Cerave • Foaming Facial Cleanser • Cleansers

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AmCam28 on 9/1/2012 1:17:00 PM more reviews by AmCam28

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I'm on my second bottle and find it's better than my other two favorite cleansers, Philosophy Purity and Olay Foaming Face Wash- Sensitive. Purity is wonderful for makeup removal but is expensive. Olay is affordable, but doesn't remove makeup as well. Both of these cleansers can sometimes dry out my oily, sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Cerave's Foaming Facial Cleanser seems to fill all my skin's needs. It removes light makeup (concealer, blush, powder) easily and doesn't dry my skin out if I double wash for heavier makeup. This cleanser works well with my Clarisonic.

Pros: generous amount, affordable, easily available, doesn't dry out skin or make it more oily, doesn't break skin out, doesn't make skin feel more sensitive, fragrance-free
Cons: So far, I see none.

Edit: After using two bottles, I started breaking out consistently on my forehead. I switched back to Olay and my skin was clear within a couple days. This worked well during cold weather, so I might only use it then.

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opheliae on 8/27/2012 1:37:00 AM more reviews by opheliae

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

i thought this was great before how it didn't strip the skin and was happy that it was in a pump bottle but just a couple days of using it i started getting white heads and huge clogged pores. Before this i had 0 acne due to retin-a and it never really allowed the white heads to fully develop from this cleanser but i can only imagine what my face would've looked like without my trusty retin-a. i was also getting white heads in areas i have never broken out in my life. i really wanted to believe it wasn't this but i went back to my HG Basis Cleaner Clean and it went away right away.

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surfplum on 8/25/2012 11:43:00 PM more reviews by surfplum

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This is a good, basic cleanser. I definitely like it better than Cetaphil because it does a better job of keeping breakouts at bay. My derm recommended this (specifically the foaming cleanser, not the regular Cerave cleanser) for breakouts on my body and face. It doesn't do anything special when it comes to anti-aging, fine lines, etc. For me, it works best when I pair it with a light moisturizer, otherwise it can be slightly drying.

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*TOP REVIEWER* TiffanieJean on 8/22/2012 3:39:00 PM more reviews by TiffanieJean

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

I had a horrible reaction to a sunscreen about 4.5 months ago… I got a whole lot of white heads all over my face that slowly turned into cystic acne. Luckily, I bought this Cleanser before it got too bad. I was able to stop the cystic acne on most of my face, with the exception of my jaw line and chin.


I have sensitive acne prone combo skin that leans to the dry side. I read the reviews on here before I bought it, so I already knew it could cause some dryness. I’m not going to lower it’s rating for that. I wanted to clear up my acne more than anything else, and this stuff really helped but I’ll be buying the Hydrating version next time. This is not a product for anyone with skin that dries out easily.


The consistency is nice. It’s not too watery and lathers very well. You don’t need a ton of product to get your face clean. HOWEVER, it does not remove makeup well at all. I use Grandpa’s Thylox Sulfur Acne Treatment Soap Bar to remove any makeup I have on before I wash my face with this, and the combo works great. If I didn’t have a good way to remove my makeup already I don’t think I would like this product as much as I do.

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travelbugaf3 on 8/20/2012 1:49:00 AM more reviews by travelbugaf3

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have acne prone, very sensitive skin.

I switched to this after getting some good results from Cerave PM facial moisturizer, and have been using the two together for a few months. They are my HG products-- my skin is more clear and healthy than it has been in over 15 years. This cleanser does not dry me out at all, and cleanses without irritation. I have not had any negative reactions to this. The price is great also, as a little goes a long way and the bottle lasts forever.

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smellthis on 8/10/2012 7:33:00 PM more reviews by smellthis

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

HG facial cleanser for normal to oily skin. This unscented gel foams lightly, doesn't strip skin but instead leaves it comfortable and clean. Anyone with sensitive skin - or someone who prefers their facial products unfragrances - will appreciate this. My only [minor] quibble is the packaging; the pump is a little stiff.

