What We Considered

Ingredients: Moisture minus the sensitivity

Winner: Vanicream Daily Moisturizer

I was recently prescribed Tretinoin, a prescription-strength topical cream similar to retinol that rapidly sloughs away the top layer of skin to help treat acne. Though I was excited to see results, I wasn’t prepared for the skin shedding that would take place all over my face. To combat the flakey patches, I needed a moisturizer that would deliver intense hydration without clogging my pores or interacting poorly with the harsh acne cream. 

After obsessively reading ingredient labels, I discovered that the Vanicream Daily Moisturizer has gentle ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and squalane (aka ingredients that are the least likely to clog pores or cause a reaction). CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream is also loaded with ceramides and hyaluronic acid and is recommended for super dry skin. Since it’s a little thicker and has a few more ingredients, I wasn’t surprised when it made me break out. To figure out why, board-certified dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, explained that although the ingredient profiles are almost the same, CeraVe’s formula has dimethicone, which can give it a smoother application but might clog pores for some people. “In general, Vanicream is a dermatologist favorite for very sensitive skin given it has only the essentials without anything that can potentially be irritating,” he shares. 

“Vanicream is formulated to be free of allergy-promoting substances, […] free of lanolin, dye and gluten, [and] is the choice of dermatologists for their patients with sensitive or allergy-prone skin,” adds Dr. Zalka. “For those who are highly allergy-prone, or suffering from rashes like contact dermatitis or irritant dermatitis, or sensitive skin, Vanicream would be my choice.”

Container: A pump comes in handy

Winner: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer

Formulas are important, but so are the containers they’re housed in. If a product has a container that can be easily tampered with, the formula can become tainted and can actually do more harm than good. That’s why Vanicream is the winner here. Although it’s easier to stick your hand in Cerave’s large tub, the risk of polluting the formula with grubby fingers is much higher than using Vanicream’s squeeze tube. However, Cerave formula is available at some stores with a pump top or in the travel-size squeeze tube, just be sure to check before you buy.

Consistency: Your texture preference will make that call

Winner: It’s a tie!

Vanicream’s consistency is like a milky lotion that spreads out nicely and evenly. On the other hand, Cerave’s Moisturizing Cream is thick and rich, so it takes a little more effort to smooth it across the skin. There’s no right or wrong here, it’s simply up to personal preference. I, for one, have super oily skin and hate the feeling of a thick moisturizer on my face. Other members of our team disagree and are really into thicker formulations. “Simply for excessively dry skin, I would recommend CeraVe Healing Ointment or CeraVe Cream (in the jar),” says Dr. Zalka.

Value: The price point is comparable

Winner: It’s a tie!

Though the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer and the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream are available at a similar price point and are intended to serve the same purpose, they have different ingredients and can serve different people, making it hard to judge their value. While my experience with the Vanicream has been better than the CeraVe formula, the latter has worked better for others with different skin types. The main distinction between the two is that the Vanicream moisturizer is less comedogenic and can be better suited for oily, acne-prone skin, while the CeraVe moisturizer can be tolerated by those with drier skin. When it comes down to design, I prefer the Vanicream because of the squeeze tube; however, CeraVe has updated its packaging in some locations to include a pump top to avoid contamination of the big tub it comes in. Either option is great, but you may want to consider your skin type before you buy. 

The Cost

When shopping for a moisturizer, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $5 to well over $400. As you try to decide which is the right moisturizer for you, you should consider how often you’ll use it and which ingredients mean the most to you. In terms of drugstore formulas, both the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer and the Cerave Moisturizing Lotion are well-priced and, honestly, quite a steal when considering their effectiveness. 

The Final Verdict

Several members of our team, myself included, unanimously chose the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer over all other options, including the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. While the two are similar, our testers found that the Vanicream formula was less likely to irritate skin, cause breakouts, or trigger rashes. “Both companies are very generous with providing product samples to doctor’s offices (at least they do for mine),” adds Dr. Zalka. “Ask your dermatologist for samples of each and choose which is best for you.”