cerave Moisturizing Cream
cerave CeraVe Moisturizing Cream lists 24 ingredients on its label, 23 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua
- Glycerin
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Ceteareth-20
- Petrolatum
- Potassium Phosphate
- Ceramide NP
- Ceramide AP
- Ceramide EOP
- Carbomer
- Dimethicone
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Cholesterol
- Phenoxyethanol
- Disodium EDTA
- Dipotassium Phosphate
- Tocopherol
- Phytosphingosine
- Xanthan Gum
- Ethylhexylglycerin
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of fragranceFree of parabensFree of sulfatesFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains mineral oilContains siliconesContains animal-derived
Formulation view Cream with water/oil phases, containing ceramides and cholesterol for barrier repair, glycerin for moisture, and dimethicone. Ideal for dry, damaged skin. Factory note: Classic O/W emulsion with stable compatibility; dimethicone provides smooth texture.
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol
- FRAGRANCE
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- ANTISTATIC
- Petrolatum
- BUFFERING
- Potassium Phosphate
- HAIR CONDITIONING
- Ceramide NP
Other ingredients
Ceteareth-20Ceramide APCeramide EOPCarbomerDimethiconeBehentrimonium MethosulfateSodium Lauroyl LactylateSodium HyaluronateCholesterolPhenoxyethanolDisodium EDTADipotassium PhosphateTocopherolPhytosphingosineXanthan GumEthylhexylglycerin
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, PERFUMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - OCCLUSIVE | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 1 | Green |
| Ceteareth-20 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Petrolatum | ANTISTATIC, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT · 限制 II/904 (except if the full refining history is known and it can be shown that the substance from which it is produced is not a carcinogen) | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Potassium Phosphate | BUFFERING | 0 · – | Green |
| Ceramide NP | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ceramide AP | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ceramide EOP | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Carbomer | EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Behentrimonium Methosulfate | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · – | Green |
| Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hyaluronate | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cholesterol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING, LIGHT STABILIZER, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Dipotassium Phosphate | ANTICORROSIVE, BUFFERING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Tocopherol | ANTIOXIDANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS, SKIN CONDITIONING - OCCLUSIVE | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phytosphingosine | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Xanthan Gum | BINDING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Fatty alcohol emulsifier at 1-5%; non-ionic surfactant
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Light occlusive and solvent at 1–10%; non-greasy feel, suitable for oily and combination skin
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl alcohol for emulsification/thickening; high concentration >10% may irritate.
- Ceteareth-20
- Not decoded yet
- Petrolatum
- Mineral oil occlusive and antistatic; requires full refining history to ensure absence of potential carcinogens.
- Potassium Phosphate
- pH adjuster for buffering systems; 0.1-1%, avoid calcium and magnesium ions
- Ceramide NP
- Ceramide N3 for barrier repair; lipophilic, needs oil phase or emulsion, avoid high standalone use.
- Ceramide AP
- Ceramide analog for barrier repair; best results when combined with cholesterol and free fatty acids
- Ceramide EOP
- Ceramide EOP, repairs skin barrier lipids; often blended with cholesterol and fatty acids.
- Carbomer
- Gelling thickener requiring neutralization; watch out for ion compatibility
- Dimethicone
- Silicone occlusive at 1–5%; provides smooth feel, non-penetrating, suitable for sensitive skin
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- Cationic surfactant for conditioning and antistatic; be careful with anionic actives compatibility.
- Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- Mild emulsifier at 1–5%; suitable for sensitive skin, mind cationic surfactant compatibility
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Potent humectant at 0.1–2%; different MW for penetration depth, high levels may draw moisture
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol; barrier repair lipid mimicking stratum corneum; often blended with ceramides, plant or fermentation source.
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Dipotassium Phosphate
- Buffer, pH control, non-irritating, non-comedogenic.
- Tocopherol
- Natural antioxidant (vitamin E) at 0.1–1%; prone to oxidation, store protected from light
- Phytosphingosine
- Phytosphingosine barrier repair ingredient, 0.1–1%; water-soluble, good for dry skin.
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Mild conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–1%; reduces preservative load, smooth feel
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-18. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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