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amay100 on 8/5/2012 8:24:00 PM more reviews by amay100

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Let me first say that I have very sensitive acne-prone skin. This face wash is amazing for it. I also have oily skin and it helps keep the oil at bay throughout the day. It does not leave a dry tight feeling, which the cetaphil cleanser did. Have not had any breakouts since using this, which ill usually have the next morning. Recommended for those with oily and sensitive skin! Not for people with dry skin, it even says it on the bottle!

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reviews2012 on 7/29/2012 8:53:00 PM more reviews by reviews2012

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Great product for sensitive skin. Totally recommend it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* pecantan on 7/22/2012 11:38:00 AM more reviews by pecantan

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

im really loving this cleanser so far! my skin type is oily/very sensitive. its hard for me to find a cleanser that doesnt irritate my skin or eyes...this cleanser does NOT. a few years back, the only cleanser that cerave had was the lotion type cleanser. i tried that one and hated it. i moved on to Boscia purifying cleansing gel and was very happy with it and had no plans to change until recently when they revised it(why do stupid companies do this??!). anywho, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because i started researching to find a new cleanser and saw that the cerave got very high reviews on every site. so i decided to give it a try and low and behold..i like this even better than the Boscia and its half the price! this cleanser keeps my face fairly matte throughout the day which is a definite plus. its also non drying and cleans my skin really well. i always use a wipe to remove my makeup first..but this cleanser does a great job at cleaning off any remaining makeup. i also love that it comes in a pump. i have found everything that i need in this cleanser and i intend to stick with it. will do an updated review in about 6 weeks.

UPDATE: 9/22/2012
still LOVING this cleanser! its amazing. it hasnt broken me out or irritated my skin or eyes at all. it gives my face a smooth, supple appearance. great for oily skin-even in the summer. this cleanser is a definitely a keeper!!!!

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1Bruce1 on 7/14/2012 10:51:00 AM more reviews by 1Bruce1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

This has become a staple for me. I have oily, very sensitive skin with mild rosacea, and this stuff is perfect. I use it on my neck and upper chest too. Just a simple, gentle cleaner--love it!

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jiegao8 on 7/14/2012 1:21:00 AM more reviews by jiegao8

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My favorite cleanser of all time. I'm finishing up my second bottle and will continue to use it. It's perfect for my combination skin. Simple, cleans well, not irritating or drying, and one bottle lasts a long time. It's not the best cleanser for makeup removal but works fine when I wear minimal makeup. It's so gentle that I can even use it around my eyes. I usually use it once a day in combination with another stronger facial cleanser that can give that squeaky clean and tight feeling on my face. But if my skin feels sensitive or has issues such as breakouts, then I usually stick to CeraVe both in the morning and at night. I was actually a little hesitant in buying it at first because I heard that it's fairly similar to Cetaphil, which I have tried in the past with poor result. But CeraVe worked out very well with my skin and I'm glad I gave it a chance because it has resolved my mild acne problem and even improved my overall skin tone. I would really recommend it for those who would like to take a more gentle approach with their acne issues as well as those who are just looking for an excellent everyday cleanser.

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ChellBell on 7/10/2012 3:53:00 AM more reviews by ChellBell

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is a wonderful cleanser in my opinion! A year ago, i got so upset with my awful t-zone breakouts that i decided to go to the dermatologist and they gave me samples of a few cleansers. This one definitely stuck out as the one that worked! I tried Cetaphil and even the CeraVe hydrating version, but only this cleanser worked for me. I haven't had much trouble with my acne since. Great Buy!!!

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bunnyangel on 7/9/2012 6:42:00 PM more reviews by bunnyangel

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I was very skeptical about how well this would work since I thought it would be like Cetaphil, which does not work well for me. But thankfully, this is perfect for me as a morning cleanser. It is gentle but effective and does not overdry my skin. I think it would probably be great for others at night as well, but I have acne prone skin and use a separate cleanser at night that has lactic acid. I love the affordable price, lack of fragrance, large size and easy to use pump bottle. I never thought I would get through the entire bottle without getting sick of the product or finding it ineffective after awhile. But I finally finished it and am definitely buying another.

