Brands
CeraVe blue vs green vs SA, and how to pick the right white bottle
Short answer
Blue text is Hydrating, a creamy non foaming cleanser for dry, sensitive or mature skin. Green text is Foaming, a gel that removes oil, for oily and acne prone skin. Grey text is SA, with salicylic acid for rough or bumpy texture. Picking the wrong one is the most common reason people say CeraVe broke them out or stripped their skin.
Why CeraVe is so easy to get wrong
CeraVe puts almost everything in the same white bottle with the same blue and white branding. The only meaningful difference on the shelf is the colour of the printed word. In a badly lit drugstore aisle that is close to no difference at all.
This matters more than it sounds. A dry skinned person buying the foaming cleanser will end up tight and flaking and blame the brand. An oily person buying the hydrating one will feel filmy and think their skin is congested.
The three main cleansers, decoded
| Text colour | Name | Texture | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | Hydrating Cleanser | Creamy, non foaming | Dry, sensitive, mature skin. Also fine as a PM second cleanse for most people |
| Green | Foaming Cleanser | Gel to foam | Oily, combination and acne prone skin |
| Grey or silver | SA Smoothing Cleanser | Gentle exfoliating | Rough or bumpy texture, keratosis pilaris, body acne |
| Blue and white, Acne range | Acne Control | Benzoyl peroxide or AHA/BHA | Active inflammatory breakouts |
| White and orange | Resurfacing Retinol Serum | Serum | Post acne marks and texture. Not for pregnancy |
How to tell which one you need
Wash your face with nothing on it, wait three hours, then check.
- Tight or flaking, you want blue.
- Shiny all over, you want green.
- Comfortable, either works. Blue in winter, green in summer is a reasonable default.
- Bumpy, rough or with clogged texture on arms and thighs too, look at SA.
This is a better test than how your skin feels right now, because right now is heavily influenced by whatever you last put on it.
The mistake that matters most
If your actual problem is the dark marks left behind by old breakouts, none of these cleansers is the answer. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation is pigment, not acne, and it needs a leave on treatment like azelaic acid, tranexamic acid or alpha arbutin plus daily sunscreen.
Treating it with an acne wash will dry your skin out without touching the marks. Our guide to post acne dark marks covers what actually works and how long it realistically takes.
Questions people also ask
What is the difference between CeraVe blue and green?
Blue text is the Hydrating Cleanser, a creamy non foaming formula for dry and sensitive skin. Green text is the Foaming Cleanser, a gel that removes oil, for oily and acne prone skin. They do opposite jobs.
Which CeraVe cleanser is best for acne?
The green Foaming Cleanser for everyday use. If you have active inflammatory breakouts, the Acne Control range with benzoyl peroxide is more targeted, though benzoyl peroxide bleaches towels and fabric.
Can I use CeraVe SA cleanser every day?
Many people can, but start every other day. It contains salicylic acid, and daily use on already dry or irritated skin can compromise your barrier.
Is CeraVe good for dark spots?
Not particularly. CeraVe is excellent basic skincare, but dark spots need targeted leave on ingredients such as azelaic acid, tranexamic acid or alpha arbutin, plus daily sunscreen. Their Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the closest thing in the range.
Keep reading
Dark marks that last for months after a breakout
Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation is pigment, not scarring, and it fades. Here is what works, how long it takes, and why gentler beats stronger.
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The Ordinary names everything like a chemistry exam. Here is the plain English translation of the ones worth buying, and the ones people misuse.
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