more disappointingly, though, Aveeno's also contains sulfates, and while Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) isn't quite as egregious as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), it's still not quite as appealing as CeraVe's alternative: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, which yields a rich, creamy foam and boasts additional moisturizing properties.

Disappointment aside, Aveeno highlights Prebiotic Oat as its key ingredient, which does boast some pretty incredible benefits: it helps replenish the skin's natural moisture barrier, encourages good bacteria to thrive in your skin's microbiome, and helps soothe irritated skin. Does it make up for the inclusion of sulfates? The jury's out on that one.

CeraVe instead highlights its signature combo of Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid to moisturize and soften the skin. It also includes Urea—a keratolytic agent known for its ability to improve the appearance of dry, rough skin.

Ultimately, it has to be stated that Aveeno's Daily Moisturizing Body Wash is historically the more popular choice, but on paper we would have to side with CeraVe and their Hydrating Body Wash for its gentler formula.

CeraVe vs Aveeno Moisturizer

We all know that moisturizing is a critical step in our skincare routines. Proper hydration can strengthen your skin barrier, slow aging, increase efficacy of your other skincare products, and prevent acne and other skin conditions. To put it simply, you need a moisturizer, and you need a good one.

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion vs Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Let’s talk about body lotion! I used to hate the feeling of lotion on my body, but it’s absolutely necessary if you want healthy skin with a youthful glow. You want a moisturizer that feels light on your skin, but still provides powerful hydration that your sensitive skin needs to stay healthy. If you’re torn between CeraVe and Aveeno, keep scrolling to find the best moisturizer for you!

CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion and Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion are both absolute staples for these brands. Most American households have at least one of these products sitting on their shelves at all times, but which one is the best? Let’s get into their ingredients and feel to determine which moisturizer you should be adding to your cart.

Both lotions are lightweight, non-greasy, and are proven to provide hydration 24 hours after application. They’re also non-comedogenic, oil-free and fragrance-free making them great for sensitive or dry skin. However, their product formulations start to differ when we look at their key ingredients.

CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion uses a combination of anti-acne, cell-communicating ingredients (according to incidecoder.com, these tell your skin cells to ‘behave’ better), and essential skin-identical ingredients (these mimic components found in your skin that are essential for a healthy, moisturized skin barrier)—most widely recognized is their use of three types of ceramides.

Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion’s key ingredients serve as antioxidants, skin-identical ingredients and anti-inflammatories—included in these is their flagship, oat extracts. The key ingredients mentioned above make both lotions great for dry, sensitive skin, as well as skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

From an inclusion perspective, Aveeno practices equity awareness with their Skin Health Startup Accelerator which identifies Black female entrepreneurs who are creating skincare and haircare to meet the needs of Black consumers and provides $100,000 in funding as well as ongoing mentorship. Aveeno is also raising awareness of skin conditions in skin of color which can be difficult to diagnose since “less than 5 percent of the images in general medicine textbooks showed conditions on darker skin.”

We can’t make our final decision without checking out EWG’s Skin Deep Database. So what do they have to say about these two fan-favorite lotions? Just like their cleansers, CeraVe has a rating of 4, making it a “moderate hazard,” and Aveeno is rated a 2, making it a “low hazard.” Since we like to err on the side of caution, we are giving Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion our stamp of Best Overall Lotion!

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream vs Aveeno Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream

You may be thinking: “I already have a lotion, why would I need to add a cream to my skincare line up?” Creams are a great addition to your PM skincare routine to lock in moisture and nutrients while your skin works to repair itself overnight. If you suffer from skin conditions like acne, eczema, dry skin or psoriasis you might want to strongly consider adding a cream to your routine. They can also be essential to help keep your skin healthy in cold, dry climates.

We can’t talk about dry, damaged skin without talking about CeraVe and Aveeno’s cream options which offer intense hydration and repair. There are several different types of creams offered by each brand, but we’ve narrowed it down to the top two: CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream and Aveeno’s Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream. Let’s get into their key similarities and differences and determine which one is worth the shelf space.

When it comes to the basics: non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, steroid-free, paraben and sulfate-free—these creams are both checking all the boxes. They have a rich, luxurious feel but don’t leave behind a greasy residue.

We’re going to switch things up this time and talk about their EWG Skin Deep Database ratings, then get into their ingredients. These two products are tied at a toxicity rating of 3 making them both “moderate hazards.” It is important to note that EWG shares that their referenced data on both products is “limited.”

Let’s take a look at their active ingredients to make our final decision. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and Aveeno Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream both have active ingredients that serve as antioxidants, cell-communicating ingredients, and skin-identical ingredients.

However, CeraVe’s cream also has an anti-acne ingredient and packs in seven skin-identical ingredients compared to Aveeno’s two. Of those seven, three are essential ceramides and one is sodium hyaluronate, a cousin to the ever-famous hyaluronic acid. They actually refer to it as hyaluronic acid because once in your skin that’s what it’s converted to.

