CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser: Ingredient Analysis
A non-foaming cream cleanser. What is notable is what sits at the top of the list: glycerin, then cetearyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol — fatty alcohols that soften rather than strip — with no traditional foaming surfactant anywhere. It cleans by dissolving and lifting rather than by lathering, which is why it leaves skin feeling coated rather than squeaky.
No ingredient on this list carries a high published comedogenic rating (3+).
Full ingredient list, explained
| Ingredient | Function | Role | Pore-clog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua / Water / Eau | Solvent | The base most water-soluble ingredients are dissolved in. | – |
| Glycerin | Humectant | The most reliable humectant in skincare; binds water to the skin. | 0 |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | Emollient / Emulsion stabiliser | Cetearyl alcohol is not a single molecule but a blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, two fatty alcohols combined to give formulators the best of both. | 2 |
| PEG-40 Stearate | Emulsifier | Holds oil and water together in a cream or lotion. | – |
| Stearyl Alcohol | Emollient / Emulsion stabiliser | Stearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol very similar to cetyl alcohol, and like its cousin it is a softening, conditioning ingredient rather than the dr… | 2 |
| Potassium Phosphate | Buffering agent | Holds the formula at a set pH. | – |
| Ceramide NP | Barrier repair / Moisture retention | Ceramides are the mortar that holds your skin barrier together. | – |
| Ceramide AP | Barrier lipid | One of the ceramide classes found in the skin's own barrier. | – |
| Ceramide EOP | Barrier lipid | A long-chain ceramide that helps hold the barrier's lipid layers together. | – |
| Carbomer | Gelling agent / Thickener | Carbomer is the invisible scaffolding behind most clear gels in your bathroom, from aloe gels and cleansing gels to lightweight moisturizers and ha… | – |
| Glyceryl Stearate | Emulsifier / Emollient | Glyceryl stearate is one of the most common and best-loved emulsifiers in skincare, and it does double duty: it helps blend oil and water into a st… | – |
| Behentrimonium Methosulfate | Conditioning emulsifier | Emulsifies and leaves a soft, non-greasy finish. | – |
| Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate | Emulsifier | A lactic-acid-derived emulsifier that also conditions the surface. | – |
| Sodium Hyaluronate | Humectant / Hydration | Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid and the form most brands actually use when a label says hyaluronic acid. | 0 |
| Cholesterol | Barrier repair / Emollient | Cholesterol has an unfairly bad reputation from heart-health headlines, but on the skin it is essential. | 0 |
| Phenoxyethanol | Preservative | A widely used broad-spectrum preservative. | – |
| Disodium EDTA | Chelating agent / Stabiliser | Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent, a type of ingredient whose job is to grab hold of metal ions in a formula and hold them inactive. | – |
| Dipotassium Phosphate | Buffering agent | Holds the formula at a set pH. | – |
| Tocopherol | Antioxidant / Emollient | Vitamin E, listed on labels as tocopherol, is the skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant and one of the quiet workhorses of cosmetic formulation. | 0 |
| Phytosphingosine | Barrier repair / Antimicrobial | Phytosphingosine is a lipid that punches above its weight in skincare. | – |
| Xanthan Gum | Thickener / stabilizer | A fermentation-derived gum that thickens and stabilizes. | – |
| Cetyl Alcohol | Emollient / Emulsion stabiliser | Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, and despite the word alcohol in its name, it is nothing like the drying, stripping ethanol or isopropyl alcohol t… | 2 |
| Polysorbate 20 | Emulsifier / solubilizer | Keeps oil-soluble and water-soluble parts mixed. | 0 |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | Humectant | The most reliable humectant in skincare; binds water to the skin. | – |
Open this full list in the comedogenic checker
Ingredient list copied from the brand's own page on 2026-08-27. Formulations change without notice and vary by region — the brands say so themselves. Check the list on your own package before relying on this. CeraVe — Hydrating Facial Cleanser (official product page)
Who it's for
Dry, sensitive and barrier-compromised skin, and anyone whose face feels tight after a foaming wash. It is also the sensible morning cleanser for people using retinoids or acids at night, where the goal is to disturb the skin as little as possible. Very oily skin often finds it does not feel like enough.
How to use it
Massage into dry or damp skin and rinse, or wipe off with a soft cloth. It does not foam, and the absence of lather is not a sign that it is not working. In the evening it works better as the second step after an oil or balm than as a single-step makeup remover.
Frequently asked questions
Do the fatty alcohols in it clog pores?
Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, chemically unrelated to the drying denatured alcohol people are thinking of. Fulton rated cetyl alcohol 2 — borderline on his scale — and they sit well down a rinse-off list here. For most people this is a non-issue; if you are strongly comedogenic-reactive, they are worth knowing about.
Is it actually cleaning if it does not foam?
Yes. Foam comes from surfactants that lower water's surface tension, and a good deal of cleaning happens without them — emulsifiers and fatty alcohols lift oil and debris so a rinse carries them away. Lather is a sensory cue, not a measure of cleaning.
Can it remove makeup?
Light makeup, yes. Long-wear foundation, waterproof mascara and heavy sunscreen need an oil or balm first — this is not formulated to break those down in one pass.
How is it different from the Foaming Facial Cleanser?
The foaming version leads with amphoteric and amino-acid surfactants built to remove oil. This one has none of them, and is built around fatty alcohols and emulsifiers instead. Same ceramide trio, very different cleansing strength.
Is it fragrance-free?
Yes — there is no fragrance or parfum in the list, and no essential oils standing in for one, which matters on reactive skin.
Sources & further reading
- Ingredient list sourced from: CeraVe — Hydrating Facial Cleanser (official product page)
Medical disclaimer
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