Beauty Elixir

CeraVe · Cleanser · rinse-off

Is CeraVe Foaming Facial 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
1 Aqua 0/5 · Low Safe
3 Glycerin 0/5 · Low Safe
6 Niacinamide 0/5 · Low Safe
9 Propylene Glycol 0/5 · Low Safe
22 Sodium Hyaluronate 0/5 · Low Safe
18 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.

cocamidopropyl hydroxysultainesodium lauroyl sarcosinatepeg-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearatepeg-6 caprylic/capric glyceridessodium methyl cocoyl taurateceramide npceramide apceramide eopcarbomermethylparabensodium lauroyl lactylatecholesteroldisodium edtapropylparabencitric acidtetrasodium edtaphytosphingosinexanthan gum

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 Foaming Facial Cleanser without problems. These flags matter most if you are acne-prone and have noticed small closed bumps after starting it.

Compare CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

vs Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Watervs CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream 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

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum

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

Check price on Amazon Nykaa

Have another product on your shelf? Paste its ingredients.

Open the scanner →

Frequently asked questions

Is CeraVe Foaming Facial 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 Foaming Facial Cleanser safe for fungal acne?

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

What is the clean score of CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser?

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser scores 83% on our pore-clog and fungal-acne scan, based on 6 recognised ingredients out of 24.

More free tools

Pore-Clog CheckerIs it acne & fungal-acne safe? Can I Mix…?Check two actives or your routine Routine Builder7-day AM/PM plan in 30s Hair Porosity TestOils & wash schedule for your hair Spray CalculatorHow many sprays is right? Perfume DupesLuxury smell, budget price Batch Code CheckerIs your makeup expired?