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Lolat81 on 7/2/2012 3:50:00 PM more reviews by Lolat81

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This product would be great for someone with super oily skin or that slathers lots of lotion on after cleansing. I prefer to not have to slather moisturizer on bc I don't want my face cleanser to dry my face to the point to where I need so much moisturizer. This cleanser felt like I was rubbing KY jelly all over my face! It foamed up nicely but for my combo skin I don't need a foaming cleanser. It dried my skin out terribly and felt very cracked and tight 10 minutes later. I mistakenly thought when I was a teen that I needed to dry my face out to no end with stripping cleansers and harsh products in order to keep from breaking out. I know now that that is the wrong thing to do as that just prompts your skin to produce more oil. Plus I hate the cracked face feeling and peeling! Skin's ph is slightly acidic (called the acid mantle) so you do not want to disturb that too much with harsh products. Cerave is great for some people I'm sure but personally I prefer cetaphil gentle cleanser. it's not too drying and does not disturb your acid mantle. So if you must use a few acne products go ahead just don't strip your skin with harsh cleansers. You know your skin is so much more vulnerable when it's wet. Makes since to choose a gentle cleanser and the wait about 15 minutes and then apply your products and finish with a light non-comedogenic moisturizer!

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*TOP REVIEWER* jbeans33 on 6/22/2012 10:58:00 PM more reviews by jbeans33

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Been using this face wash for about 2 months now. I have crazy sensitive/oily/acne/combination/rosacea-prone skin and have always had trouble finding a cleaner that would not totally freak out my face. Even though this is a very simple and gentle face wash, I really feel like the texture of my skin has improved. Nothing miraculous by any means, but since I have started using this my face feels smoother, less flaky, and this face wash has not broken me out :-). I was previously using clean & clear sensitive face wash and thought it was pretty good but, now compared to this, realize that it really dried out my skin. I use another product to remove my makeup at night, so I am not sure how well this would remove makeup (it says it does on the bottle, FYI). I will definitely repurchase this face wash when I run out.

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kayendee on 6/17/2012 2:05:00 AM more reviews by kayendee

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Absolutely awesome. This product removes ALL of my makeup, cleans my face well, and doesn't dry out my skin whatsoever. There is no tight feeling of the skin after washing my face with this. It is extremely gentle and does not aggravate my skin. I love it.

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tinaesq on 6/12/2012 4:14:00 PM more reviews by tinaesq

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Black    

Recomended by my derm. Simple scent free no frills and very effective. break outs have dropped to almost nothing since switching over to this.


not drying at all, just perfect.

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mogwai on 6/6/2012 7:16:00 PM more reviews by mogwai

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Love this! Cerave, you're my favorite cleanser right now. Great for my oily/combo/sensitive skin. No bad fragrance, no residue, and it does not strip my skin. Love the pump bottle
Don't know about makeup removal because I use a separate makeup remover for my eye makeup. Give it a try = you might like it as much as I do!.
I use the oily skin version!

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rko2020 on 6/6/2012 2:00:00 PM more reviews by rko2020

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Great cleanser. I have combo skin(oily,sensitive). I've been looking for a basic cleanser for my acne since i also use aczone/differin. I used spectro(ok but did not cleanse well), clean and clear foaming wash(irritated my skin). With Cerave I only need one pump and it foams very well to clean my face and neck. It can be a little drying near my jaw. Also, this isn't available in Canada so i have to purchase online. However, it's been a long time since i used a cleanser that works for my skin. I will repurchase again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* gommiebears on 6/5/2012 8:30:00 PM more reviews by gommiebears

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is an excellent cleanser for my acne prone, sensitive and oily skin. I have designated this cleanser as my warm weather cleanser since I tend to get extra oily in the summer. It does nothing it terms of oil control but it wasn't designed for that. It takes a small amount to cleanse my face and neck, which I can appreciate. I love it more than Cliniqure's cleansers, which is beyond harsh for my skin. I also love the fact that it is sulfate-free. I will continue to repurchase.

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