This superstar ingredient combo has us adding CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream to our cart every time we hit the drugstore!

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion vs Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Face Moisturizer

The daily use of sun protection is essential! It doesn’t matter if you live in a hot sunny environment or a cloudy gray area. Unprotected exposure to the sun’s rays can have devastating consequences over time.

Today we will be comparing Aveeno's Positively Radiant Daily Face Moisturizer and CeraVe’s AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, both of which contain SPF to help mitigate the harmful effects of daily sun exposure.

At first glance, both products are *extremely* similar. Both formulas are non-comedogenic, allergy tested, fragrance-free, and oil-free, they both provide SPF 30 sun protection, and they both contain a nourishing combo of emollients and humectants to deliver all day hydration. The bottles and pumps even look similar!

The differences do begin to reveal themselves the closer we inspect their ingredients lists, though. Firstly, while Aveeno's day cream contains only chemical sunscreen ingredients, CeraVe's contains a mix of chemical *and* physical sunscreen ingredients. Given that they both provide SPF 30, there's some scope to argue that this means CeraVe's has a lower chance of causing irritation (since physical sun protection is widely regarded as preferable for sensitive skin types).

There's even more scope to argue this point given that among Aveeno's chemical sunscreen ingredients is Oxybenzone—a controversial ingredient which is purported to cause allergic reactions and irritation—not exactly something you want to see in a product designed for people with sensitive skin!

Skepticism aside, Aveeno's moisturizer does contain a couple of hero ingredients, namely: Soybean Extract (which visibly brightens skin) and Panthenol (which enhances moisturization). CeraVe's lotion instead contains their typical entourage of nourishing Ceramides, soothing Niacinamide and hydrating Hyaluronic Acid, which we all know is a formula that works given that they've crammed it into practically every best-seller they have.

Ultimately, on the basis that it's probably best to avoid controversial ingredients when it comes to sensitive skin, we prefer the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion vs Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream

If your skin needs some serious TLC and an intense shot of moisturization, you should consider adding an intensive night moisturizer into your routine. These creams typically have a heavier texture and have a more intense concentration of humectants and oils.

Both Aveeno and CeraVe boast their own takes of the 'ideal' night cream, but there are several distinctions to take note of before deciding which is best.

As mentioned in the little subsection intro there, typical night creams tend to have a thick, rich texture. In which case, these moisturizers are anything but typical. The CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is a super lightweight, oil-free lotion, and the Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream has a gel-cream texture that's slightly thicker than CeraVe's but definitely not as rich as most night creams.

Night creams also tend to boast additional benefits beyond just being intensely moisturizing. This is true for Aveeno's, with it containing tone-correcting Soybean Extract and antioxidant Mango Butter. But CeraVe's purely serves as a way to deliver a steady stream of much-needed moisture throughout the night, containing Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, and their MVE (slow release) technology .

Unfortunately, the Aveeno Night Cream has a bit of a reputation among reviewers for being too harsh for sensitive skin types. It's not entirely clear what the offending ingredient is, but we have reason to believe it could be the overbearing fragrance they've included. The CeraVe PM Lotion is definitely better in this regard, containing no obvious nasties.

Choosing between the two ultimately comes down to what you're seeking from a night cream. For those looking to improve skin tone and radiance, Aveeno might be the one for you. Otherwise, if you're just looking to ward off dryness and maintain healthy, moisturized skin, then CeraVe's PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion would be preferable.

It's also important to consider your routine as a whole. If you're using CeraVe's day cream, then CeraVe's night cream is obviously going to complement your routine better than a random standalone Aveeno product. Likewise for the converse case: if you're using Aveeno's day cream, then Aveeno's night cream will be better to round off your daily routine.

CeraVe vs Aveeno Sunscreen

As is thankfully becoming more and more understood these days, sun exposure is responsible for 90% of the visible signs of ageing (among other nasty effects), so it is absolutely critical to have a high quality sunscreen as part of your daily skincare routine.

Aveeno and CeraVe both offer a wide variety of sunscreens. There's ones with SPF 30, others with SPF 50, ones for the face, others for the body, and CeraVe even offers one with a sheer tint (we love this sunscreen, by the way).

In the interest of brevity, we'll just be comparing their most popular facial sunscreens—CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen and Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen—but note that the differences we're going to explore will extend to the rest of their ranges, so it's still worth reading regardless of which pair you're torn between.

If you're more interested in their moisturizers containing SPF, though, skip back to the day cream comparison earlier in this guide!

First and foremost, it's important to understand that while they're indeed similar in the sense that they're both facial sunscreens with skincare benefits, they are fundamentally different because of how they provide sun protection.

The CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen is a mineral/physical sunscreen (as you could probably gather from its name), whereas the Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen is a chemical sunscreen.

The actual sun protection they deliver isn't up for debate, since they both block 98% of UVA+UVB rays. BUT, it is worth noting that chemical sunscreens have a propensity for triggering irritation for people with sensitive skin (since the chemicals convert UV rays into sensitizing heat). Mineral sunscreens are better for those with sensitive skin, but they aren't completely free from criticism either; since the physical particles intentionally sit on top of the skin, they often leave an unsightly white cast.

If this isn't quite enough to make your mind up, consider whether you prefer the benefits of soothing Oat Extract (Aveeno), or a moisturizing blend of Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide (CeraVe).

Ultimately, we prefer Aveeno's Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen. The white cast that CeraVe's causes is enough to completely taint its reputation (as is reflected by its ratings online), despite probably being the better choice for sensitive skin. Aveeno's attempt at a mineral sunscreen (the Positively Mineral Sunscreen) isn't much better in this regard either. If you're desperate for a sunscreen for sensitive skin that doesn't leave a white cast, then CeraVe's Sheer Tint Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen would be your best bet.

CeraVe vs Aveeno for Acne

CeraVe and Aveeno both offer a dedicated range of products specifically for those struggling with acne-prone skin. While they can't quite be compared apples to apples, it's still worth highlighting the best from each range, and what makes them worth your while.

At the heart of CeraVe's "Acne Control" range is a blend of potent actives you'll be more than familiar with if you've ever browsed through acne products before. We'll get to those in a second. Supporting these actives, though, are three essential Ceramides to help maintain the skin's moisture barrier, which ultimately helps these products deliver acne-busting results without the dryness or flakiness that typical acne treatments cause.

Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser contains 4% Benzoyl Peroxide.

Acne Control Cleanser contains Salicylic Acid.

Acne Control Gel contains Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Salicylic Acid.

Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains Retinol.

It'd be unwise to add every one of these products to your routine (if that's even possible) since combining lots of strong actives is the #1 route to overexfoliation and irritation. But, selecting one or two of them—such as one of the cleansers, plus either the gel or the serum—would be a great way to keep blemishes at bay.

Aveeno's "Clear Complexion" products feature a much less diverse range of actives, in fact, the only active you'll find is Salicylic Acid (SA). There's no disputing the fact that SA is an effective acne treatment, but it's worth noting that it's not for everyone; it's mainly best for those with mild acne consisting of blackheads and whiteheads.

Unlike CeraVe's Acne Control range, you could also probably get away with making a whole routine out of it since you have a choice of cleansers (Foaming Facial Cleanser vs Cream Face Cleanser vs Daily Cleansing Exfoliating Pads) and a moisturizer (Daily Moisturizer), though it is lacking a dedicated spot treatment.

Ultimately, Aveeno's "Clear Complexion" is probably a better introduction to acne treatments than anything else (they certainly don't replace a prescribed regime, anyway). If you have more of an idea what your skin responds well to—or if you know that SA definitely doesn't work for you—then CeraVe's standalone "Acne Control" options give you a lot more choice.

CeraVe vs Aveeno for Eczema

Continuing the trend of having dedicated ranges for specific skin concerns, both Aveeno and Cerave offer products specifically for relieving eczema symptoms. This comparison in particular is doubly interesting, though, given that both brands' products have the seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Association.

CeraVe's eczema creamy-oil and hydrocortisone anti-itch cream, developed with dermatologists, are both formulated to help with eczema symptoms, and both include Ceramides to help restore the skin’s protective barrier.

As you'd expect from a couple of NEA-accepted products, they both contain Colloidal Oatmeal, which temporarily protects and helps relieve the irritation and itching associated with eczema.

Usually you can't go wrong with CeraVe, and the Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream is a prime example of this. BUT, unfortunately the newer formulation of the Eczema Relief Creamy Oil has left customers begging for the older formula to return, so this is one to avoid for now unless you can pick up the original formula from a secondary retailer. (We'll update this post if/when CeraVe makes further updates—subscribe to get updates straight to your inbox.)

Aveeno's "Eczema Therapy" range also relies on the soothing powers of Colloidal Oatmeal. And unlike CeraVe, people are still in love with the moisturizer.

The Itch Relief Balm doesn't quite have the same medicinal potency as its CeraVe counterpart containing the steroid Hydrocortisone. If you're already using topical steroids as part of a prescription from your dermatologist, though, this is actually a plus in favor of Aveeno, because you will most likely be instructed to avoid other products containing steroids while on your prescription (thus ruling out CeraVe's itch cream).

With both brands boasting the seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Association, you can't go far wrong with either brand. So take your pick, and get yourself some glorious itch-relieving goodness.

This article was originally published on February 22nd 2022, but it has been reviewed and updated with the latest available information on January 31st 2024 by Sara Mckay, MA.