Beauty Elixir

CeraVe · Cleanser · rinse-off

Is CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser pore-clogging or fungal-acne safe?

83%clean
Low concern (rinse-off)

Contains an ingredient rated 3+, but it is rinsed off within a minute, so pore-clogging risk is low.

Fungal-acne safe

No known Malassezia triggers among the recognised ingredients.

#IngredientPoresFungal acneIrritancy
15 Sodium Chloride 5/5 · Pore-clogging Safe
2 Aqua 0/5 · Low Safe
3 Glycerin 0/5 · Low Safe
4 Propylene Glycol 0/5 · Low Safe
13 Niacinamide 0/5 · Low Safe
17 Sodium Hyaluronate 0/5 · Low Safe
22 ingredients not in our pore-clogging database

These have no published comedogenic rating in our data. Most are preservatives, fragrance, extracts or actives that are not known pore-cloggers.

benzoyl peroxidecocamidopropyl hydroxysultainesodium c14-16 olefin sulfonatexanthan gumpotassium hydroxideceramide npceramide apceramide eopcarbomerglycolic acidsodium citratesodium lauroyl lactylatesodium hydroxidecholesterolphenoxyethanolpropanediolcitric acidtetrasodium edtadiethylhexyl sodium sulfosuccinatephytosphingosineethylhexylglycerinbenzoic acid

Ingredients rated 3–5 that appear after position 15 are usually present below about 1%, so they are shown as "Low amount" and do not trigger the pore-clog alert. Ratings come from the Fulton comedogenic scale (0–5) and published Malassezia research. They are a rough guide: the concentration and the whole formula matter, and everyone's skin is different.

Rinse-off product: cleansers only touch your skin for about a minute, so comedogenic ratings, which come from leave-on tests, matter far less here. Fungal-acne triggers are also less of a concern when rinsed off.

Why it was flagged

  • Sodium Chloride, rated 5/5, is at position #15 in the list (likely a smaller amount).

Many people use CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser without problems. These flags matter most if you are acne-prone and have noticed small closed bumps after starting it.

Compare CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

vs Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Watervs CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanservs CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanservs CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanservs Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanservs Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanservs COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanservs Mamaearth Vitamin C Face Wash with Vitamin C and Turmeric for Skin Illuminationvs Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Cleanservs Plum Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash For Oily & Acne-Prone Skin

Full ingredient list

Benzoyl Peroxide 4%, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid

Source: official CeraVe product page, checked 27 Sep 2026. Formulas vary by country and change over time, so always check your pack.

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Frequently asked questions

Is CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser pore-clogging?

It contains Sodium Chloride, which is rated 3+ on the comedogenic scale. Because it is a rinse-off product that only stays on skin briefly, this matters much less than in a moisturiser.

Is CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser safe for fungal acne?

Yes. None of its recognised ingredients are known fungal-acne triggers.

What is the clean score of CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser?

CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser scores 83% on our pore-clog and fungal-acne scan, based on 6 recognised ingredients out of 28.

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